Add show/hide hidden files option to right click context menu

In this tutorial we will show you how to add or remove Show/Hide hidden files option in Windows 7 right click context menu.

When you click the option in right click, you will hear the default Windows Exclamation sound. You can change the sound too (read ahead). You may need to refresh the current folder in order to view / hide the hidden files.

Procedure

We will create a vbs file to carry out the action of toggle show/hide hidden files. It is however not practical to carry this vbs in all folders, because it can only show / hide hidden files on double click only where it is located.

So, additionally, we will create another file, that is a registry file so that we get the option of show/hide hidden files option to right click context menu in Windows 7.

Save all the files from Notepad’s File > Save menu with any name you like, say Add show/hide file in right click menu option.reg and do not forget to change the file type to All files from Text documents from drop down menu as we already said in other tutorials.

Creating the vbs file

Open Notepad and write down the following:

Hidden = "HKCU&#92;Software&#92;Microsoft&#92;Windows&#92;CurrentVersion&#92;Explorer&#92;Advanced&#92;Hidden"SSHidden = "HKCU&#92;Software&#92;Microsoft&#92;Windows&#92;CurrentVersion&#92;Explorer&#92;Advanced&#92;ShowSuperHidden"Set Command1 = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")Set command2 = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")Check = Command1.RegRead(Hidden)If Check = 2 ThenCommand1.RegWrite Hidden, 1, "REG_DWORD"Command1.RegWrite SSHidden, 1, "REG_DWORD"ElseCommand1.RegWrite Hidden, 2, "REG_DWORD"Command1.RegWrite SSHidden, 0, "REG_DWORD"End IfCommand1.SendKeys "{F5}"command2.Run "wmplayer.exe <span style="color: #ff0000;">C:&#92;Windows&#92;Media&#92;Windows Exclamation.wav</span>", 0, FalseWScript.sleep 1000command2.Run "taskkill &#92;f &#92;im wmplayer.exe", 0

Explanation:

C:\Windows\Media\Windows Exclamation.wav this is the path of the sound that you will hear. You will get lot of default wav files in that location, you can change as per your wish.

Save the file as Toggle.vbs

Now, in Windows Explorer, navigate to C:\Windows folder and paste this vbs file. Click on Continue and then Yes (UAC) if prompted.

Creating the registry file

Again, open Notepad and write down the following:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT&#92;Directory&#92;Background&#92;shell&#92;Show/Hide Hidden Files]"HasLUAShield"=""[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT&#92;Directory&#92;Background&#92;shell&#92;Show/Hide Hidden Files&#92;command]@="cmd.exe /c start C:&#92;&#92;Windows&#92;&#92;Toggle.vbs"[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT&#92;LibraryFolder&#92;Background&#92;shell&#92;Show/Hide Hidden Files]"HasLUAShield"=""[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT&#92;LibraryFolder&#92;Background&#92;shell&#92;Show/Hide Hidden Files&#92;command]@="cmd.exe /c start C:&#92;&#92;Windows&#92;&#92;Toggle.vbs"

Save the file as Add show hide option.reg and do not forget to change the file type to All files from Text documents from drop down menu as we already said in other tutorials.

Just double click the file and accept all the security prompts to get the option.

How to remove this option or revert to default?

Very easy. Just create a registry file with notepad again, just add a minus sign before the HKEY starts; i.e. [-HKEY_CLASS… keep others as before. Save the file like above and run it and you will get rid of the option.

Here are both registry files for your convenience, just click to download and use them.

Caution:

This are potentially dangerous tweaks to play with for new users. Do not download from places like forums where unknown users or members posts with malicious codes embedded within it.