How To: Hide Files on a USB Flash Drive

This article, “How To: Hide Files on a USB Flash Drive,” explains two free methods to conceal files on a USB drive using built-in Windows features. One method is quick and basic; the other is more advanced and harder to detect.

Overview of the Two Methods

Method 1: Standard Hidden Attribute

This method is the easiest. Anyone can right-click a file or folder, go to Properties, and select the Hidden checkbox. This will hide the file unless a user has Windows configured to show hidden files.

Pros: Easy and fast
Cons: Easily bypassed

Method 2: System Hidden Attribute

This method hides a file using both the system and hidden attributes. Windows will not show these files—even if “Show hidden files and folders” is enabled—unless the user also disables “Hide protected operating system files.”

Pros: Harder to detect
Cons: Slightly more technical

How to Hide a File Using the Hidden Attribute

Right-click the file or folder ? Properties ? check the Hidden box ? click OK.

If Windows is set to not show hidden files, it disappears from File Explorer. However, it still shows in the Command Prompt:

If the user has “View hidden files and folders” enabled, the file is visible again:

How to Use the System Hidden Attribute

Let’s take it a step further and apply the system attribute in addition to the hidden flag.

Step 1: Prepare the File

Place the file (e.g., text.txt) onto the USB flash drive.

Step 2: Open Command Prompt on the USB Drive

Click in the File Explorer address bar, type cmd, and hit Enter.

Step 3: Apply the System Hidden Flags

At the prompt, type:

attrib +s +h D:\text.txt

Replace D:\ with your actual USB drive letter.

Type exit to close the prompt. Then unplug and reconnect the USB drive. The file will now be invisible—even with hidden files shown—unless the system file setting is also disabled.

Confirming the Hidden File

Open Command Prompt and type:

dir /a:h

You’ll see hidden files listed—even the system hidden ones—but they won’t appear in File Explorer.

How to Open or Restore the Hidden File

Option 1: Show Protected Files (Not Recommended)

Enable “Hide protected operating system files” in Windows Explorer. This reveals system-hidden files but also exposes critical OS files to potential deletion.

Option 2: Remove Attributes

In Command Prompt, type:

attrib -s -h D:\text.txt

Option 3: Open Without Changing Attributes

To open the file without unhiding it, use:

notepad D:\text.txt

Need Stronger File Protection?

If you require stronger security, consider a Secure Disk solution. These USB flash drives hide entire partitions until a password is entered. They’re hardware-based, making them immune to software workarounds or hacks.

For more info, check out Nexcopy’s Secure Flash Drives.

This article will show you how to create a website shortcut that works from a flash drive. The article includes the instructions, a video on the instructions and a template file one can download and tweak for their own use.

The reason for this topic of creating a website shortcut on a flash drive is because dragging and dropping your desktop shortcut to a flash drive doesn’t work.

The shortcut on a desktop is a relative path of the computer to the website. Which means the shortcut doesn’t transfer well to a flash drive for others to use. Rather than a working shortcut, the shortcut either errors off or takes you to a generic page within the browser.

Creating a shortcut that works on a USB flash drive is very easy. Like, crazy easy.

• Open Notepad (type notepad in search and click Enter)
• Type: [InternetShortcut]
• Type website landing page: URL=https://www.getusb.info
• Now Save As the file to your USB flash drive with .URL extension.

You have now successfully made a website shortcut on your USB flash drive.

This link can be used on any flash drive or hard drive or desktop location. The shortcut is truly a universal file that will work from any location.

Here is the text file which you can use as a template if the above instructions are too complicated or you simply don’t want to perform the steps.

Here is the video: How To: Create a Website Shortcut on a USB Drive

From Mission a company which makes your favorite accessories a little better introduces a power solution to power your Apple TV box without needing an AC outlet.

By offering this solution, one less power outlet plug is required to run your Apple TV box.

Perfect for wall mounted TVs with only one outlet behind/near the TV. Declutter the cables around your TV with the Mission accessory.

How does it work?

Between the connection to your Apple TV box and a USB port on your TV sits a small electrical box. This box has a lithium ion battery and a custom PCB which stores extra power from the USB socket from your TV and buffers that power in the lithium battery. Then a bit stronger current is sent to your Apple TV box to properly power it.

This Mission product is compatible with all versions of the Apple TV box.

• Powerful Battery // 7.2V / 2000mAh Battery
• High Output Power Capability // Works with 4K HDR Video
• Product Dimensions // 4ft/121cm total cable length, 7.9 oz
• Compatibility // Compatible with all generations of Apple TV

F.A.Q.

