Nautilus Show Hidden Files: How to Toggle

To show hidden files in Nautilus (GNOME Files), press Ctrl+H or click the hamburger menu and select Show Hidden Files. This toggles the display of files and folders whose names begin with a dot (e.g., .bashrc, .config). The setting is per-window and resets when you close it, unless you change the default in Preferences.

What Are Hidden Files in Linux?

In Linux and other Unix-like systems, a file or directory is considered hidden simply if its name starts with a dot (.). This convention dates back to early Unix to keep home directories tidy—configuration files like .profile and .bashrc were tucked away so users wouldn’t see them constantly. The dot does not change the file’s permissions or security; it’s purely a display filter. Many applications store settings in hidden folders under your home directory, such as ~/.config, ~/.local, and ~/.cache.

How to Toggle Hidden Files in Nautilus

Nautilus (also called GNOME Files) offers several ways to show or hide dotfiles:

• Keyboard shortcut: Press Ctrl+H to toggle hidden files on and off in the current window.
• Menu option: Click the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner and check or uncheck Show Hidden Files.
• Default behavior: To make hidden files always visible, open Nautilus Preferences (via the hamburger menu → Preferences), go to the Views tab, and toggle Show Hidden and Backup Files.

The Ctrl+H shortcut works in most file managers on Linux (Files, Thunar, Dolphin, PCManFM) and also in many text editors and IDEs, making it a handy universal toggle.

Why Aren’t Hidden Files Showing?

If you’ve pressed Ctrl+H and still don’t see dotfiles, check these common causes:

• You’re in a special view (e.g., “Recentâ€� or “Starredâ€�) that may not display hidden files—navigate to a normal folder like Home or Documents.
• The file name doesn’t actually start with a dot. Some files are hidden by other means, like extended attributes, but Nautilus only respects the dot convention.
• Your Nautilus version may have a bug or a different shortcut. Try the menu option instead.
• If you’re browsing a remote server (SSH, FTP), the server may not send hidden files unless configured to do so.

If the problem persists, resetting Nautilus to default settings (nautilus -q in a terminal) can clear corrupted state, but be aware this closes all file manager windows.

Hidden Files vs. .hidden Files

There’s a second mechanism: a file named .hidden inside a directory lists names that should be hidden even if they don’t start with a dot. This is used by some applications to hide files like Desktop or Trash from the user’s view. Nautilus respects both: dot-prefixed names and names listed in .hidden. If you want to hide a file without renaming it, you can create a .hidden file with one file name per line.

Security and Privacy Considerations

Hiding files does not secure them. Hidden files are still readable by any user with appropriate permissions, and they’re accessible via terminal commands like ls -a or ls -A. If you need to protect sensitive data, use proper file permissions, encryption, or a password-protected archive. Also be cautious when deleting hidden files—many configuration files are essential for applications to function correctly. Removing ~/.config can reset all your app settings.

Alternatives and Related Tools

If you frequently need to view hidden files, consider these options:

• Use the terminal: ls -a shows all files, ls -A shows all except . and ...
• Install a different file manager like Thunar or Dolphin—they have similar toggles but different default behaviors.
• Use a file manager with split view or dual pane to keep one pane always showing hidden files.

For developers, showing hidden files is often necessary when editing dotfiles like .gitignore or .env. Many code editors (VS Code, Atom) also have a setting to reveal hidden files in the file explorer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Nautilus not remember my hidden file preference?

By default, the Ctrl+H toggle is per-window and resets when you close the window. To make it permanent, go to Preferences → Views and enable “Show Hidden and Backup Files.â€� This changes the default for all new windows.

How do I hide a file in Nautilus?

Rename the file to start with a dot (e.g., notes.txt → .notes.txt). You can do this by right-clicking → Rename, or in the terminal with mv notes.txt .notes.txt. Alternatively, create a .hidden file in the directory and list the file name inside it.

What does Ctrl+H do in other file managers?

In most Linux file managers (Thunar, Dolphin, PCManFM), Ctrl+H toggles hidden files. In Windows File Explorer, Ctrl+H opens the search bar, and you need to go to View → Show → Hidden items. On macOS Finder, press Cmd+Shift+. to show hidden files.

Are hidden files visible when using the terminal?

Yes, the terminal shows them if you use ls -a or ls -A. The plain ls command hides them just like Nautilus does.

Can I show hidden files in Nautilus by default for all folders?

Yes, enable the “Show Hidden and Backup Files� option in Preferences → Views. This applies to all folders and persists until you change it again.

Why do some hidden files have a . at the end?

Files with a trailing dot (like file.) are not hidden by the dot convention—only leading dots count. Trailing dots are sometimes used to indicate a file has no extension, but they don’t affect visibility.

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