un-hiding hidden files in iCloud Documents

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Level 1

32 points

un-hiding hidden files in iCloud Documents

Hi. I have a problem with a half dozen files in Documents folder in iCloud. They were hidden, somehow, in the last month or so. I have not updated my OS. Not sure what happened! They're .pdf files, a couple of medical reports, a user manual, etc. Fortunately, the files are not lost, but I would like to make them visible again in the Finder without having to use the Shift-dot-cmd key combo. I've tried to use the "chflags nohidden" command in Terminal, but that has no effect. Not even on copied files to a folder in my user folders.

Can anyone help me out with this situation?

Martin

iMac 27″, macOS 15.2

Posted on Jul 30, 2025 11:26 AM

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Answer 1

VikingShips! Author

Level 1

32 points

Jul 31, 2025 12:46 PM in response to Richard.Taylor

Hi. Tried both of these, and nothing changed.

However, now I find that several folders are also hidden and can only be seen using the shift-cmd-period command. And several of the hidden files are totally missing.

Stranger and stranger...

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Answer 2

VikingShips! Author

Level 1

32 points

Aug 1, 2025 11:08 AM in response to Mac Jim ID

I started in Safe Mode, but it made no difference. I noticed that some of the files were no longer visible - at all! I wonder if this would make any difference since the files are on my iCloud drive....

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Answer 3

VikingShips! Author

Level 1

32 points

Aug 1, 2025 11:11 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

Hi. Tried duplicating the file - still hidden. Copied it to a flash drive, still hidden. Copied it to the original folder in the iCloud, still hidden. Copied it to another internal and also to an external drive, no change.

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Answer 4

Aug 1, 2025 11:32 AM in response to VikingShips!

VikingShips! wrote: Hi. Tried duplicating the file - still hidden. Copied it to a flash drive, still hidden. Copied it to the original folder in the iCloud, still hidden. Copied it to another internal and also to an external drive, no change.

Drat! We've seen this before, when terminal, etc, didn't work, and I don't remember any solution at all. You might try a different copy routine other than Finder, like Carbon Copy Cloner or anything you can find that's cheap (since it probably won't work 😏 ) I used something called TeraCopy because, unlike others, it didn't stop when it encountered something it didn't understand. Who knows…

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Answer 5

Aug 1, 2025 10:51 PM in response to VikingShips!

I tested this and I can successfully hide and unhide a .pdf in iCloud Drive.

Type "chflags nohidden " with a space at the end and drag the iCloud Drive file or folder to the Terminal. Notice that you might have to relaunch Finder via Apple menu > Force Quit... to see the effect.

chflags hidden /Users/matti/Library/Mobile\ Documents/com\~apple\~CloudDocs/test/file.pdf 

chflags nohidden /Users/matti/Library/Mobile\ Documents/com\~apple\~CloudDocs/test/file.pdf

If the .pdf is hidden I can reveal it via Shift-Command-. on that Mac.

BUT notice that the hidden/nohidden metadata info does not reach other Macs accessing the iCloud Drive.

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Answer 6

Aug 2, 2025 06:33 AM in response to Matti Haveri

Matti Haveri wrote: … Type "chflags nohidden " with a space at the end and drag the iCloud Drive file or folder to the Terminal. Notice that you might have to relaunch Finder via Apple menu > Force Quit... to see the effect.

He says he has done that,

" I've tried to use the "chflags nohidden" command in Terminal, but that has no effect. "

but lord knows, I've gotten spaces in the wrong places plenty of times, so it's worth a reminder.

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Answer 7

Mac Jim ID

Level 9

53,516 points

Jul 30, 2025 11:34 AM in response to VikingShips!

Do the file names start with a dot "."? If so, remove the dot at the start of the file name.

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Answer 8

VikingShips! Author

Level 1

32 points

Jul 30, 2025 12:36 PM in response to Mac Jim ID

No, none of these files begin with a ‘period’. Just ‘normal’ file names.

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Answer 9

Mac Jim ID

Level 9

53,516 points

Jul 30, 2025 01:24 PM in response to VikingShips!

Ok, start up your Mac in Safe Mode and check if there is any change, then start up one more time normally to exit Safe Mode and check again.

Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

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Answer 10

Jul 31, 2025 10:22 AM in response to VikingShips!

What happens if you duplicate the file? ⌘D Or if you copy the file to an ExFat flash drive (or whatever) and copy it back?

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