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Invisible Folders

http://live.pirillo.com/ - Chris is a maniacal tweaker when it comes to Windows. From desktop wallpaper all thy way to totally replacing his shell, he loves to customize his system to fit his tastes. This time he may have gone a little too far when he created an invisible folder in Windows Vista.

To get an "invisible folder" you need to do two things:

  • Rename the folder to an invisible character. You can do this by renamed the folder and using ALT+0160. You should now have a folder without a name.
  • To get rid of the icon right click on the folder, select properties, go to customize, and change the icon to a blank icon.
  • You now have an invisible folder!

In order to delete the folder you’ll need to rename it in the command prompt by typing:

ren " " foldername

That’s not a space in between the quotes. You need to press ALT+1060. You’ll then be able to delete the folder.

What tweaks do you use on Windows?

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32 Comments

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Is it ALT + 0160 or 1060?

Just wanted to point out this great article I found on BleepingComputer.com which allows you to create toolbars docked to the side of the screen without the need for any additional programs, docks or sidebars.

You can effectively remove all the icons on your desktop but keep them easily accessible as one-click icons. The only items remaining on the desktop would be 2 folders containing all your shortcuts and launch icons. BUT if you use it in conjunction with Chris’ tip to make the folders invisible you effectively have a beautifully clutter-free desktop ready for any clutter you want to create on it. :)

Doesn’t work for me.

Doesn’t work for me.

It makes the folder OK, but there is NO WAY TO REMOVE IT, DELETE IT, RENAME IT. WHAT A REVOLTING PIECE OF ****. Vista, have booted as Admin, no can do, have taken ownership- still there, have tried everything you suggested. nothing works. Grossy Pizzed.
Do I have for FORMAT to get rid of it…
ALT+0160 is ****

It makes the folder OK, but there is NO WAY TO REMOVE IT, DELETE IT, RENAME IT. WHAT A REVOLTING PIECE OF ****. Vista, have booted as Admin, no can do, have taken ownership- still there, have tried everything you suggested. nothing works. Grossy Pizzed.
Do I have for FORMAT to get rid of it…
ALT+0160 is ****

it works fine for me …. i can rename , delete and do anything with it !!!…u people r total fools if u cant do this !!!

worked for me. type alt + 0160 (not 1060). works just great.

Do I type in the quotes along with ALT + 0160 in the command prompt? Or is it ALT + 1060 along with the quotes?

It is a folder I am trying to delete. I tried CCleaner but no go.

I followed Chris’ advice EXACTLY as stated in his video, even renaming the hidden-spaced folder as boo in the command prompt. It says access denied. Do I have to edit my permissions for this folder?

Let me know what permissions I will need for this to work.

Nice video Chris! I will definitely put it up on my MySpace page for my friends.

omg i love this trick, yet i can only name 1 file i dont understand how were suppose to name the others

After a little tinkering I figured out why I get the Access Denied message when I try to rename a hidden folder to one that has a name. You have to run cmd.exe (NOT command.com) as an Administrator. Here is how:

Press the Windows symbol on the keyboard —> All Programs —> Accessories.

Right click on the Command Prompt shortcut and click on “Run As Administrator” and click on Continue in the User Account Control dialog box that appears.

cmd.exe will open up with the “Administrator” title at the top left.

Go to the desired directory where the “hidden” file is located.

Press “dir” without the quotes and look for a a folder (DIR) which has a hidden name or has a hidden space.

With your mouse, right-click in the command prompt window and you should get a dialog and then choose “Mark”.

Where you would see the beginning of the folder name highlight the area to the end of the line (not to the next line though). You want to highlight the hidden space and copy it into RAM.

Press ENTER or RETURN depending on what your keyboard says.
You want to copy the hidden space in the folder name.

Type the following including the quotes: ren ” then right-click with the mouse button and click on Paste. You want to paste the hidden space between two quotes. Add another quote followed by a space (spacebar) and encapsulate the new folder name within quotes.

C:\Program Files>ren ” ” “New Folder Name” and press ENTER.

