How to see all files on Mac (and reveal hidden ones)

Your Mac keeps a lot of files out of plain sight — invisible folders, system libraries, and cached data that macOS deliberately tucks away. Most of these files power the system behind the scenes, and accidental deletion can cause real problems.

But here are a few reasons why you might want to see all the files on your Mac:

• Delete leftover data from uninstalled apps

• Clear cache

• Troubleshoot apps and system issues

This guide covers every way to view, access, and unhide all files on your Mac — including the ones Apple doesn't want you to stumble across by accident.

How to view files on Mac using Finder

If you quickly want to know how to see all the files on your Mac hard drive, then the Finder is the place to go. Apple calls the Finder the home base for your Mac, and that's because you can access and organize practically everything on your Mac. 

Access and organize your files with the Finder:

1. Select the Finder icon from your Dock.

2. Once open, use the left sidebar to navigate through locations, folders, and files. 

If you're anything like me, does searching through the Finder leave you a bit overwhelmed? It works for locating large and forgotten files, but it's not the most efficient method for a full cleanup.

Find and remove unneeded files quickly

One effortless way to see all files on your Mac hard drive is to use CleanMyMac and its Large & Old Files tool. This handy feature searches for massive files, like movies and other old downloads, and groups them by size, kind, and access date, helping you identify large and unneeded items for removal. 

Locate and delete large and old files:

• Get your free CleanMyMac trial — you can test it for 7 days first.
• Open the app and select My Clutter from the sidebar.
• Click Scan > Review All Files > Large & Old Files.
• Take a look through the list, and select items for removal, then click Remove. 

Just like that, you can delete multiple large files at once. 

How to access hidden folders on Mac

So, as I mentioned earlier, there are actually three Library folders on your Mac — /Library, ~/Library, and /System/Library. Each serves a different purpose, as outlined in Apple's official guide. Two of these are visible, and one is hidden from plain sight. The ones you can see contain all the files accessible to all Mac users. The hidden Library folder contains all the files that your macOS needs to run. Here's where to find each one:

The first Library folder is located in your Macintosh HD.

Here's how to locate it:

1. Open the Finder and from the sidebar under Locations, select your Mac name.

2. Now, select Macintosh HD and then Library.

The second Library folder is located in your System folder.

Follow the same steps as above, except this time, on step 2, instead of selecting Library, select System, then Library.

Locate the hidden Library folder

The third and hidden Library folder is located here:

1. Open the Finder and in the sidebar menu under locations, select your Mac.

2. Now, select Macintosh HD. 

3. From the Go menu on the top bar navigation, press and hold down the Option key. The Library will appear below Home in the list, select to open.

This last folder is hidden for a reason, so make sure you don’t delete anything accidentally. 

How to display hidden files using Terminal

Another way to reveal invisible files and folders on your Mac is through Terminal. You can use command prompts to control the system directly. 

Terminal is simpler than it looks. Commands only execute when typed correctly, and a typo won't cause any damage, it just won't execute.

Open Terminal to uncover hidden files and folders:

1. Open Terminal (Finder > Applications > Utilities).

2. Once open, enter the following command one at a time, pressing Return after each one:

defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE

killall Finder 

The first command tells Finder to display all files, including ones macOS normally keeps out of sight. The second restarts Finder so the change takes effect immediately.

Take a look now in your Macintosh HD folder to see all the hidden folders revealed. 

To hide the files once finished, follow the above scripts, except replace "TRUE" with "FALSE" and press enter. This resets Finder back to its default view.

Tip: Find secret files within any folder by using this quick command. Hold down Cmd + Shift +dot. 

Remove system junk to free up space on your Mac

If the main reason why you've been looking at how to view all the files on Mac is so you can delete them to optimize space and performance, the app I already mentioned, CleanMyMac, has some great tools to keep your Mac optimized and organized.

I really like the Cleanup feature, which removes tons of temporary files, broken items, cache, and more, reclaiming space for your Mac quickly.

How to clean up your system junk with CleanMyMac:

1. Open CleanMyMac — get your free trial here.
2. Select Cleanup from the sidebar and click Scan.
3. Once the scan is complete, click Clean.

Now, your hard drive is much cleaner!

Key takeaways

• There are three ways to view hidden files on Mac: Finder (easiest), Terminal (fastest), and CleanMyMac (most thorough for large file cleanup)
• To hide files again after using Terminal, run the same command but replace TRUE with FALSE
• Never delete files from /System/Library without a backup — a mistake here can break your entire system

Frequently Asked Questions

Will revealing hidden files harm my Mac?
No — simply viewing hidden files won't cause any damage. Deleting or modifying system files could.

How do I hide files again after revealing them?
Use the same Terminal commands but replace TRUE with FALSE, and then press Return. Your hidden files will disappear from view.

What are the three Library folders on Mac?
/Library (system-wide), ~/Library (user-specific), and /System/Library (critical system files). The first two are safe to browse. Deleting anything from the third can cause damage to macOS.

Is it safe to delete files from hidden folders?
Cache files and app leftovers are generally safe to remove. Files in /System/Library should never be manually deleted. When in doubt, use CleanMyMac to safely identify what's removable.

So, we've looked at a couple of different ways to find all the files on your Mac, including the hidden ones. Have fun discovering what's hiding behind the scenes. And if you want to learn more about working with files, check out these articles on how to move files on Mac and how to delete them. Just remember to back up your Mac before you remove anything important stored in those hidden folders.