Some parts of your macOS are closed to visitors. Every new macOS update makes it harder for ordinary users to manipulate system-critical components. But 'harder' doesn't mean impossible. With tips we've laid out in this article you can get into the hidden parts of the operating system, access private folders, and do other things 99% of Mac users can't. Now, let's go break some rules.
- Feb 05, 2018 carboniteIt is easy to hide files on USB or external hard drive.In this article I am showing you how to hide files on USB and external hard drive with a free software. When you don’t mind to spend little money, you can use premium software Lock My Folders which can lock and hide your folders or files from your computer or external drives. Don’t want to spend money, continue reading this.
- Mar 19, 2020 Step 3: Now under the finder, you can see all the hidden files from your whole system given in below screen. Show or View hidden folders on Mac from the External hard drive or portable device. Here I am giving the suitable example for show hidden files and folders that work on your external drive or USB drive.
- There, in the ‘Advanced settings’ section, click on ‘Show Hidden Files, Folders or Drives’. Then, click on the OK. Now you can view the hidden files and folders. You can hide them again through the same process. How To View Hidden Files On A USB Or External Hard Drive In Mac.
- Access Your Hidden Library Folder With These Five Easy Tricks Tuesday, March 21st, 2017 Author: Tom Nelson. The Mac OS is chock full of hidden areas where data, information, or features have been secreted away from Mac users.
Access private folders on a Mac (Library)
How to view a Mac's /Library folder. There are three ways to easily view your hidden /Library/ folder. In macOS Sierra Apple added a Finder keyboard shortcut that makes it possible to quickly.
Since 2011 the Library folder was closed from regular access. Not only was this a security risk from cyber attacks and viruses, people could too easily alter settings that proved important, and therefore, difficult to fix. Can't find library folder on mac mojave. However, this Library folder often proves an invaluable source of troubleshooting for those who are confident and comfortable accessing the app files contained within.
For Mac power users, you may have heard the expression to “Delete the application's plist”, which is only something you can do with access to the Library folder. If you've never heard of this before, you might have been lucky with the applications you've been using. The Library folder is also a useful place to make customizable tweaks and changes to applications and programs you use on a regular basis.
So if this sounds like something you need access to, we outline three ways we recommend to gain access.
Before you do that: are you trying to access some infected folder or a suspicious app? If that is one of the reasons you need access to the Library, I suggest to eliminate it with CleanMyMac first. In the past I have used it to clean my drive and it got rid of a nasty trojan virus in my system folders. Give it a try here — a link to download a free edition.
Pro Tip: This app also detects private Large & Old folders on your Mac, those rarely visited by you.
Pro Tip: This app also detects private Large & Old folders on your Mac, those rarely visited by you.
Unhide Library Folder Mac External Drive To Windows
My photo libraries. Now, if you want to make space and improve the performance of apps manually, here are the three ways you can access the Library
#1: Make the Library permanently visible
Before you try this, are you familiar with the Terminal? It's not that scary as it looks.
If you are, then we recommend going this route as it will provide permanent uncovered access to the Library. It will save you a whole load of time if you want and need 24/7 access. But only do this if you are perfectly comfortable and familiar using the Terminal. Making mistakes within Terminal can break things and cause problems that you would rather not have, which is the same for anyone who needs access to Library.
Here is how you make the Library visible all of the time:
Powershell Unhide Folder
(1) Launch Terminal, which you can find in /Applications/Utilities
(2) Enter this command in Terminal:
(3) Click Return. Make sure the command is executed.
(4) Quit Terminal. Library should be visible in the Finder > Go menu
(2) Enter this command in Terminal:
chflags nohidden ~/Library
(3) Click Return. Make sure the command is executed.
(4) Quit Terminal. Library should be visible in the Finder > Go menu
If you ever want to restore this to how it was before enter the following command in Terminal:
chflags hidden ~/Library
Unhide Library Folder Mac External Drive 2019
Click Return again and it should be back to how it was.
If you still don't see the Library, try pressing Option key while you are in Finder > Go menu.
If you still don't see the Library, try pressing Option key while you are in Finder > Go menu.
#2: Temporarily unhide the Library
As we mentioned, the use of Terminal — and Library — can cause things to break unexpectedly, which might mean involving an Apple specialist to fix an unexpected problem. So whenever possible, Apple prefers people to do things the way they suggest and there is a suggested Apple way to make the Library visible, albeit temporarily.
(1) Either using Desktop or the Finder Menu, hold down the option key and select the Go menu.
(2) Library should show up in the Go menu
(3) Double-click on Library, which will open a Finder window containing the contents of that folder;
(4) Once you close that window, the Library folder will be hidden again.
(2) Library should show up in the Go menu
(3) Double-click on Library, which will open a Finder window containing the contents of that folder;
(4) Once you close that window, the Library folder will be hidden again.
#3: Unhide any private folder instantly
Luckily, macOS developers provided a shortcut to access private folders on Mac. Be careful with that one as you may delete something critically important (no wonder they hid it).
Press Shift+ Command + Period (a key for period character)
Did it work? Now you can browse the transparent folders, hopefully, you'll find what you're looking for. To undo this option, press Shift + Command + Period again.
Press Shift+ Command + Period (a key for period character)
Did it work? Now you can browse the transparent folders, hopefully, you'll find what you're looking for. To undo this option, press Shift + Command + Period again.
#4: How else to see hidden space on Mac?
Now, if space and the performance issues are troubling you, there is a better way of getting under the hood than accessing a private folder on Mac. Using external tools like CleanMyMac X you can quickly spot what is going on in your Mac. For example the mentioned app has the Space Lens feature. What it does is builds a visual map of your storage so you can zoom in/out and enter any folder you want. It will show you what is taking up so much room. It also shows folders you normally don't have access to.
I downloaded the app's free edition here.
I downloaded the app's free edition here.
Once you’ve got this information, you can safely delete anything you don't need and go to unexplored places on your Mac. Stay tuned!
Problem to be Solved
You’ve got a great backup of your OSX computer, and you need to get something back from the Library folder, say something in the Application Support subfolder. These instructions will show you how to do unhide the User Library folder on the external drive or even on a second Mac.
Credit goes to Steve Davidson for teaching me how to do this.
Let’s Start with a Remote Mac Because the Syntax is Simpler
On the remote Mac, enable Remote Login (https://www.podfeet.com/blog/how-to-set-up-a-mac-for-remote-login/) and use the ssh command to Secure Shell into the remote Mac. In this example, our local machien name is Podfeet-rMBP, and our remote Mac’s name is Core-i7-4.local. https://mahmok.weebly.com/blog/what-is-the-library-on-mac.
How To Unhide Files In Download Folder
I have the same user account on both but I used the allison@ the beginning to show you how to enter your user name if it’s different on the other Mac.
Unhide Library Folder Mac External Drive Not Showing Up
Note that the Library Folder is Not Visible
Here’s a screenshot of the remote Mac Core i7, and the Library folder is invisible.
Enter the chflags nohidden Command
User Library Folder is Now Visible on the Remote Mac
Next Let’s Repeat This On An External Volume
My backup drive has a nice long annoying name “Core i7 backup 2011 03 03”. As you can see I have a backup of my home (allison) directory but I can’t see the Library folder.
Repeat the chflags Command
In this case we have the same command but we have to navigate first to Volumes, then to the specific backup drive name (with those annoying spaces replaced with and space) and then to the user directory and then Library.
To be honest it might be easier to change the name of the volume not to have spaces than it is to type it this way!
Or you could use quotes like this:
Now Your Library is Visible on Your Backup Volume
Important note – you only have to do this one time, every time you connect your external drive the Library will be visible.