winAutoHide is an open-source, lightweight Windows utility designed to automatically hide clutter files and folders based on specific names or patterns.
Unlike Linux, Windows does not natively hide files or folders simply because their names start with a dot (known as “dotfiles”, such as .git or .vscode). Windows relies on an explicit “Hidden” metadata attribute. winAutoHide bridges this gap by monitoring your system and automatically applying the Windows hidden attribute to these files. Key Features
Emulates Linux Behavior: The program natively targets and hides dotfiles by default to replicate Linux environments.
Regular Expression (Regex) Matching: The Pattern tool allows you to write custom regex to target specific file extensions, naming conventions, or entire junk directories.
Interval-Based Scanning: The Frequency setting determines how often the background service scans your folders. -1: Runs exactly once at system startup and then stops. 0: Operates continuously without a timeout. >0: Scans at custom intervals, defined in seconds.
Set and Forget: Once configured and started, the user interface closes and the app silently executes in the system background. Setup and Configuration Guide Follow these quick steps to deploy and configure the tool:
Download: Grab the executable package directly from the winAutoHide Release Page.
Isolate the App: Move the executable into its own dedicated directory (e.g., C:\Users\username\Documents\winautohide), as it will generate configuration files upon launching.
Select Targets: Launch the program and select the primary root folders or system directories you want to keep clean.
Configure Scanning: Enter your preferred frequency interval and adjust the regex pattern if you want to hide files other than standard dotfiles.
Execute: Click Start to save your preferences, close the GUI window, and push the routine to the background. Alternative Solutions
If you prefer not to use third-party background utilities, you can achieve similar results using native Windows tools:
The PowerShell Method: Open PowerShell and run Get-ChildItem “.” -Recurse -Force | ForEach-Object { $_.Attributes += “Hidden” } to instantly hide all existing dotfiles in your current directory path.
The Command Prompt Method: Run ATTRIB +H /s /d C:\Users\YourUsername. to apply the hidden attribute to dotfiles across your primary user folders.
Note: For these hidden files to actually disappear from sight, ensure that you have toggled “Don’t show hidden files, folders, or drives” within your native Windows File Explorer Options. If you are setting this up, let me know:
What specific folders (like your User Profile or Dev directories) are looking cluttered?
Are you trying to hide only dotfiles or specific file extensions (like .log or .tmp)?
I can provide the exact regex patterns or setup options for your specific goal!
jarikmarwede/winAutoHide: Automatically hide files … – GitHub
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