Trending December 2023 # How To Find Drivers For Unknown Devices In Windows # Suggested January 2024 # Top 21 Popular

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Device drivers are like the fundamental building blocks for your Windows PC as they help all your hardware devices to work as they should work. No matter how useful the device drivers are, they are always a headache if you don’t have proper driver software or if your OS fails to properly identify the hardware connected. In case of driver problems, Windows tries to automatically download and install the required drivers. But when Windows fails to download the drivers automatically, you can hit the manufacturer’s website for proper drivers. But even this won’t yield any good results unless you know how to find drivers for your required hardware. So in this quick guide, let us see how to find drivers for unknown devices in Windows.

Note: This tutorial is done on Windows 8.1, but it should work with Windows 7 and Vista too.

Find Drivers for Unknown Devices

To find drivers for unknown devices in Windows, we need to access device manager where you can manage all your hardware device drivers. To open device manager in Windows 8, press “Win + X” to open the power user menu and then select the option “Device Manager.” If you are using Windows 7 or Vista, you can search for the device manager in the start menu.

The above action will open the device manager. Now, if there are any unknown devices then they are listed under the “Other devices” category. Moreover, all the devices which have problems will have a small “exclamation” mark telling you the same.

Note: Sometimes, the devices listed under “Other devices” may show you the name as “Unknown device.” Don’t worry, the name doesn’t matter in the process.

The above action will open up the properties window for that specific device. Navigate to the “Details” tab and you should see the “Device description” by default.

Under “Property” select “Hardware Ids” from the drop-down list. This action will show you the list of long gibberish strings which are actually the unique device identifiers.

Once you’ve copied the unique ID, paste it in a search engine like Google, and it will show you the name and other related details required to hunt down the proper driver. As you can see from the image below, Google search results show me that the ID belongs to “AMD Radeon HD 6470M,” and there are many sites showing me how to download the actual updated drivers.

Once you have found the drivers for your hardware, you can install them like any other driver and you are good to go.

Vamsi Krishna

Vamsi is a tech and WordPress geek who enjoys writing how-to guides and messing with his computer and software in general. When not writing for MTE, he writes for he shares tips, tricks, and lifehacks on his own blog Stugon.

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How To Find Everything In Windows 8.1

It’s inevitable that upgrading to a new version of an operating system or application comes with a bit of a learning curve. With Windows 8.1, though—and its predecessor Windows 8—the curve is steep, and just finding simple tools and features can be a challenge.

Windows 8 isn’t just a new version of Windows, it’s a completely different OS in many ways, with its own unique features and conventions that may confound even the most ardent Windows users. Under the hood, most of the familiar Windows tools are still there, but they’re buried in strange places where they can’t be easily located, especially not when Microsoft took away the coveted Start button.

When Microsoft launched Windows 8.1, it solved much of the dilemma by bringing back the concept of the Start button. It is not identical in either form or function its predecessor, but it does provide simple access to a wide variety of common tools and functions.

I suggest you forget about the Start button, though. The simplest way to find anything in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 is the Search charm.

Let’s say you want to find an app that you don’t have pinned as a tile on the Windows 8 Start screen. You can tap the arrow at the bottom left of the display to pull up the complete list of Apps. They’re sorted alphabetically by name by default, but you can also tap the arrow next to the word Apps at the upper left to reveal a dropdown list with options to sort the apps by category, most used, or date installed.

Who has that kind of time? Just open the Charms bar, tap the Search icon at the top of the charms, and start typing the name of whatever it is you’re looking for. As you type, Windows 8.1 refines and presents the results. In my experience, most apps or tools can be found within the first three or four letters.

The new Smart Search in Windows 8.1 provides a comprehensive, universal search.

With Windows 8.1, Microsoft evolved Search into Smart Search. When you type a query in the Search charm and hit Enter, Windows 8.1 delivers comprehensive search results that include apps, files, information from SkyDrive, Bing Web search results, and even photos, music, and video related to the search term.

