Jan 12, 2020 You can access the hidden Library folder without using Terminal, which has the side effect of revealing every hidden file on your Mac. This method will only make the Library folder visible, and only for as long as you keep the Finder window for the Library folder open. May 17, 2019 Within the Library folder are a lot of pretty critical files that apps on your Mac need to operate. Since Mac OS X Lion and Mountain Lion, the Library folder has been hidden, to avoid people accidentally deleting critical folders and applications.
For most people, not having access to the Library is not a problem. Most of us don't need this level of access. But for some, it’s useful — even essential — so not having access can cause a problem. Not only that, but for those who've suffered any kind of malware, ransomware, adware or other infection, gaining access to the Library is the most effective way of forever eradicating a serious problem that has infected your Mac.
In this article, we cover how you can gain access to your Library folder.
How to access the Mac Library folder?
Although this skill isn’t essential for everyone, some power users need to know how to find Library on a Mac. If you want, you can even show the Library folder in a Mac permanently, so that you never need to wonder where it is and why you can’t access it.
The Library folder, also known as a directory, has long-since been a go-to location for Mac users when an application is misbehaving. It is often easier to go to the source of a problem and fix it directly than attempt to troubleshoot an issue. Before you do that, you need to access this hidden directory.
There are a couple of ways to make this visible, whether or not you want this to be permanent or only visible as needed.
To make this change permanent, follow these instructions:
Finding Library via Terminal
- Launch Terminal, which you can find in /Applications/Utilities
- Enter the following command in Terminal:
chflags nohidden ~/Library. What this does is change the flag visibility to on, thereby making Library a visible folder instead of one that is hidden. - Click Return
- Quit Terminal
- Now Library should be visible in Finder and should sit alongside other folders and files.
- If you ever want to undo this change, use Terminal to input this command:
chflags hidden ~/Library- to hide the Library again.
The path Apple recommends
Where Is My Library Folder
Another way to make Library visible, although not permanently visible, is to follow another set of instructions that Apple recommends.
Apple prefers people not make regular use of Terminal. There is too much of a risk that something unexpected and fairly catastrophic could go wrong. Plus, making the Library permanently visible could have the same impact. So taking the “Apple recommended” approach means that Library will only appear as long as you keep the Finder window for the Library folder open.
Here is how you can temporarily view files in the Mac Library:
- Either within Desktop or with a Finder window open, hold down the Option key and select the Go menu;
- The Library will be listed as one of the items in the Go menu;
- Double-click on Library, which will open a Finder window containing the contents of the Library folder;
- Once you close that window, the Library folder will be hidden again. This method is only temporary, designed to give you immediate access.
Another similar method, for anyone using macOS Mavericks or later, is to follow these steps to view the Library:
- Open a Finder window
- Click View > Show View Options
- Place a checkmark in a box to Show Library Folder
Now you should be able to access and open the Library folder on a Mac with ease and to do this whenever you need.
Mac Access Hidden Library Folder On External Drive
How to reveal hidden folders:
How To Access Mac Library Folder
Use Shift + Command + Period key shortcut to see hidden folders in your Documents. They will appear grayed out compared to the regular folders.
How to peek underneath your macOS
Mac Library Folder El Capitan
Some system folders and apps are deliberately hidden from view. Besides Finder and Terminal there is an easier way to look under the hood of your Mac. Apps like CleanMyMac X will show you the entire storage structure of your computer. What for? Because this way you can find your forgotten folders and find what's wasting the most space.
Here is an interactive storage map I made for my Mac using the Space Lens tool in CleanMyMac X.
You can download this app for free — and make your own storage map.
Once you install the app, click Space Lens in the sidebar.
Those bubbles have different sizes — depending on the folder size. You can click these folders and explore them deeper. Using this method you can find folders that 'slipped through the cracks', for example, old backups or documents. Cool way to learn more about your Mac and free up space at the same time!
Look at the screenshot, the Library folder is also there:
Okay. Hope you found your Library folder and learned something new about your Mac. Stay tuned for more Mac tips.
Just like the Windows operating system, the MacOS operating system has a hidden Library folder full of settings you shouldn’t really touch. Deleting some or all of these settings will at best force you to reinstall certain apps, and at worst, cause the whole system to collapse and require a complete reinstall.
But there may be times when accessing the Library folder is necessary. For example, many apps put backups in the Library folder and you may want to back up the backup. Or you might be customising your Mac, which will need access to certain library folders.
Mac Library Folder Hidden
Here is how to get there and not cause your Mac to collapse in a cloud of dust in the process.
What Is The Library Folder On MacOS?
The library folder is the area of your MacOS computer where app settings are stored. When you install a program, a folder is created in the Library for all of the essential settings. This can be anything from plugins, preference files and log files.
It’s hidden because basically some people are just plain clumsy and quite often don’t know what they are deleting. It’s only when it’s too late when they realise that something they just deleted should have been kept.
So you could say that Apple is protecting you against your own worst impulses!
How To Find The Hidden Library Folder On MacOS
There are two ways to get to the hidden Library folder if you are confident enough of not triggering a nuclear apocalypse. But the second way is only really feasible when you know where to look.
First Method (The Easiest)
Go to Finder and drop down the “Go” menu. You’ll see that the Library folder is not listed.
To make the Library folder appear, press the “Alt” key (also known as the Option key) at the bottom left of your keyboard. The Library folder will now appear.
Click on the Library folder option to be taken straight to the folder.
The problem though with this method is that this is very temporary. As soon as you take your finger off the alt key, the Library folder will disappear again.
Second Method (Not Difficult)
Once you know the path to the folder (by following the previous method), you can then use the path to go directly to the Library folder.
At the top of the Library folder, you will see the exact path (location) of the folder on your computer.
I have covered over my username in the screenshot, but the path is :
With that in mind, go back to Finder’s Go menu and at the bottom, you’ll see this option :
Choosing “Go to Folder” will bring up a box where you can type the path to the Library folder. Hitting the “enter” key will then take you straight there.
Even better, until you input the path to a different folder, the path to the Library will remain in the “Go to Folder” box.
When it is gone, dropping down the menu arrow on the right hand side will show you a list of previous folders you went to, and the Library one will be there too.
Conclusion
There used to be a way to keep the Library folder showing permanently. But as of High Sierra, the Terminal command no longer seems to work.
However, keeping the folder permanently visible isn’t a good idea since you might delete a system-critical file. Besides, as you have just seen, it is not difficult at all to go to the folder when you need it.