The hidden files and folders that I have difficulty locating

A good place to start is by narrowing down the file or folder being searched for. Turning on Hidden items only shows items marked as hidden; it does not bypass Windows protection rules, OneDrive availability, or folder permissions.

For application-related files, press Win + R and open %localappdata%, %appdata%, or %programdata%. If the file name is known, search from This PC or enter the expected location directly in File Explorer’s address bar. Enabling File name extensions can also make it easier to distinguish files with similar names.

If a protected Windows component needs to be checked, open File Explorer > Options > View and temporarily clear Hide protected operating system files (Recommended). This should only be used to confirm whether a file exists; restore the setting afterwards. Files in system locations should not be removed, renamed, moved, or have their ownership changed simply because they become visible.

When a file appears but cannot be opened, the issue is usually permissions rather than hidden status. When it cannot be found at all, check the expected path, OneDrive’s online-only files, and other user profiles.