Google Drive just got a handy search upgrade for Android users
What you need to know
Google rolled out new ways to filter your search in the Google Drive app for iOS last month, and at the time, said the features would come to Android at a later date.
Now, it appears that the search filters are starting to appear in the Google Drive app for Android after a recent update.
The filter categories can be found right below the in-app search bar and include things like File Type, Owner, and Last Modified.
The Google Drive app for Android is getting a much-needed update to make finding the exact file you're looking for easier. Google is adding a collection of search filters to the Drive app directly under the main app search bar, just like it added to the iOS version of the app early last Month. When the company announced the change, it said Android users would eventually get search filters as well but did not elaborate further.
Now, it looks like Google is pushing the update that includes search filters in Google Drive to Android users, as Android Police spotted. It comes a bit over a month after Google brought the feature to iOS, which is something the company occasionally does despite being Android's developer.
Search filters are nothing new to Google Drive, but these ones on the Android app are smarter than usual. When searching for a file in Drive, the filtering options will move around based on the contents of your search. Essentially, Google hopes to put the needed search filter directly under the search bar right when you need it without having to make users scroll to find the one that'll help.
You can take a look at how search filters work in the Google Drive app for Android in the screenshots below, which Google shared when it first made the feature available on iOS.
The search filters include options like File Type, Owners, and Last Modified. They come in handy in several situations, like if you only want to search images or documents. You can also see only files that were modified recently via set time intervals you can choose between. You can also search only files owned by a specific person, which is neat, too.
Again, search filters are hardly a new thing, but Google is making the Drive app for Android more like the desktop versions with this change. As phones get bigger and more powerful, there's a higher chance people will try to do more work on the go with their smartphones. With features like these — and the emergence of great folding phones — that kind of usage becomes more of a possibility for everyday people.
We've spotted search filters appearing in the Google Drive app on a few of our devices. If you're not seeing the update, try updating the Drive app manually in the Google Play Store app. Google says this feature is available with all Google accounts, including personal and Workspace accounts.
