How to hide folders in Windows by disguising them as virtual folders (free method)

To hide folders, you can disguise them as virtual folders.

Some examples of virtual folders are Control Panel, Recycle Bin, Fonts. When you try to open a disguised folder, you see the contents a virtual folder instead.

How to hide folders in Windows by disguising them as virtual folders:

1. Right-click on a folder and select Rename.
2. Add the following to the folder name
   

   .{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}

   Don't skip the dot.

When you try to open your hidden folders, you'll see the contents of your Control Panel, not the contents of your folder. You may also use other names to disguise folders

Administrative Tools.{D20EA4E1-3957-11d2-A40B-0C5020524153}
Briefcase.{85BBD920-42A0-1069-A2E4-08002B30309D}
Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002b30309d}
History.{FF393560-C2A7-11CF-BFF4-444553540000}
Inbox.{00020D75-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
Fonts.{BD84B380-8CA2-1069-AB1D-08000948F534}
Microsoft Network.{00028B00-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
My Computer.{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
My Documents.{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}
Desktop.{00021400-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
Network Computers.{1f4de370-d627-11d1-ba4f-00a0c91eedba}
Network Connections.{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}
Network Neighborhood.{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}
Dial-Up Networking.{992CFFA0-F557-101A-88EC-00DD010CCC48}
Printers and Faxes.{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}
Programs Folder.{7be9d83c-a729-4d97-b5a7-1b7313c39e0a}
Recycle Bin.{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}
Scanners and Cameras.{E211B736-43FD-11D1-9EFB-0000F8757FCD}
Briefcase.{85BBD920-42A0-1069-A2E4-08002B30309D}
Scheduled Tasks.{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}
Start Menu Folder.{48e7caab-b918-4e58-a94d-505519c795dc}
Temporary Internet Files.{7BD29E00-76C1-11CF-9DD0-00A0C9034933}
Web Folders.{BDEADF00-C265-11d0-BCED-00A0C90AB50F}

This should work in Windows XP and Windows 9x. You can find many CLSIDs in the registry under

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID

As you can see it is pretty easy to hide folders this way. The only problem is to store these whimsical folder names somewhere, so that you can easily copy them and add to folders that you want to hide.

To see the real contents of your folder, you need to rename it back.

How to unhide folders:
First make sure you can see hidden and system files and folders:

1. In Windows Explorer select "Tools" -> "Folder Options" from the drop-down menu.
2. Select the View tab.
3. Uncheck the "Hide protected operating system files" checkbox.
4. Check the "Show hidden files" checkbox.
5. Check the "Display the contents of system folders" checkbox.
6. Click the "Apply to All Folders" button and then click "OK".

Then rename the folder back.

Advantages:

• Free
• No software required

Disadvantages:

• Weak protection: disguised folders are easily accessible from DOS and other operating systems.
• Clumsy

You may also rename folder from command line or using a batch .bat file. Suppose you want to lock the folder ProtectedFolder on drive C: (C:\ProtectedFolder).

On the same drive create a text file and copy-paste the following into it:

ren ProtectedFolder ProtectedFolder.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}

Then save this text file as lock.bat .

Create another text file and copy-paste the following into it:

ren ProtectedFolder.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} ProtectedFolder

Then save this text file as unlock.bat .

Now you can lock ProtectedFolder by running lock.bat and unlock it by running unlock.bat. The only problem is that anybody can use these files.