{"id":"finder-location.does-moving-a-folder-include-hidden-files","url":"/faq/finder-location/does-moving-a-folder-include-hidden-files","category":{"id":"finder-location","title":"Finding things in Finder"},"subcategory":{"id":"finding-moved-items","title":"Finding what was moved"},"question":"Does moving a folder also move hidden files I can't see in Finder?","alt_questions":["Are hidden files included when relocating?","invisible files moved to external drive","Why is the moved size bigger than Finder showed?","dot files moved storage studio","Do hidden files count in folder size?"],"short_answer":"Yes. Hidden files use real space and move with their folder, and they're counted in Storage Studio's sizes. Press Command-Shift-Period in Finder to show or hide them yourself.","answer_markdown":"Yes. Hidden files take up real space and belong to the folder, so they move with it and are included in the sizes Storage Studio shows. That's one reason a size in Data Parking or What's Using Space can be larger than you'd expect from what Finder displays.\n\nTo see hidden files in Finder yourself, press **⌘⇧.** (Command-Shift-Period) in a Finder window; press it again to hide them.\n\nSee [the Data Parking window](/manual/tier).","answer_html":"

Yes. Hidden files take up real space and belong to the folder, so they move with it and are included in the sizes Storage Studio shows. That's one reason a size in Data Parking or What's Using Space can be larger than you'd expect from what Finder displays.

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To see hidden files in Finder yourself, press ⌘⇧. (Command-Shift-Period) in a Finder window; press it again to hide them.

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See the Data Parking window.

","answer_text":"Yes. Hidden files take up real space and belong to the folder, so they move with it and are included in the sizes Storage Studio shows. That's one reason a size in Data Parking or What's Using Space can be larger than you'd expect from what Finder displays.\n\nTo see hidden files in Finder yourself, press ⌘⇧. (Command-Shift-Period) in a Finder window; press it again to hide them.\n\nSee the Data Parking window.","tags":["hidden files","folder size","finder"],"related":[{"id":"finder-location.why-does-get-info-show-a-tiny-size-for-a-moved-folder","question":"Why does Finder's Get Info show only a few kilobytes for a folder I moved?","url":"/faq/finder-location/why-does-get-info-show-a-tiny-size-for-a-moved-folder"},{"id":"finder-location.where-do-i-see-everything-storage-studio-has-moved","question":"Where can I see a list of everything Storage Studio has moved to my drive?","url":"/faq/finder-location/where-do-i-see-everything-storage-studio-has-moved"},{"id":"finder-location.why-does-a-moved-folder-still-look-normal-in-finder","question":"Why does a moved folder still look like a normal folder, with arrows only on the files inside?","url":"/faq/finder-location/why-does-a-moved-folder-still-look-normal-in-finder"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Does moving a folder also move hidden files I can't see in Finder? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Yes. Hidden files use real space and move with their folder, and they're counted in Storage Studio's sizes. Press Command-Shift-Period in Finder to show or hide them yourself.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Finding things in Finder","path":"/faq/finder-location/"},{"name":"Does moving a folder also move hidden files I can't see in Finder?","path":"/faq/finder-location/does-moving-a-folder-include-hidden-files"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/does-moving-a-folder-include-hidden-files","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Does moving a folder also move hidden files I can't see in Finder?","alternateName":["Are hidden files included when relocating?","invisible files moved to external drive","Why is the moved size bigger than Finder showed?","dot files moved storage studio","Do hidden files count in folder size?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. Hidden files take up real space and belong to the folder, so they move with it and are included in the sizes Storage Studio shows. That's one reason a size in Data Parking or What's Using Space can be larger than you'd expect from what Finder displays.\n\nTo see hidden files in Finder yourself, press ⌘⇧. (Command-Shift-Period) in a Finder window; press it again to hide them.\n\nSee the Data Parking window.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/does-moving-a-folder-include-hidden-files"}}]},"fragment":"
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Finding things in Finder · Finding what was moved

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Does moving a folder also move hidden files I can't see in Finder?

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Short answer: Yes. Hidden files use real space and move with their folder, and they're counted in Storage Studio's sizes. Press Command-Shift-Period in Finder to show or hide them yourself.

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Yes. Hidden files take up real space and belong to the folder, so they move with it and are included in the sizes Storage Studio shows. That's one reason a size in Data Parking or What's Using Space can be larger than you'd expect from what Finder displays.

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To see hidden files in Finder yourself, press ⌘⇧. (Command-Shift-Period) in a Finder window; press it again to hide them.

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See the Data Parking window.

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Last reviewed

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