Last month, Google started rolling out a feature called Smart Search to the Files by Google app for Android. According to the window that introduced people to this feature, Smart Search can “scan your documents and images, making it more efficient to find any file.” While that information gave people a general idea about the feature, the company hadn’t gone into detail about how Smart Search works, explained what exactly it can do, or given any instructions about how people should use it. Well, that’s changing today.
In the changelog for the latest version of Files by Google, Google has given some more information about Smart Search (via Android Police). According to it, this feature enables people to search for files using text from images and PDFs, location and objects from images, and artists, albums, and titles from audio and video.
Furthermore, a support page mentions some examples of how people can use it. According to the company, if you are looking for an e-ticket (an image or a PDF file) that you downloaded on your device, you can search for it in the app by typing the name of the airline, airport, destination, or booking company in the search field.
Going by the information provided by Google, it looks like Smart Search scans the content of files saved on your device using machine learning and indexes key details. After that, when you perform a search, it uses the details it has gathered about your files and pulls up the file you are looking for. According to the brand, the app scans files “in the background with device performance and privacy in mind.” Furthermore, Google states “Scanning happens on your device so your information doesn’t leave your device.”
How to get Smart Search in Google Files?
While Google has started rolling out Smart Search globally, the feature hasn’t reached everyone, even with the latest update. So, it looks like the company is activating the feature with a server-side switch in phases. That means if you haven’t received Smart Search yet, you might have to wait for a few more days. Once the app gets the feature, you will see a pop-up about it in the file explorer. Smart Search is enabled by default but you can disable it if you want by going to Settings and turning off Smart Search.
