If you have created or downloaded some files on your computer, but new files are not appearing in File Explorer, they may be hidden or missing. To prevent the situation from getting worse, you can recover your files first, and then use the methods from MiniTool to fix File Explorer not showing files.
File Explorer Not Showing Files on Windows
File Explorer is a file manager application to access, locate, and manage files and folders. The purpose of it is to provide an easy way to access hard drives or browse files. This tool works well most of the time, but sometimes you may run into glitches while using it. The File Explorer not showing files issue is one of them.
If you have this problem, there are things you can do to fix it, but before you do that, make sure you are in the right folder. File not showing up and file not available are two different things. The first is a File Explorer issue, while the second is where the file is missing. If you are the latter, you are supposed to recover deleted files. If you are the former, keep reading to get some help.
Why the File Explorer Not Showing Files on Windows
Besides actual file loss, there are other reasons why File Explorer not showing files:
The files and folders are hidden by you or malware. Files may not be visible due to them being marked as hidden. One of the reasons is that you hide them intentionally. However, third-party software products may also hide lots of files in a system. If such a situation happens, then you are unable to view files.
You have set the File Explorer view incorrectly. Incorrect view can cause files not to show up in File Explorer. You need to make sure the view settings are appropriate. If you don’t know how to change it, you can try resetting the File Explorer view to the default, which could help a lot.
There was a problem with the file search index. The fully indexed archive enables fast and accurate searching, making it easy to find files based on specific requests such as keywords, dates, or custom properties.If the file search index got something wrong, it will cause the File Explorer not find files issue.
Now that you know the causes for File Explorer not showing files, you can try the basic ways such as restarting your File Explorer, restarting the computer, or showing the hidden files first to see if files can appear. If that doesn’t work, you should try the following methods to fix it respectively.
For the first situation – files not available, you need to recover deleted files with data recovery software in advance to prevent them from being lost seriously.
Recover Files With MiniTool Power Data Recovery in Advance
MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a professional free file recovery software used to retrieve data from various file storage devices. No matter what the reason is for your data loss, it can scan devices to find the deleted files effectively. What’s more, this tool is capable of restoring most types of files. It not only supports recovering files from entire hard disks or partitions but also a specific folder where your files are stored. Therefore, you can use it to recover your files that are not showing up in File Explorer.
In addition, as a user-friendly recovery software, MiniTool Power Data Recovery will not bring any damage to your files and devices. You can recover 1 GB of files without paying any cent. It supports various Windows operating systems including Windows 11/10/8.1/8. Now click the button below to download and install it on your computer.
MiniTool Power Data Recovery FreeClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
Here are some specific steps for you to recover files.
Step 1: Launch the MiniTool Power Data Recovery software
After the installation is completed, double-click on the icon to open it. When the UAC window pops up, click on the Yes button to continue. The main interface is displayed with two parts located at the top: Logical Drives and Devices.
Step 2: Scan the drive where your deleted/lost files are stored
You need to find the drive where your files were stored and move your cursor to the drive. The Scan icon will appear on the bottom of the drive. You are supposed to click on the Scan button to start scanning which will take some time. You should wait patiently until the whole scanning process ends without interruption.
You can also use this tool to scan for lost data from specific locations, including the Desktop, Recycle Bin, and specific folders such as Downloads, Documents, and Pictures folders. This can typically shorten the scan time and allow you to quickly get complete scan results.
Step 3: Find and select the needed files
When the scanning ends, the scanning results will be displayed according to the path by default under the Path tab. You can expand each path to find the file that you need. What’s more, you can also go to the Type tab to find your needed file by type.
In addition, the Filter feature in the upper-left corner can help you locate the target file quickly. It can help classify files according to the filter criteria you set, including file type, modification date, file size, and file category. If you know the keywords of your file name, the Search feature is your best choice. You just need to type the keywords in the search box and press Enter. The files you want will be shown on the list.
After finding the file, you are allowed to use the Preview feature to confirm if the selected file is the correct one.
Step 4: Save the files you select
After selecting and confirming the file, you are supposed to click on the Save button at the bottom. When prompted by the Select a directory to save files window, select a storage location and hit the OK button to continue.
When the recovery is completed, the window with the recovered file size and free recovery remaining capacity will show up.
Close the software and go to check if your needed files are recovered to the specific location.
How to Fix File Explorer Not Showing Files on Windows
Fix 1: Adjust File Explorer Settings
Sometimes, these files are marked as hidden by you or the virus, which may cause the file not to show up. So, you can try adjusting File Explorer settings to show hidden files and folders. Here is how you can do it.