Q. Does the internal battery ever fully discharge and disrupt the USB cable performance?

A. No, the cable is designed to always have sufficient power, even after many hours of continuous use.

Q. Is a mount for Apple TV included in the box?

A. No, for the easiest setup we recommend the purchase of an Apple TV mount. This will allow the Apple TV and Mission USB Power cable to be easily installed on the back of the TV, minimizing clutter around the TV.

Q. What is the output voltage of the cable?

A. 120V

Q. What is the total length of the cable?

A. 4 feet or 121 centimeters.

Mission also provides this same type of solution for the Chromecast product and Amazon Fire Stick.

We love to hear the big and small wins for USB technology. After 10 years, USB-C will win the battle as the connection socket of choice for iPhone products.

Why?

It is estimated the value of charging cables to be sold in 2022 is $2.6 billion dollars. If you estimate cable to be $10 USD, that is 260 million physical cables made. Yes, this is an estimated number, but that is a lot of potential waste given most already have charging cables.

The fundamental problem are the different cables needed for different devices. This is why USB is such a lovely technology. It is designed to be universal. Really, all electronic devices which can charge or communicate should connect via one physical method. We vote USB-C!

Who started it?

The EU started the push to codify the use of a single connector type for all electronic devices starting in 2018. The EU started this process in order to eliminate waste associated with one cable being shipped with every electronic device. Their goal is to reduce the number of charging cables manufactured to get the world closer to a carbon neutral position. EU wants all devices to use the same connection type by 2030.

Who tipped us off?

Today we learn from a well know parts analyst who covers the Apple products. Ming-Chi Kuo is an analyst who surveys different parts suppliers related to the supply-chain of product manufactured for Apple. Through the forecasting survey and questions, Kuo is able to accurately predict many upcoming trends and changes related to Apple products.

When will this start?

Based on parts forecasting and the ramp up of USB-C components, Kuo believes the change will happen in 2023.

Sticky labels are not a professional solution to label flash drives. Today we look at an alternative for labeling a flash drive which suits the demands of a business and/or professional.

There is a clear difference between labeling your flash drive because of personal use and the need to label a flash drive which is sold, shipped or mailed to a paying customer.

A common method to label a flash drive is with a sticky label applied to the outside of the flash drive, or a paper merchandise tag with some notes about the contents hanging from the lanyard loop. Albeit a good method for a personal flash drive, not the most professional or durable flash drive label tag when sold as a commercial product.

It is a common requirement from a company to include more information about the contents of a flash drive than what the space of a sticky label or tag will allow. In addition, the durability of said label should withstand environmental conditions which surpass the limits of a merchandise tag. Examples include:

• Detailed instructions for how the flash drive should be used
• Software or firmware version information (longer than sticky label space)
• Medical compliance information about the contents
• Audit tracking of ownership / possession (longer than sticky label space)

From the examples above, the question becomes:

What flash drive label can be used which is professional looking while having the durability and space needed to print the information required?

The best flash drive label we have found is the plastic credit card sized label offered by Nexcopy.

The CC USB Label is a white PVC plastic product which is 85mm wide by 54mm tall and 0.75mm thick with a total weight of 4 grams. The CC USB Label is printable on both sides and includes a lanyard for connecting to a USB flash drive.

The CC USB Label accepts full color print and with a white background, each color is vibrant and great contrast for users to easily read the printed information. Using an eco-solvent printer, the ink is permanent and water proof. The information printed will last in various weather conditions and environmental conditions.

Nexcopy offers their eco-solvent LOGO-EZ printer for in-house production. Nexcopy also offers print services for those not wanting to invest in a flatbed eco-solvent printer.

The credit card size and the light weight of the card make it a perfect complement as a flash drive label. With double sided print capability, a company has a great deal of space to print the information required for their product.

From the image below, one can see the flash drive label is ideal for printed bar codes for scanning during product fulfillment, shipping and receiving. Printing a more precise image like a QR code could improve user experience, such as streamlining a product registration process or direct landing page for a how-to video for product instruction.

The plastic PVC material is ideal for printing color logos and highlighting specific information. Having the flexibility for color print lends itself to emphasizing certain bits of information the manufacturer wants the end-user to notice.

In addition, the CC USB Label allows custom branding to match the requirements from the marketing department to ensure branding compliance is matched – getting stuck with black only printed sticky labels or merchandise tags decrease the overall perceived value of the product and could fall out of compliance of a company’s marketing guidelines.

Although some of this information sounds overkill for a flash drive label, keep in mind this solution is designed for a business or professional who might be required to provide very detailed labels for the product in which the flash drive is associated with.