File Attributes

File attributes are metadata flags that describe the state and behavior of files and directories in the Windows operating system. They are stored in the file system and can be read or modified programmatically.

Attribute	Value (Hex)	Description
ReadOnly	0x00000001	Prevents write operations on the file.
Hidden	0x00000002	File is not visible in standard directory listings.
System	0x00000004	File is used by the operating system.
Directory	0x00000010	Entry is a directory.
Archive	0x00000020	File has changed since the last backup.
Device	0x00000040	Reserved for system use.
Normal	0x00000080	No other attributes are set.
Temporary	0x00000100	File is temporary and may be deleted soon.
SparseFile	0x00000200	File is a sparse file.
ReparsePoint	0x00000400	File contains a reparse point.
Compressed	0x00000800	File is compressed.
Offline	0x00001000	Data is not immediately available.
NotContentIndexed	0x00002000	File is excluded from indexing.
Encrypted	0x00004000	File is encrypted.
IntegrityStream	0x00008000	File has integrity metadata.
Virtual	0x00010000	File is a virtual (non-disk) file.
NoScrubData	0x00020000	File is exempt from data scrubbing.

Getting File Attributes in C#

using System;
using System.IO;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        string path = @"C:\Temp\example.txt";
        FileAttributes attrs = File.GetAttributes(path);
        Console.WriteLine($""Attributes for {path}: {attrs}"");
        if ((attrs & FileAttributes.ReadOnly) == FileAttributes.ReadOnly)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(""File is read‑only"");
        }
    }
}

Getting File Attributes in C++ (WinAPI)



    For a complete reference, see the File Attribute Functions page.