Regardless of how you choose to sort the apps, you still have to sift through them to find the one you’re looking for. Depending on how many apps you have installed on your Windows 8.1 PC, that may be simple, or it could be a daunting and tedious task.

This concept isn’t unique to Windows 8.1. The Spotlight search function in Mac OS X and the search function in iOS provide a similar universal search function. There are also third-party tools like X1 Search, which can almost instantly search all of your files and content no matter where you have it stored.

Embrace the Search charm in Windows 8.1. It is your best friend, and the most convenient and efficient way to find anything you need.

Best Vpns For Multiple Devices In 2023

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Written By Steven T. Wright

Published Sep 20, 2023 11:00 AM

From smartphones to tablets to laptops and everything internet-connected in between, most of us rely on multiple devices every single day—all the more reason we should rely on a VPN. To stay online all the time, you may wind up relying on public Wi-Fi or a connection through work or school, which often isn’t as secure as you might think. If you’re tired of worrying about trackers and hackers potentially sifting through your data, you should consider using a virtual private network, or VPN, to hide your online presence and make it harder for companies and bad actors to find your data. Some VPNs specialize in phones or PCs, but the best VPNs for multiple devices can protect your entire tech arsenal.

What is a VPN?

When you surf the internet, you transmit certain information about yourself to the sites you visit, including your location. A virtual private network (VPN) is an online service that hides your digital identity from online utilities like Google or Facebook that wish to collect and sell your data, as well as from hackers and scammers. A VPN acts like a mask that your computer puts on before it walks into a party. Websites can tell that you’re there and that you’re wearing a mask, but they can’t see any of the personal information that they normally would.

Each of the following VPNs encrypts the data that you send, and most of them have a “no-log” policy, which means that they do not keep any record of your activity. Some even allow you to mask your identity from the VPN server itself. While you might not care if a random person knows about your online shopping habits, you certainly don’t want them to know the password to your bank account.

VPNs also let you set a virtual location, allowing you to appear as if you are browsing from another country. This allows you to look at the many international versions of sites like Netflix, which may offer different content to other parts of the world.

When it comes to finding a VPN that supports many devices, the good news is that most VPNs have apps that allow you to easily modify your phone or tablet’s internet connection. However, the quality of those apps does vary somewhat, as we’ll go over in the next few sections.

For more information on how VPNs work and how to set one up, please check out our full-length guide on how to use a VPN.

How we picked the best VPNs for multiple devices

As a professional tech writer for almost a decade, I’ve personally tested many of the most popular VPNs for friends and my own personal use, and I know how they perform. To make these recommendations, we consulted online guides, reviews, specs, and spoke to several information security experts. Thanks to this research, we know which VPNs are worth your hard-earned cash, and which ones are better left in the bowels of Google.

Things to consider when buying a VPN for multiple devices Why do I need a VPN?

When you access the internet from your phone, tablet, or computer, you’re transmitting information about yourself, whether you like it or not. Most companies collect this information and track your activity across the internet to help them sell you products. Some bad actors will try and use it to target you for identity theft scams, such as phishing schemes.

If you use public Wi-Fi often for work, you should keep in mind that most public Wi-Fi networks are not secure. Whether you’re relaxing in your dorm or enjoying a cup of coffee at your favorite cafe, public Wi-Fi often leaves you unprotected against scammers who want the password to your Amazon account. Using a VPN in these situations makes it much harder for people to grab your data, even when it may be vulnerable.

How many connections do you really need?

In a perfect world, a VPN would provide perfect protection to every single internet-enabled device you own. Realistically, most services won’t allow that. Even if they did, you probably don’t really need that level of protection.

