Files by Google hits 5 billion Play Store downloads

Damien Wilde | Jan 13 2025 - 4:20 am PT

Almost 8 years after launch, the Files by Google app has now hit the impressive 5 billion download milestone on the Play Store.

Formerly known as Files:Go, it was rebranded to Files by Google in late-2018 as a simple file management and space-saving alternative download to many of the default alternatives on Android devices at the time. Over the past 7-8 years, it has undergone a number of revamps and now has a wide variety of functions that make it a decent option for most people accessing files on their devices.

It only hit the impressive 1 billion download mark back in March 2021, but since then, it has become a default app for many new Android devices worldwide – likely accounting for a large portion of the 5 billion download figure alongside redownloads by those getting new handsets. Files by Google is the 20th app from the Moutain View tech giant to surpass the 5 billion download mark, which isn’t too shabby considering for much of its existence it has still been an optional app.

The simplicity and added AI-powered features, in many cases, set it apart from many other competitors. Another major bonus is that Files by Google is a free download, with no in-app purchases required to remove ads or access the full features. One of the key functions is the duplicate removal option, which analyzes on-device files and helps you remove any that you have multiples of. While the unused app deletion also helps you get rid of apps you simply aren’t accessing.

A number of Gemini functions have recently been added including the ability to ask about files such as PDFs, plus other content. While AI isn’t exactly a killer function for many, it could help with file organization or search functionality – something that has always been a strong suit for Files by Google.

Originally available to every running Android 6.0 and higher, in recent years the download limitation for Files by Google has increased to Android 8.0 and up.