iFastHostingWhat are hidden files, and how do I see them?
Files whose name starts with a dot, like .htaccess, are hidden by default in most listings until you turn on show hidden files.
A hidden file is any file or folder whose name starts with a dot — .htaccess, .env, .git, and similar. The dot is a long-standing convention rather than a special file type: it simply tells most file listings not to show the item by default, on the assumption that a file named this way is a configuration or system file rather than something you need to see day to day.
Why .htaccess matters most
.htaccess is the hidden file people run into most often on a website, because it controls redirects, custom error pages, and various server behaviour for the whole folder it sits in. If you are looking for it and it is not showing up in your file manager or FTP client, it almost certainly exists — it is just hidden, not missing.
Showing hidden files in an FTP client
In FileZilla, go to the Server menu and choose Force showing hidden files. Other clients use similar wording, usually under a Server, View or Options menu. Once enabled, dotfiles appear in the remote file listing alongside everything else, usually sorted near the top since a dot sorts before letters.
Showing hidden files in the control panel file manager
The file manager built into your control panel typically has a setting, often in its own settings menu or a toggle near the top of the folder view, labelled something like Show Hidden Files. Turning it on reveals dotfiles in that folder the same way it does in an FTP client — the setting usually needs to be turned on again in a fresh session, since it does not always persist between visits.
A hidden file is not more secure than a visible one — it is simply excluded from the default listing for tidiness. Anyone with the right access to your account, including you, can view and edit it once hidden files are shown. Do not rely on a file being hidden as a way of keeping information in it safe.
Common hidden files you might come across
| File | What it does |
|---|---|
.htaccess | Redirects, custom error pages and other server configuration for its folder. |
.env | Environment variables and settings for some applications, sometimes including sensitive values. |
.git | A folder holding version control history, present if the site was deployed from a Git repository. |
.well-known | Used by services such as certificate authorities to verify domain ownership. |
Files like .htaccess can affect your entire site with a single incorrect line. Keep a backup copy before editing one, and see editing a file directly on the server for a safe approach.
If you turned on hidden files and still cannot see the one you are looking for, it may genuinely not exist yet on your account, or you may be looking in the wrong folder — finding a file on your hosting account covers searching more broadly.
Related reading
Using the search built into your file manager, or narrowing it down folder by folder in an FTP client, when you cannot remember where a file went.
How to fix a broken .htaccess fileApache reads this file on every single request, so one invalid line breaks the whole site the moment it is saved.
How to manage files from the command lineThe handful of Linux commands that handle everyday file management jobs faster than an FTP client, once you have shell access set up.
FTP, FTPS and SFTP: which to useThree protocols with confusingly similar names, one of which sends your password in the open. Here is what actually separates them.