How to show hidden files (dotfiles) with windows powershell

Question

When I have hidden files, like dotfiles or a .git directory: How can I list those files and directories in Powershell?

Neither Get-ChildItem, dir nor ls seem to show them.

Dotfiles are not hidden in Windows. The convention in Unix world is that, say, `ls` doesn't show those per default. In Windows, file attributes are used instead. These can be modified with `attrib.exe` or via Explorer, when its configured to show hidden items. — vonPryz, Jun 12 '18 at 12:47
You can alter the attributes without resorting to any other utility in powershell: `(Get-ChildItem SomeFile.txt).Attributes = 'Hidden'` — EBGreen, Jun 12 '18 at 12:54
@vonPryz in my FileExplorer > View, I have set "show hidden files". But it is still not listed when using gci/dir/ls. — fuma, Jun 12 '18 at 13:23
Up to you really. Personally I prefer to delete dupes but it isn't a huge deal as far as I know. — EBGreen, Jun 12 '18 at 13:44

score 116 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '23 at 12:38

116

In order to show such hidden files, use the -Force parameter for the Get-Childitem command.

Get-ChildItem . -Force

You also can use its aliases, with -Force

dir -Force
ls -Force
gci -Force

Also: if you want to delete fully delete e.g. the .git Directory, you may use Delete-Item .\.git -Force

According to Get-Help Get-ChildItem -Examples "Example 3" this also works: dir -att h, !h

edited May 23 '23 at 12:38

Neuron

answered Jun 12 '18 at 12:23

fuma

12

`Get-ChildItem -Attributes Hidden, !Hidden` if you like to type – Jason S Sep 11 '18 at 22:46
6

"ls -at h " would be the shortest – Raúl Salinas-Monteagudo Jul 19 '19 at 08:34
3

-force and -FORCE do work too. – plocks Jan 23 '20 at 09:19
10

you can also do `dir -Fo` `ls -Fo` `gci -Fo` – ricardoNava Jun 08 '20 at 00:05
2

Thanks, man. @ricardoNava. This obviously made it much simpler. – Naimul Kabir Jul 16 '21 at 06:51

1 Answers1