Files by Google – Android’s official file manager app – is getting some very useful features soon. These include the ability to compress files and folders into ZIP files, and the ability to pin folders to the Collections folder – both of which simplify the way files and folders are stored, accessed, and shared within the app.
How to upload a ZIP file to Google Drive
The app, also known as Google Files, already has the ability to extract files from compressed ZIP files. The ability to compress files and folders into the ZIP format opens up a new way to archive and share files, especially files that are too large to share wirelessly. That means you’ll soon be able to ditch third-party compression apps, too.
The other feature – Pinning to Collections – lets users pin any folder they want to the Collections tab on the app’s homepage. Currently, there are only two folders, a starred one and a safe one, on the Collections tab. Google is finally giving users more freedom to organize the app’s homepage the way they want, or at least add folders they find important for quick access. And yes, pinning is only for folders; files cannot be pinned in the same way. Still, it will make it easier to access your frequently used folders.
The two features were first spotted by Android Authority in their APK teardown of Files by Google (version 1.4237.65246586.1 release), and are currently largely work-in-progress code. While that's no guarantee the features will see a public release in the form they're shown here, it's highly likely we'll see some version of them soon, if not the exact same thing.
