Chrome OS lets Chromebook users manage all Android files

According to Google Chromium developer François Beaufort, the Chrome OS team is planning to have the Chromebook device manage all Android files in the Files app. New features called “Android files” have been implemented in the Chrome OS Dev channel and promise to allow Chromebook owners to use the default file application in the Chrome OS to manage all their Android files.

Currently, Chromebook users can only access pictures, video, and audio files from their Android device, but this change gives them access to all file types. François Beaufort on Google+ said: 

“The Chrome OS team is thinking about allowing us to manage all our Android files with the Files app in Dev channel.

We already have simplified views in the Files app such as Images, Videos, and Audio but this doesn’t cover all files that can be created by Android apps such as PDFs and Office documents.

By setting the experimental flag chrome://flags#show-android-files-in-files-app to “Enabled”, you’ll get a new “Android Files” view that exposes Android emulated external storage. These files can copied in your Downloads folder if needed.

Funny thing: the “Download” folder in “Android Files” is your top root Downloads folder.“

Image: FrancoisBeaufort

If you have a Chromebook laptop and an Android smartphone or tablet and you want to manage all the files included on your Android device from your Chromebook, you must follow the instructions provided here to switch to the Chrome OS Dev channel. Then enable the chrome://flags#show-android-files-in-files-app experimental flag. To enable the flag, just open Chrome and paste the above logo in the address bar. Then select “Enabled” and you should immediately get a new “Android File” view. This will show Android emulate external storage. Display all files on your Android device in the file application. You can transfer files to the download folder.