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Users/Library hidden in Big Sur?

Internet Enzyme

Internet Enzyme

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 21, 2016
999
1,794
I was trying to find the true location of my iCloud files, and I found that the "Library" folder in my user directory was missing. I had to go into terminal and use the "open" command to find the folder, and now it appears, albeit greyed out. Does anyone know why this directory is hidden by default in Big Sur? Is this a beta bug or intentional? Thanks.
Screen Shot 2020-07-09 at 11.10.30 PM.png
 
It is intentional. The user Library folder has been hidden in the past few major releases of macOS. In Mojave you would use the chflags command to unhide the folder. In Catalina you would use the following commands:
setfile -a v ~/Library
chflags nohidden ~/Library
Click to expand...

I am curious if Apple has made it even harder to unhide the user Library folder in Big Sur. Does holding the option-key while selecting Finder->Go->Library still work in Big Sur?
 
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My Library directory is fine (I've had it unhidden for years) but Finder won't show me the contents of ~/Library/Containers. I can see it in Terminal.
 
DeadeyeM said:
Catalina:


View attachment 932470
Click to expand...

That option only appeared in the List View Options when I looked for it, but when I checked it in List view it also appeared in the Column View Options, which was weird.
[automerge]1594396521[/automerge]
AnadinX said:
also cmd+shift+. is a keyboard toggle to show/hide hidden folders in Finder
Click to expand...

I actually already knew about this; not sure why I didn't do it, because it's a pretty handy feature
[automerge]1594396638[/automerge]
Taz Mangus said:
It is intentional. The user Library folder has been hidden in the past few major releases of macOS. In Mojave you would use the chflags command to unhide the folder. In Catalina you would use the following commands:


I am curious if Apple has made it even harder to unhide the user Library folder in Big Sur. Does holding the option-key while selecting Finder->Go->Library still work in Big Sur?
Click to expand...

yeah, that still works. why did they make this change? so no one would accidentally tamper with important stuff? can't you still access the system folder though?
 
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Taz Mangus said:
I get an error messsge when I try to play your screen recording.
Click to expand...

oh i originally attached a screen recording and said that holding option no longer showed the user library but i had done that after i had already shown the user library in the view options, so of course it didnt expose it because its already shown. i did it again after hiding the library again, and sure enough holding option ephemerally exposed it in the menu bar.
 
Taz Mangus said:
It is intentional. The user Library folder has been hidden in the past few major releases of macOS. In Mojave you would use the chflags command to unhide the folder. In Catalina you would use the following commands:


I am curious if Apple has made it even harder to unhide the user Library folder in Big Sur. Does holding the option-key while selecting Finder->Go->Library still work in Big Sur?
Click to expand...
Yes
 
It is almost job #1 when I install a fresh version of macOS. I just select my User folder in the Finder, right click, select "Show View Options" and select the checkbox "Show Library Folder" and finish by clicking "Use As Defaults" then it always shows the folder.
 
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