Before upgrading to Catalina, I used to quickly show hidden files/folders in finder by simultaneously pressing cmd + shift + .
After upgrading to Catalina, the shortcut no longer works.
iMac Line (2012 and Later)
Just checked again on Catalina 10.15.1 (19B88) and ⇧⌘+. shows hidden files in a Finder window, or application Open file panel. That period is from the regular keyboard, and not the numeric pad. The need for a Fn modifier may suggest a keyboard shortcut collision with some other setting.
And it still works for me on Catalina 10.15.1. Even reveals files with chflags hidden applied to them.
However, removing the hidden attribute (chflags nohidden file.txt) in the Terminal does not dynamically unhide the file in an open Finder window. The Finder window must be closed and reopened to show the newly unhidden file.
I noticed something weird today. It doesn't work for me whenever i use the period located next to the slash (above the spacebar,) even though this is how i've always done it. However, it does work if i replace it with the dot next to the 0 on the numpad; which i've never done before; out of habit i guess.
Can anyone confirm they have the same situation?
For those of you trying the CMD + SHIFT + Period you may need to use terminal first to refresh finders appetite. It's important that anyone attempting to do this do it just like this. As it worked for me.
First, open up Terminal and paste this. Then click Enter
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE
Second, copy or type in the next row this. Then click Enter
killall Finder
This way has pretty much always been the way but for some reason it wasn't working for me. Some will tell you all you have to do is finish with killall but that's not right. You have to add Finder with it.
After adding the last part the hidden files should appear. Then hide them again in terminal by simply pasting
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE
After that the CMD + SHIFT + . should work again.
Hope that helps some of you.
Right now, it's cmd + shift + fn + period
Hmmm. Still works for me on multiple Macs running Catalina.
No longer works for me either.
@tareq163: Yes, the same thing happened to me. The period key doesn't enable hiddens, but the decimal key (numeric keypad) does.
For me it still works tho, hope you find a solution, heard you can try CMD + SHIFT + FN + .
I use the period adjacent to the '/' keyboard item on a U.S. built-in keyboard of a MacBook Air. It just works. Ditto for my extended U.S. aluminum keyboard.
I think it's all dependent on our setup. I was using an external keyboard for my macbook pro. It's possible the difference might be that. Not sure though.
"Shift+Command+." is working for me on a 2015 12" Retina MacBook. No issues.
Effectively it is cmd + shift + fn + period as long as the keyboard is configured ABC or US.
That is the Apple's dictator unpleasant way
show hidden files and folders on Catalina
