What Is A Windows System File?

Technically speaking, a Windows system file is any file with the hidden system attribute turned on. In practice, system files are those files that Windows depends upon to operate properly. These range from hardware drivers to configuration and DLL files and even the various hive files that make up the Windows Registry.

These files are often changed automatically during system updates or application installations, but generally speaking, it7;s best to leave system files alone. Deleting, moving, renaming, or changing these files could cause a complete system failure. Because of this fact, often times they7;re hidden and are made read-only. That said, there are a lot of hacks and tweaks out there2;including a bunch we7;ve featured on this site2;that involve modifying system files.

If you7;re careful, and you know what you7;re doing2;or you7;re following instructions from a source you trust2;you can get a lot of value from these types of hacks.

Where Are System Files Stored?

System files are usually located in specific folders that are identified as a system folder. To further prevent any accidental deletion, these files are hidden from view in Windows by default. They also don7;t appear in searches.

The truth is, system files can be stored in lots of locations on your PC. The root folder of your system drive (C:\), for example, holds system files like your page file (pagefile.sys) and hibernation file (hiberfil.sys).

The majority of Windows system files are stored in C:\Windows, especially in subfolders like /System32 and /SysWOW64. But, you7;ll also find system files scattered throughout user folders (like the appdata folder) and app folders (like ProgramData or the Program Files folders).

How To Show Hidden System Files in Windows

While system files are hidden by default in Windows, it7;s easy enough to have Windows display them.

Just bear in mind that deleting, moving, editing, or renaming these files can cause all kinds of problems. Our advice is to leave system files hidden for the most part. If you7;re intentionally working with system files while applying some hack or tweak, display them, and then hide them again when you7;re done.