When picking your VPN, take a moment and think about which devices need extra security. Laptops, desktops, tablets, and phones are the most vulnerable because they connect to an internet browser, as well as email phishing scams. Game consoles like a PlayStation 5 or a Nintendo Switch are far less likely to fall victim to malware. Most VPNs that work across many kinds of computers do put a cap on the number of devices you can protect. Most popular services will have plans that can go up to 5-10 devices, though some services offer plans to protect an unlimited number of devices.

If you want a subscription package that supports you and your entire family’s massive constellation of tech toys at the same time, you will only have a couple of options. Alternatively, if you just need to protect your three primary devices—a PC, a phone, and tablet, for example—you can safely go with any of our picks.

Killer apps

VPNs designed for multidevice use should offer a free app that you use to mask your tablet or phone activity. Not all of them are easy to navigate, but they allow you to protect your mobile devices before you log on, not after.

Speed and cost

Using a VPN will always make your internet at least a little bit slower. When you use a VPN, you’re forcing your information to make a couple of stops on the way between you and whatever website you’re looking at. Since you’re routing your browsing through another server, the sheer fact of that distance means that it’ll take a little longer to load your sites.

The best VPNs will only slow you down the slightest bit. Others may slow it down quite a bit. This is one of a few reasons why it’s always worth it to pay for a well-known VPN rather than use a sketchy “free” alternative.

Reputation is everything

While many VPNs like to vaunt their latest and greatest technology as a must-have innovation, the truth is that most of the big VPNs offer extremely similar services for very similar prices.

When you connect to a VPN, you’re giving that provider an inside look at your browsing habits. As such, we only picked VPNs that are well-known, reliable brand names that have proven their worth over the years. The usual VPNs might be a little more expensive than the new kids on the block, but using a no-name provider could theoretically be worse than using none at all.

Price

Most trustworthy VPN services charge between $10 and $15 per month to use their platforms. If you’re looking to get the best bang for your buck, we highly recommend paying up-front for a year or two of service, as that will significantly reduce the cost of admission. In picking the best VPNs, we weighed the cost of the service heavily, as well as whether or not those premium prices resulted in more simultaneous connections.

The best VPNs for multiple devices: Reviews & Recommendations

Hopefully, you now feel comfortable poking around and picking a VPN to keep your daily browsing data safe. If you’re looking for a VPN that can cover all your fun electronic toys without much of a hassle, our recommendations are a great place to start.

Best overall: NordVPN

Why it made the cut: NordVPN delivers everything you would want from a VPN provider, including thousands of servers, six simultaneous connections, and ultra-reliable service.

Specs

Server count: Over 5,500 servers in 59 countries

Connection limit: Supports 6 device connections at once

Home country: Panama

Free/trial version: None

Standard plan price: $11.99 per month, $59.98 per year, or $126.96 every two years

Pros

Trusted brand name

Extremely reliable

Many, many servers

Fancy bells and whistles you actually want

Cons

Only six simultaneous connections

Fairly expensive

If you’re thinking about using a VPN, you’ve almost certainly heard of NordVPN, and that’s for good reason. Pound-for-pound, it’s arguably the best VPN provider on the market. Nord boasts thousands of servers in dozens of countries, as well as competitive speeds worldwide. NordVPN also offers dedicated IPs for an additional monthly fee, which is useful for users who want to hide the fact that they’re using a VPN at all.

Though the brand’s reputation took a hit after a 2023 server breach, it still remains one of the most trusted providers in the space. NordVPN’s mobile app is clean and intuitive, and it supports every device you have lying around the house. If you’re looking for more than just a basic VPN service, Nord also offers a data breach scanner, a password manager, and encrypted cloud storage for additional rates.

