Show Protected Operating System Files via Regedit

This article explains how to toggle the visibility of protected operating system files in Windows by editing the Windows Registry. By modifying a specific registry value, you can reveal critical hidden files for administrative or troubleshooting tasks, or hide them to prevent accidental deletion and maintain system integrity.

Step 1: Open the Registry Editor

  1. Press Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type regedit into the field and press Enter or click OK.
  3. If prompted by User Account Control (UAC), click Yes to grant administrative privileges.

Step 2: Navigate to the Target Key

In the Registry Editor, use the left-hand navigation pane or paste the following path directly into the address bar at the top:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Step 3: Modify the ShowSuperHidden Value

  1. With the Advanced folder selected, locate the DWORD value named ShowSuperHidden in the right-hand pane.
    • Note: If ShowSuperHidden does not exist, right-click an empty space in the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it ShowSuperHidden.
  2. Double-click ShowSuperHidden to open the Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value window.
  3. In the Value data field, enter your desired setting:
    • 1 — Displays protected operating system files.
    • 0 — Hides protected operating system files.
  4. Ensure the Base is set to Hexadecimal, then click OK.

Step 4: Apply the Changes

For the changes to take effect immediately without restarting your computer:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
  2. Locate Windows Explorer in the processes list under the Processes tab.
  3. Right-click Windows Explorer and select Restart.

The visibility of protected operating system files in File Explorer will now reflect the registry setting you configured.