Welcome toEvil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks wed usually refrain from recommending.
Weve got all the info you gotta be successfully unsavory.
This article is about how to hide porn on your setup.
Well cover both approaches in this guide.
All methods discussed work on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Note that this requires you to have admin privileges to access and change your Windows user prefs.
I wouldnotuse a convenient PIN code to log into your Windows PC.
No, no, no.
Even a picture password makes me go a bit, Hmmmmm,like Henry Cavills Geralt of Rivia.
Go with a long,annoyingly complicated password.
), but all it takes is one forgetful moment to inadvertently expose your secret life.
Before I begin, Ill note that this technique isnt foolproof.
Use an app like 7-Zip to create a compressed archive of your files.
If anyone asks, its a backup of some of your games.
This takes more time than the ZIP file option, but is theoretically more secure.
Find an obscure folder on your hard drive and make it even more obscure.
you’re free to even give them weird names.
To make hide a file in Windows:
Right-click a file and selectProperties.
(Note that Windows 11 users will need to right-click then selectShow More Options > Properties.)
Check theHiddenbox under Attributes.
Click onAdvanced,and uncheckAllow files in this folder to have contents indexed in addition to file properties.
ClickApplyto save the changes.
you’re free to now hide or reveal the hidden files with Windows File Explorer.
The option is found underView > Show > Hiddenon Windows 11, orView > Hidden Itemson Windows 10.
In Windows 10:
Go toSettings > Search > Searching Windows.
Make sureClassic Searchis selected, not Enhanced.
Just note you wont be able to search for any files within the excluded directories.
In Windows 11:
Go toSettings > Privacy & Security > Searching Windows.
Next, clickAdd an excluded folderand add the location of your hidden files.
Step 4: Stop files from appearing in recent items.
Luckily, we can stop that from happening.
First, lets prevent recent items from showing up on the Start Menu.
Go toSettings > Personalization > Start.
Disable theShow recently opened items…option inSettings > Personalization > Start.
Next, we need to stop Windows File Explorer from showing what youve been up to.
In Windows 10:Go to the View tab,and selectOptions.
In Windows 11:go for the…icon then selectOptions.
UncheckShow recently used files in Quick AccessandShow frequently used folders in Quick Access.
And while youre there, clickClearto delete your File Explorer history.
There are other options, of course.
At that point, you may as well just hide them on an external USB gadget or cloud drive.
If youre lucky, your roommates/family/loved ones are all Luddites, and not suspiciously-minded internet admins.