Type “dir” (without the quotes) and you should now see the new folder name.

hey the rabbit415……

everytime you press ALT + 0160 you add an invisible space for the name of the folder or file. You can add as many as you want as long as you continue to press ALT + 0160 for each space you want to add. Just remember how many spaces you have for each file or folder so you can hide your file or folder.

For example, I have 1 hidden space for one folder and two hidden spaces for another. This would hide both folder names because the computer recognizes the number of spaces for each folder or file which i renamed.

Kinda clever huh?!?

Chris,

1. type “cmd” without quotes, in a run box.
2. type in “cd desktop” without quotes.
3. type in (ren ” ” Im A Paranoid Idiot) without brakets.

Press enter.

In step 3, after the first quote, hold ALT then press 0160, let go of the ALT key and put in another quote. Then pres sapcebar, then type any name to name the folder.

Now delete it.

Hey Chris I was wondering if you can realllllly help me out on this one!

I created an invisible folder following the directions you gave me above. Ok that was successful. I opened that invisible folder and created another invisible folder inside it. So now I have an invisible folder inside of an invisible folder. Inside this folder I have files and stuff. Now I want to be able to rename the invisible folder so I can delete it whenever I want. I used (”ren “ALT+0160″ foldername) but it doesn’t work. Everytime I type it in it says “The system cannot find the file specified.” I tried to rename the invisible folder and the invisible folder inside that but neither works. I remember that I was able to create a whole new invisible folder and delete it fine. This one though I had for a long time and can’t get rid of it. I’m not sure if it is because I created another invisible folder inside the first invisible folder. Please provide some help, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

To rename the folder it is as simple as delete the invisible charecter(s) using the backspace and then type the new visible name. There is no need to do it in Command Prompt . Nice trick though.

Press Alt and 0160 on the Number pad, Not the numbers above letters.

OMG dude your vid and stuff helped alot. but i was haven trouble untill i saw that “IQ’s” comment, wich helped extreamly!.. but dude thanks 4 the help and all, will recomend this site to all my friends =P keep up the good work!

I cant delete the invisible folder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!helppppppppp

Hey! When typing in ALT codes, don’t forget to hold down the ALT key whilst typing on the numeric key pad. If you type the numbers across the top row of your keyboard it WILL NOT WORK!

You MUST use the numeric key pad, OK? Also the character you get will depend on the code page that your system is using. Code page 437 (English) character 160 has an “a” with a tilde across the top of it…character 32 is like a space (blank) much better in my opinion, AND type in all the numbers, even leading zeros.

Hope this helps most of you who say it doesn’t work for me.

why can’t I rename a folder in the desktop to the name ” ren “

It didn’t work for me on vista. i just made it hidden because its annoying.

Yes! I have finally deleted it. it took me a year of tinkering to finally do it! For all of those of you who can’t do it after the extra instructions Chris posted in the comments, all you have to do is put the entire file path into the quotes in the last step, with the flie name the 0160 code. If i wasn’t clear,

<ren “C:\Users\Craig\Desktop\(alt+0160) ” “New File”

Another way that WORKS in windows VISTA is with the program winRar:

you have to try to compressing the invisible folder and check the option in winRAR that says ‘delete the files after compress’ or something like that (I have winRAR in other language).
Then the invisible folder is deleted and you only have to delete the file made by winRar that windows Vista can delete.

Thanks alot Craig, it worked when i typed the source of the file ,like you did :D.

“ren C:\Users\Sam\Desktop\ALT+0160 AAA”

Dont forget the Quotes, and make sure you use the right User name.

Tried everything above and the file name still doesn’t appear, keep getting the message in the command window “…syntax is incorrect”, any help please?

Thank you very much :)

I have been stuck on this problem for a few weeks now, and this was the solution that worked :D

How come when i reach the point of renaming (Alt + 1060) i don’t get total space, but a dollar(!?)For the first time i don’t money!!
So anyone who had the same issue, you clould really have the occasion to be someone’s favorite person.Tempted?!?! joke
thank you.

Thanks Sir! It worked on the first try on Vista!

how do u rename an invisible folder

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