Best for unlimited connections: Surfshark

Specs

Server count: 3,200 servers in 95 countries

Connection limit: Unlimited

Home country: The Netherlands

Free/trial version: None

Standard plan price: $12.95 per month, $47.88 per year, or $59.76 for two years

Pros

Unlimited connections on one account

Competitive speeds

Extremely good value

Cons

Less well-known than alternatives

No extra bells and whistles

Surfshark is the new kid on the VPN block, but don’t let that fool you. Though it makes our list for offering unlimited simultaneous connections—making it an extremely good option for large households full of technophiles—it’s a very strong service across the board. Its $60, two-year subscription is one of the best deals you’ll find in the space, and Surfshark is consistently ranked high among the fastest VPN services out there. Its mobile app is also quite snazzy.

Surfshark’s major downside is its server network, which is significantly smaller than its well-known competition. That said, 3,000+ servers is nothing to sneeze at. Meanwhile, the ability to access servers in 95 countries gives you far more masking options than most providers. Surfshark is arguably the best deal in VPN-land and is definitely the best choice for users with more than six devices.

Best for dedicated IP: CyberGhost

Specs

Server count: 7,900 servers in 91 countries

Connection limit: Supports 7 device connections at once

Home country: Romania

Free/trial version: None

Price: $12.99 per month, $51.48 per year, or $78 every two years

Pros

Cons

Visually underwhelming

No independent security audits since 2012

Some VPN users prefer to pay their provider a little extra for a dedicated IP address in order to fool websites into thinking that they aren’t using a VPN at all. If you don’t pay for a dedicated IP, your traffic will show up as a different IP every time you connect and many websites have filters for popular VPN server IPs. If you want to hide the fact that you’re hiding your info, we recommend CyberGhost, a fully featured VPN provider with all the bells and whistles you need to take control of your cybersecurity.

CyberGhost’s dedicated IP service costs about $4 a month, which is not insignificant. This service ensures that you will always show the same unique IP address when you’re using CyberGhost, which will likely be enough to fool streaming services like Netflix into unblocking you. No more Captchas when casually Googling, either. However, there is a small catch: CyberGhost will issue a unique access token that you use to log into your unique IP. The company keeps no record of this token, but that means you have to keep track of it yourself. If you lose it, you’ll have to purchase another subscription to get another dedicated IP.

Even if you don’t want a dedicated IP—or you’re afraid you’ll lose the token—CyberGhost is an extremely competitive VPN provider. It’s one of the fastest VPNs out there according to speed tests, and its plans are significantly less expensive than some of its competitors.

Best app: ExpressVPN

Specs

Server count: Over 3,000 servers in 94 countries

Connection limit: Supports 5 device connections at once

Home country: British Virgin Islands

Free/trial version: None

Standard plan price: $12.95 per month, or $99.95 per year

Pros

Best app UI and usability

Very reliable

Trusted name

Cons

Only five connections at once

Expensive

NordVPN and ExpressVPN are effectively the Coke and Pepsi of the VPN world. Like its counterpart, ExpressVPN is a well-established brand that gives you everything you expect from a premium VPN, including fast speeds, a widespread network, and a variety of extra services that you tack on.

Express offers only five simultaneous connections, which is significantly less than some of our other picks. However, if you tend to stick with only two or three devices, ExpressVPN is a premium provider that covers the basics quite well for everyday people who don’t want to be burdened with overly technical details.

Best for families: Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access

SEE IT

Specs

Server count: Over 28,000 servers in 84 countries

Connection limit: Supports 10 device connections at once

Home country: United States

Free/trial version: None

Standard plan price: $12.00 per month, $90 per year, or $56 for two years

Pros

10 simultaneous connections

Ridiculous server count

Good UI

Very reasonable price

Cons

Not the fastest

Doesn’t stand out in any category

Private Internet Access is one of the most popular VPNs out there thanks to its compelling price point and feature set. For one thing, PIA boasts a truly absurd server count—over 28,000 worldwide—as well as a simultaneous connection cap that’s more than double some of its competitors. PIA is also regularly discounted for price points that you rarely see in the VPN space, making it a good option for families who want to make every dollar count.

