Folder Window Icon Text - Hide or Show File Names

How to Hide or Show File Names in Vista​

   Information

This will show you how to hide or show all file and subfolder icon names (text) in only the currently opened folder in a Windows Explorer window. By default, they are set to show file names.

This can be handy if the folder contains nothing but images or videos, you may only want to have thumbnails showing without text.

   Warning

You can only set to hide or show icon file names from within the Pictures and Video folder template first. After you hide or show the file names in this template, you can then change the folder template back to what ever one you want and the icon file names will remain the same way you set them in the Pictures and Video folder template.

EXAMPLE A: File and Folder Names set to Hide

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EXAMPLE B: File and Folder Names set to Show

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OPTION ONE

To Hide the File Names

NOTE: Even with the file names set to hide, you can still see the file names in the Details pane when you just highlight a file or do OPTION TWO below.

1. Open the folder in Windows Explorer that you want to hide all file names in. (See Example B screenshot above)​

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2. If not already, temporarily change the folder template to Pictures and Video first.​

NOTE: Make note of what your current folder template is for this folder. so that you can change it back to in step 5.​

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3. Right click on a empty area in the folder window and click on View, then click on Hide File Names to check it. (See left screenshot below)​

NOTE: If Hide File Names is grayed out, then make sure that you have either Extra Large Icons, Large Icons, Medium Icons, or Small Icons selected (dotted) instead of List, Details, or Tiles first. (See right screenshot below)​

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4. The file and folder names should now be gone. (See Example A screenshot above)​

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5. If you changed the folder template in step 2, then change it back to the folder template that you want or had before.​

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6. Your done.​

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OPTION TWO

To Show the File Names again Temporarily

NOTE: This is if you have the file names set to hide in OPTION ONE above. It will not matter what folder template you are using for the opened folder window for this option.

1. Open the folder in Windows Explorer that you want to temporarily show all file names in. (See Example A screenshot above)​

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2. Right click on a empty area in the window and click on View, then click on either List, Details, or Tiles to dot one of them. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: Hide File Names will be grayed out until you select (dot) either Extra Large Icons, Large Icons, Medium Icons, or Small Icons again.​

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3. Your folder window will now look similar to this. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: When you select (dot) either Extra Large Icons, Large Icons, Medium Icons, or Small Icons again, then the file names will be hidden again.​

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OPTION THREE

To Show the File Names

NOTE: If you had the file names set to hide in OPTION ONE, then this will show you how to have them show all the time again.

1. Open the folder in Windows Explorer that you want to hide all file names in. (See Example A screenshot above)​

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2. If not already, temporarily change the folder template to Pictures and Video first.​

NOTE: Make note of what your current folder template is for this folder. so that you can change it back to in step 5.​

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3. Right click on a empty area in the window and click on View, then click on Hide File Names to uncheck it. (See left screenshot below)​

NOTE: If Hide File Names is grayed out, then make sure that you have either Extra Large Icons, Large Icons, Medium Icons, or Small Icons dotted instead of List, Details, or Tiles first. (See right screenshot below)​

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4. The file and folder names should now be back. (See Example B screenshot above)​

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5. If you changed the folder template in step 2, then change it back to the folder template that you want or had before.​

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6. Your done.​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to "Hide file names" of Files in Picture and Video Folders in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Change a Windows Explorer Folder Type Template in Vista
• How to Change the Windows Explorer Columns and Sort Order in Vista
• How to Hide or Show Desktop Icon Text in Vista
• How to Reset Windows Explorer Folder View Settings to Make Vista Remember
• How to Remove or Change the Shortcut Arrow and Name in Vista
• How to Remove the Shortcut Prefix On a Shortcut Name in Vista
• How to Hide or Show Hidden Files and Folders in Vista
• How to Hide a Folder or Shortcut Icon in Vista
• How to Disable Auto Arrange in Vista Windows Explorer to have Free Sorting

 

[ibrahim92]

hello

i'm do what you write on Hide or Show File Names but i don't have press to remove hide file name
Did you get me :D

 

[Brink]

Ibrahim,

Did you already change that folder to have a Pictures and Video folder template first?

 

[ibrahim92]

thanx you :D

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Ibrahim. I'm happy to hear that you got it.

 

[Christi Self]

Hi! I'm not quite sure what happened, but none of my file names will appear anymore. I read through all of your posts and the Hide File Name option is not checked on my folders. When I go into Choose Details, under View, it does not give me the option for Name..only for Date Modified. It's as if this option has completely disappeared. It does however list the Folder names on the left hand side, but once I click on the folders, the only thing I can see on the right are files with the dates they were modified, no names. I did change my Documents folder to a Picture Template to be sure that Hid File Name was not selected and it isn't. Can you please help?? Thanks so much!

 

[Brink]

Hello Christi, and welcome to Vista Forums.

If this just happened recently, the you may be able to do a system restore using a restore point dated before this happened to undo and fix it.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Christi Self]

Thanks so much for your quick response! If I do a system restore, will that restore everything on my computer to that date? I have data on QuickBooks that I don't want to lose.

Thanks again!

 

[Lorien]

System restore does not affect user data - your data will be safe and fine.