Google has announced a new PIN-protected safe folder for files. Designed to allow users to protect sensitive and personal files the folder is hidden behind a PIN. Google notes that given many people share a device, being able to have personal protected folders is a great step forward.
The company announced the innovation back in June and it has taken over six weeks for it to come to fruition. Google Files has recently surpassed 500 million downloads proving that the simple and easy solution is often the best one.
Google hopes that this new feature will allow users to maintain privacy despite the sharing of devices and data. Android Central reveals the Google PIN-protected folder will roll out in beta as of August 5.
Google Files rolls out PIN-protected safe folder
In addition to increased privacy, Google’s blog post on the issue points out that this feature should help build towards a more inclusive internet. Pranay Bhatia, Product Manager, wrote: “Building privacy features that make sense for different needs is a top priority for us as we continue to work towards a more inclusive internet.”
Google Files launched back in 2017 and now over 150 million people use the app regularly. The expectation of this application was to help those in developing countries who often run out of storage. Files helps individuals get rid of clutter as well as saving space on users phones.
Since its inception Files as helped individuals delete 1 trillion files and save 400+ petabytes of space. Google claims that Files also frees around 12GB of space every second.
How Google Files safe folder works
The safe folder is a secure, 4-digit PIN-encrypted folder. It is designed to store important documents, images, videos and audio files and prevent others from accessing them.
The folder is securely locked as soon as you switch away from the Files app. This means the folder’s contents cannot be accessed even when the app is running in the background. The app will also ask you to re-enter the PIN when you go back into the app.
Google hopes that this new feature will help those that share devices allowing them a space to store sensitive files. However, it also has applications for those that do not share their device. Being able to store important financial or personal documents in a secure folder will be of great use to many.
This appears to be a very useful addition to Google Files. Everyone is crying out for greater privacy and security and this seems to be a well made innovation to help solve those issues.