Files by Google now lets you set ‘favourite’ files for quick access

Three years ago, the Files by Google app was released on the Play Store, bringing the basic but essential functionality to the company’s devices along with several other Android One devices. While the app was quite barebones when it was launched, Google has since updated the app with several new features and is now allowing users to mark favourite files.

Also read: Google Photos for Web gets Explore page, Favourites option in Library

The new functionality was first spotted by XDA in a teardown (where the app’s installation file is ‘decompiled’ and then analysed for any changes to the code) last August and is now live inside the app. Users can now gain access to all of their most frequently used files and media by marking them as favourites, according to the report. This functionality is also offered on the default file managers of several manufacturers - for example, Samsung's My Files app. 

In order to make use of the new feature, users must update to version 1.0.362806406 of the Files by Google app according to the report. Once they have updated, they can simply select any file on their internal storage and choose the ‘Add to favourites” option in the three-dot menu. Once selected, the files marked as favourites will always be within reach in the ‘Favourites’ folder on the main screen.

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Users will also be able to quickly identify which files are currently marked as favourites even outside the folder, thanks to a star badge that will show up on those items. XDA’s new teardowns of the app have also revealed some code strings inside that point towards the possibility of listing all the blurry images with an option to delete them. The app might also enable Nearby Share to send files instead of the existing built-in transfer feature.