While PIA is certainly a good VPN, it doesn’t necessarily excel in any particular way. Its dedicated IP services aren’t as well-regarded as CyberGhost and NordVPN. Its speed doesn’t compete with many of the major platforms, either. It has standard VPN features like split tunneling, a killswitch, and optional antivirus software, but nothing that sets it apart.

All in all, Private Internet Access is an extremely respectable VPN that doesn’t quite have the brand recognition of its bigger competitors. However, it’s a reliable alternative that costs less than most of our other picks and will protect a lot of devices simultaneously.

Best budget: ProtonVPN

Specs

Server count: Over 1,700 servers in 63 countries (premium)

Connection limit: Supports 10 device connections at once (premium)

Home country: Switzerland

Free/trial version: Yes, speed-capped

Standard plan price: $10.52 per month, $75.69 per year, or $126.10 every two years (billed in Euro)

Pros

A decent free tier that actually works

Supports 10 simultaneous connections

Easy to upgrade to premium

Cons

Limited feature-set

Premium is expensive for what it is

As you might expect, ProtonVPN’s free plan is quite limited compared to its premium competitors. You can only choose from three servers, it’s limited to one device at a time, and Proton blocks popular VPN use cases like torrenting and streaming. As such, if you really want a VPN that supports multiple devices, you’ll need to shell out for its premium services.

The good news is that ProtonVPN makes it very easy to upgrade from its free plan to a paid option. It offers 10 simultaneous connections, which is more than enough for even large households. However, it does falter when compared to other premium competitors like NordVPN and ExpressVPN. It also lacks premium features that power users might expect, such as support for dedicated IP addresses.

The truth is that there is no good free option if you want to use a VPN across many devices. ProtonVPN gives the closest thing: A free taste of its services before you invest.

FAQs Q: How many devices can use one VPN?

Generally speaking, the number of devices you can use on one VPN account is determined by the VPN provider itself. Most VPN providers have a cap of between 5-10 devices allowed on a single account simultaneously, though some allow an unlimited number.

Q: Do I need a separate VPN for each device?

No. All of the VPN services on our list allow you to protect at least five devices with a single account.

Q: Can the police track a VPN?

In most circumstances, neither law enforcement nor private companies can track live VPN traffic—this is why people use them. However, if you commit a crime and a law enforcement agency requests data from the VPN provider, some providers may give the data that they request. Some VPN providers have a strict “no logs” policy, which means they don’t store any information on their users. In that situation, the VPN service wouldn’t have any information to give law enforcement, even if they were legally compelled to do so.

Final thoughts on the best VPNs for multiple devices

How To Find The Security Identifier Of Any User Account In Windows

If you’ve ever tried to manage File and Folder permissions or browsed through the Registry, you might have seen a long string values, something like “S-1-5-21-3011698416-3634052959-2884390752-500.” These are known as Security Identifiers or SIDs for short. Each and every user will have a unique SID attached to them. If you’ve never heard of SIDs (Security Identifiers), you might be wondering what in the world those are. After all, you will never see these security identifiers in plain sight, e.g, in the Control Panel or in the Settings app.

What Is an SID?

A Security Identifier is a unique string of values that is issued by an authority, like Windows domain controller, to each and every security principal and security group. The security identifier is automatically created when a security principal or group is created. Once the SID is created, it is stored in the security database and is retrieved as and when needed.

Combining the SID and user rights, Windows gives you, the user, an access token every time you log into your system. This access token in turn provides the security context and gives you appropriate permissions and rights to manage your Windows system.

Simply put, SID is one of the important parts of the Windows Security Model.

Other than the automatically generated SIDs, Windows also has a few universal well-known SIDs such as Everyone, Local Authority, World, NT Authority, and All Services. You can find all the well-known SIDs here.

There are many ways to find the SID of a specific user or all users on Windows. I will show a few of them. Use the one that suits your needs.

Find the SID of Current User

To find the SID of the current user, you can use one of two commands, both of them are single-line commands.

