Google Drive on Android may soon let you add more useful categories to your files

Google Drive on Android may soon let you add more useful categories to your files،

Google introduced a feature last year that gives Google Drive users a new way to organize their files and easily find them later based on certain predefined filters. However, while useful, this feature was also very limited, as it was only available on iOS and the filter criteria was very narrow. That could change soon, as Google Drive is currently testing broader search categories in its Android app. Google expands file organization options in Google Drive with a new “Categories” feature, like @AsembleDebug from The Android SP discovered while looking through the Google Drive app code. Unlike the existing “Labels” feature, the creation of which is currently limited to Workspace administrators, “Categories” promises broader usability and better ways to keep your Drive tidy. This is also the case for the iOS implementation, which is limited to pre-established categories (file type, owners and last modified status).

How will the “Categories” work?

The Categories feature will allow you to assign files to one or more of 12 predefined categories, such as:

Auto
Banking
Expenses
Home
identifiers
Insurance
Medical
Pets
School
Taxes
Journey
Work

Files can be categorized by tapping the three-dot menu next to a file and selecting “Manage Categories.” This makes it easier to label important documents with the appropriate labels.

The advantage of using categories, as opposed to simply adding files to a folder, is that you can apply multiple categories to the same file. For example, you could categorize the PDF version of an invoice into “Expenses” and “Travel”, which would improve file discovery when needed. Imagine having all your bills, expenses, and bank statements neatly organized in one place, accessible right from the Drive home screen. This makes finding what you need much more convenient than traditional folder structures.

Although initially discovered in the Android app and still under development, the feature appears to be designed to sync between the Android, iOS, and web versions of Drive. This makes it a truly universal organizational tool. Importantly, this isn't just for Workspace users, meaning anyone with a Google account will be able to benefit from it.