Different Ways To Hide Files In Windows System

Different Ways To Hide Files In Windows System

Here in this section we will see how we can hide files(not folders) in Windows system without using any third party file hiding software.

1.Using attrib command:

attrib command is used to set file attributes, this command can be used to hide files as well as folders in any windows system. Type following command to hide complete folder,

c:\> attrib /s /d +h +s +r folder_name/file_name

to hide file type,

c:\> attrib /s /d +h +s +r file_name/folder_name

2.Using binary file addition with image:

To use this trick you will need any file compression utility(example, Winrar, Winzip, 7zip, Peazip). First of all compress your folders or files into compressed archive. For example let our archive name be demo.zip and image name be demo.jpeg. Now by taking binary addition of these files as image file can hide archive inside any image without any S-Tool. Type following commands,

c:\>copy /b image_file + archive_file output_image_file

now archive file will be hidden inside output image file. To extract archive file open image in any of file compression tool and extract files.

Example:

c:\>copy /b demo.jpeg + demo.zip out.jpeg

3.By using NTFS stream:

NTFS file system has a new feature added in it known as Alternate Data Stream, this property of NTFS file system can be used o hide files in another file. Press “win+R” then type “cmd.exe” in Run Window and open command prompt. Suppose the file you want to hide is max.exe in folder named hidden then type following command.

C:\hidden\>notepad hide.txt

C:\hidden\>type c:\hidden\max.exe > c:\hidden\hide.txt:max.exe

Now delete original max.exe and note size of hide.txt, you'll find no increase in file size. Your file max.exe is now hidden in hide.txt. To retrieve it simply copy hide.txt in FAT partition and you'll get both files separated.