Microsoft releases a Files app for Windows Phone 8.1

microsoft releases files app windows phone 8 1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Smartphones and tablets may well be set to replace computers, but at the moment file management on Android, iOS and Windows Phone is something of a mixed bag. That’s about to change with the arrival of a dedicated Files app for Windows Phone 8.1.

Up to this point the file management system on smartphones has been limited and largely closed off. Android users can fall back on third-party solutions, but as powerful as some of these apps are, they don’t offer the same ease-of-use as the desktop Windows or Mac OS software.

A Files app for Windows Phone has long been one of the top requests from users, and the Microsoft team confirmed that a tool was on the way in a Reddit AMA session at the start of May. It’s now live on the Windows Phone Store, but don’t expect it to shoot up the ranking charts just yet — Windows Phone 8.1 is required to run the app, and the latest OS is still in the process of being rolled out worldwide.

“[The Files app] makes it easy and intuitive to manage your files on your device running Windows Phone 8.1,” said Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc in an official blog post. “You can create new folders and arrange your files across those folders using move and copy functions and you can also rename and delete your files. And you also have the ability to share one or many files on your phone with your friends, family or work colleagues.”

Microsoft has confirmed that the app will also enable access to expandable memory on SD cards. Once installed, users should find that searching and organizing files on their Windows Phone device is made significantly easier, offering a desktop-style level of control on mobile for the first time. We still don’t know exactly when Windows Phone 8.1 will arrive for non-developers, but it shouldn’t be long now.

Have you been waiting for the Files app to drop? Will you be installing it on your Windows Phone device at the earliest opportunity? Let us know in the comments.

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