Chrome OS Files app now shows Android files. Here’s how to get the feature.

First we got Linux files appearing in Chrome OS and now we have experimental access to our Android app files. Google’s François Beaufort shared the news on Google+ and explains which setting to change in order to see Android files on your Chromebook.

In the image above you can see I have access to the Android file system in the native Files app on my Pixelbook. I haven’t downloaded or saved much data via Android apps lately, which the exception of a saved game in Text Fiction. What… everyone could use a little Zork in their life every now and again. (Don’t judge me!)

Getting this feature currently uses one of the Chrome OS flags settings: Type chrome://flags#show-android-files-in-files-app in your browser and change the setting to Enabled. Restart your device and you’ll see Android Files appear in the Chrome OS Files app. Note that this feature went live in the Canary Channel of Chrome OS two days ago but I see it on the Dev Channel for my Pixelbook. If you don’t see it on your device, it may not be there yet for the Beta or Stable Channels, so be patient.

This don’t limit you to just the Android Downloads folder: You can navigate through and move files to and from any of the user accessible folders such as Movies, Music, Ringtones and the like. So while a Android file management app would work on Chrome OS, you get native functionality within the Files app itself as well.