Google is removing this India specific feature from Android’s native file manager app, here’s how users will be affected

Google

is making a big change in Android's native file manager app. 9to5Google has reported that the company will remove the “Important” tab feature from the

Files

by Google app. The removal of this tab is set to arrive soon or maybe a future update of the app.
What is Important tab in Files by Google app
Important tab within was introduced last year in Files by Google app and it is an India-exclusive feature.

The tab is used to automatically identify important documents like passports, IDs and other important files and club them together within the Important tab. Also, the tab worked well with the government's

Digilocker

service.
When the tab will be removed

According to the report, the Important tab will be removed from the app in the next update which is scheduled for February 15.
How users will be affected
If you are someone who relies on this “Important” tab in the Files app, then it is advisable to select all the important files from the tab, create a new folder and store them separately before the tab is removed. Doing this will ensure that all the necessary documents are at one place and easily accessible.

The latest APK Insight also revealed that Google will notify users about the removal of the Important tab ahead of time so that they can take necessary actions. The notice in the APK file also states that “Your saved documents in the ‘Important’ tab will be permanently deleted from Files after this date. To save a copy of your documents, use the Share option to do so before 15 February 2024.”
The entire notification combined may look something like this “Files is removing the Important tab. Your saved documents in the Important tab will be deleted after 15 February 2024”