This Google update will help you free up much-needed space on your Android phone
Files by Google is getting a chip filter upgrade for Android users
One of Google's most unsung apps is getting a useful upgrade that could help you clear out unwanted items from your Android phone.
As the name suggests, the Files by Google app governs all the files, apps and other items on your Android device, but can often provide a somewhat cluttered and even confusing experience.
However, an update to the app is adding a number of new search chip filters to help you quickly and easily find items that can be deleted to free up cloud storage space.
Files by Google update
Search chips essentially look to display possible results as a user is typing in the search bar, offering autofill suggestions and other possibilities for what it thinks they could be looking for.
Now, users will see new filters when accessing the "Browse" menu in Files by Google. For example, selecting Apps within this menu will now offer the chance to filter out into certain groups - currently "large apps", "unused apps" and "Games" - with each list also displaying extra information such as the size of the app and when it was last updated.
The app allows multiple filters to be active at the same time, so you could, for example, quickly spot which games you've installed but have never actually played.
The tool appears to be active now, so users should look to update their Files by Google app as soon as possible to benefit.
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The company has also recently introduced chip search filters to a number of its Google Workspace software tools, including Gmail and Google Drive, giving users a faster way to find the exact file they are hunting for.
Going forward, instead of just using keywords such as “marketing plan” or “sales report,” which may return results that are too broad, users can use search chips to surface more relevant results.
The results can be file types, such as a Google Doc, PDF or image, but also related to a specific person, location (such as in a shared drive or folder) or when a file was last modified.
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Via AndroidPolice
Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK's leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he's not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.