First, search for “Command Prompt” in the start menu and open it. After opening the command prompt, execute the below command. It will neatly list your current username of the SID associated with it.

Alternatively, you can use the Windows Management Interface Command (WMIC). Just execute the below command, and it will list the SID and username.

Find the SID of Specific User

If you want to view the SID of a specific user, then all you have to do is replace %username% in the above WMIC command with the actual username of the user.

Once replaced, the command looks something like the following:

Find the SID of All Users

Apart from the user accounts you create, Windows automatically creates some default accounts like the guest, administrator, WDAGUtilityAccount, etc. If you want to find the SIDs of all the users on your system, execute the below command:

There is also a PowerShell command to achieve the same thing. Open PowerShell from the Start menu. Now, execute the below command, and it will list all the SIDs of all users along with their usernames.

Find SID using Registry Editor

To start, search for “regedit” in the Start menu and open it, then go to the following location:

Comment below sharing your thoughts and experiences about using the above method to find the SID of users in Windows.

Image Credit: John Swindells

Vamsi Krishna

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Pxhipa64.Sys Memory Integrity: How To Fix Incompatible Drivers

PxHIpa64.sys Memory Integrity: How to Fix Incompatible Drivers Outdated drivers or corrupt system files are often responsible

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Turning on the Memory Integrity helps prevent malicious code from accessing high-security components in the event of an attack. However, enabling Core isolation on Windows 11 can be challenging due to the chúng tôi Memory Integrity error users encounter.

Hence, we will outline various ways to fix this in this guide. Also, we have a similar article about chúng tôi Memory Integrity error and how to fix it on Windows 11.

What causes the chúng tôi Memory Integrity?

There could be various causes of the chúng tôi incompatible driver error on Windows 11. Some popular ones are:

Interference from programs using chúng tôi driver – Software like Roxio and others use the chúng tôi driver to run their processes on the system. These programs can interfere with Windows security, preventing the Memory Integrity feature from working.

Outdated drivers – Different drivers on your computer are responsible for various components and devices, including the security system. So, the chúng tôi Memory Integrity error may appear when enabling the Core isolation feature if your system drivers are not updated.

Corrupt system files – Corrupt system files on your PC can be due to viruses and malware infection. Hence, they can infect other files, including the chúng tôi location, resulting in the Memory Integrity error whenever invoked.

Faulty Windows Update – Installing a Windows build that is not stable can prompt a problem with the driver and the Core isolation system.

Other factors not mentioned here can also be responsible for the chúng tôi Memory Integrity error. Nevertheless, we shall discuss some effective fixes to resolve the error.

How can I fix the chúng tôi Memory Integrity?

Turn off background apps running in the background on your computer.

Temporarily disable antivirus software on your PC.

Restart Windows in Safe Mode and check if the chúng tôi error persists.

If you can’t resolve the error, proceed with the following solutions:

1. Disable chúng tôi via Registry Editor

Tweaking the Registry Editor allows you to access data you can use to modify and stop the activities of the chúng tôi file on your computer. Check how to fix a corrupt registry if you encounter issues with it.

Uninstalling the driver will remove any form of interference it is causing the Memory Integrity feature on your computer.

Expert tip:

Installing driver updates will fix compatibility issues caused by outdated drivers. Further, you can read more on how to update system driver packs on Windows here.

If you want to act fast and get the latest Windows drivers, you can quickly perform this with Outbyte Driver Updater, dedicated software that can scan your PC and update drivers on short notice.

⇒ Get Outbyte Driver Updater

Uninstalling the recent Windows update will delete the recently installed build causing the chúng tôi Memory Integrity error.

Read our guide on how to uninstall updates on Windows 11 for more steps.

In addition, do not hesitate to check our detailed guide about the chúng tôi incompatible driver error and how to fix it. Also, you can read about fixing chúng tôi BSOD errors on Windows 11.