Step 1: Right-click on the Start button and choose File Explorer to open it.
Step 2: Switch to the View tab, and tick the Hidden items option.
There’s another option. Under the View tab in File Explorer, click on the Options button, switch to the View tab, and tick the Show hidden files, folders, and drives option under Hidden files and folders. Then click on the OK button, close the File Explorer, and now relaunch it to see if these files are here.
After that, all hidden files will be unhidden. Unhiding all files may cause you to accidentally edit or delete some critical system files, causing system instability or even worse problems. Therefore, after finding the files you need, right-click them, select Properties, and then uncheck the Hidden option to unhide them individually. Once completed, it is recommended to re-check the Hidden items option to protect system files.
Fix 2: Clear Thumbnail Caches in Disk Cleanup
When you load a file from a folder, it also loads the thumbnail. That is why you can identify the file type quickly. Windows keeps a cache for these files, so when it opens any folder, it does not take time to display the thumbnail and image of the file type. However, if this thumbnail cache is corrupted or missing, then the loading takes some time, or File Explorer doesn’t show all files. So, it’s necessary to clear thumbnail caches. Here are the steps.
Step 1: Click on the Search icon in the taskbar, type Disk Cleanup in the box, right-click on it, and choose Run as administrator.
Step 2: In the Drive Selection window, choose the C: drive and click on OK to continue.
Step 3: In the Disk Cleanup tab, tick the Thumbnails box under Files to delete, and hit the OK button.
Step 4: When the new window pops up, click on the Delete Files button to delete thumbnails.
Now open your File Explorer to check if files show up.
Fix 3: Rebuild the Search Index
Windows 10 keeps an index of all your searches so that you can get search results quickly. If you find that your search process is slow, or that your results are missing or incorrect, you might need to delete and rebuild your search index. The operations are as follows.
Step 1: Press the Win + R keys to open your Run dialog, type control /name Microsoft.IndexingOptions in the box, and hit Enter or click on OK.
Step 2: In the Indexing Options page, click on the Advanced button at the bottom.
Step 3: In the Advanced Options page, click on the Rebuild button under Troubleshooting.
Step 4: When the Rebuild Index window shows up, hit the OK button.
The rebuilding process may take some time to complete. After that, close the window and open File Explorer to check if you can see files.
Fix 4: Run SFC to Repair System Files
If there are corrupted files on your computer, File Explorer may not find files. In this case, you can use the system file checker utility. The SFC checks the integrity of Windows system files and repairs them if required. Corrupted files will be automatically replaced with correct versions during this process. Here is how to do it.
Step 1: Press the Win + S keys to open the Search box, type CMD, right-click on Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.
Step 2: When prompted by UAC, click on the Yes button to continue.
Step 3: Input sfc /scannow in the window and press Enter.
This process will take some time. You are supposed to wait for it to be completed.
Fix 5: Restart the Windows Search Service
File Explorer uses the Windows Search service for content indexing and search functionality. If this service isn’t working properly, you’ll experience File Explorer issues. Here’s how to restart the service.
Step 1: Open the Search box, type Services in the box, and click on it from the results list.
Step 2: Find Windows Search by scrolling the list, right-click on it, and choose the Restart option.
Once you completed these steps, you have restarted the Windows Search service successfully. Now you can open your File Explorer to check if the issue still exists.
Fix 6: Update Your Windows System
If your Windows system is outdated, it may affect the files in File Explorer. Ensuring your Windows system is the latest is important. Here are the steps to check and update Windows.
Step 1: Press the Win + I keys to open your Settings.
Step 2: In Settings, choose the Update & Security option.
Step 3: In the Windows Update tab, click on Check for updates.
Step 4: It will automatically search for the latest update. If there is an available update, you need to click on the Download & install button to download it.
The update will need some time. After finishing, open your File Explorer to check if the files appear.
Verdict
In a word, this article teaches you to recover files with MiniTool Power Data Recovery. If you encounter other data loss in the future, you can use this free recovery tool to restore lost data.
Additionally, methods like adjusting File Explorer settings, clearing thumbnail caches, repairing system files, and so on are listed here to help you fix File Explorer not showing files. Choose one to solve the problem according to your preferences.
If you have any difficulties in using MiniTool software, contact us via [email protected] at any time.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Chelsea graduated from university with a major in English. She has a strong interest in English writing. It is this passion for writing that led her to become an English editor. Her articles mainly foucus on data recovery and other computer industry news. As an energetic and outgoing girl, Chelsea enjoys listening to music, singing, riding bikes, and eating in her spare time.