Still experiencing troubles? Fix them with this tool:

How To Find Hidden Files And Folders On Windows

When you open a folder in Windows File Explorer, you expect to see the full contents — all the files, all the sub-folders. That isn’t necessarily true, however. If the folder you’re looking in contains hidden files or folders, Windows won’t show them unless you’ve enabled hidden file view in File Explorer.

If you want to know how to find hidden folders on Windows 10 and any hidden files contained within, you’ll need to use some of the methods we’ve listed below. This includes using secret search tools in File Explorer and Windows PowerShell to locate them, as well as using third-party alternatives like FreeCommander.

Table of Contents

How to Find Find Hidden Files and Folders on Windows 10 Using File Explorer

In the new File Explorer window, open the folder (or drive) that you’re looking to search. Using the search bar in the top right, type attributes:H and select the enter key to begin the search. This searches for all files and folders within that folder that have the hidden file attribute applied to them in the Properties menu.

If you want to customize the search further, you can add a file or folder name (or partial name) to the search. To do this, type the file or folder name before or after the attributes:H parameter in the search bar (eg. file attributes:H). If you want to search for partial match, you can use a wildcard (eg. fil* attributes:H) to do so.

Searching for Hidden Files and Folders Using Windows Powershell

While the File Explorer method above offers the easiest way to find hidden files and folders on Windows 10, it isn’t necessarily the quickest. If you want to quickly search through your PC for any files you’ve missed, a good alternative is to use the Windows PowerShell to do so.

You can also use the newer Windows Terminal, but PowerShell remains the default option for Windows 10 users. The commands below are PowerShell specific and won’t work with the older Command Line.

In the new PowerShell window, move to the folder or drive you wish to search. For instance, typing cd C: will move you to the root (first) folder on the main system drive, allowing you to search the entire drive.

Typing cd C:Program Files means that the search you perform will only work through any files and sub-folders contained in the Program Files folder. Once you’ve moved folders, type ls -Force to view a list of files and folders contained within (including any hidden files or folders).

This will search for all hidden files and sub-folders in your current folder position and list them in the PowerShell window.

If you’d prefer to list a folder directory to begin the search, add -Path location to your command after Get-ChildItem, replacing location with a suitable file path.

If PowerShell locates a large number of hidden files and folders, the PowerShell terminal output will scroll through the entries rapidly, making it difficult to analyze. To make this easier, you can save the output of the Get-ChildItem command to a text file, allowing you to search through and review at your leisure.

If you’ve created a log file, you can view the contents in the PowerShell window directly by typing cat chúng tôi (replacing chúng tôi with the correct file path and file name). You can also open the file as normal using File Explorer and Notepad.

Locating Hidden Files and Folders Using Third-Party Apps

The best methods for finding hidden files and folders on Windows are to use File Explorer or Windows PowerShell as explained above. If these methods are too slow or don’t offer the complex search criteria that you need, you can use third-party apps to search your PC for hidden files as an alternative.

While various tools exist that support this, one good option is to use the freeware FreeCommander tool. This File Explorer replacement includes a powerful search tool that allows you to locate hidden files and folders on your PC.

In the Search files/folders window, enter the search criteria for file or folder names in the File name box, located in the Location tab. You can use full file names or find partial matches using a wildcard (eg. file or fil*).

Select the Timestamp/Size/Attr tab next and make sure to select the Hidden attribute checkbox so that a tick is visible. Leave all other checkboxes with a solid black check (ensuring that they’re included) or select them twice to uncheck them and remove any files containing those attributes from your search.

Select any other search criteria that you require in all the available search tabs. When you’re ready to begin your search, select Find to begin.

Managing Your Files on Windows 10

Knowing how to find hidden files on Windows 10 is easy — once you know where to look. Whether you use File Explorer, Windows PowerShell, or third-party apps like FileCommander to get the job done, the steps above should help you locate your previously hidden files and folders.

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