The Chromebook files app trash can finally works like it should

I’ve spent the better part of a week in the Developer Channel of Chrome OS 89 and there’s been a ton of new, fun stuff I’ve become quite accustom to. Just today, I was made aware of the fact that the trash can we first uncovered for Chromebooks back in October of 2020 is now, finally a fully-functioning feature you can actually use in Chrome OS 89.

The idea is simple enough, right? When you hit delete on most items, your intent is clear and defined. You no longer want said file and you are fine with it blipping out of existence. Until you aren’t. Then, the now-common recycle bin is necessary and that place where deleted files live until you really, really want them gone becomes a life saver.

For Chromebook users, there’s simply been no such lifeline. I honestly had not thought about this fact until we found the original work being done for this new trash can feature. Now I’m eagerly waiting for this feature to arrive because there have been a few occasions where I’ve been a bit to aggressive in cleaning out the cluttered downloads folder on my Chromebook and wished I could get some of those files back. Looks like it won’t be much longer until that reality is here for Chromebook users.

The trash folder began making appearances in the Canary Channel in mid-October, but it’s been half-baked the entire time. At first it was just there. Then it began collecting deleted files, but wouldn’t allow you to put them back where they came from originally. But now in Chrome OS 89, we finally have a near-final version of the trash can that collects deleted, local files and with a simple right-click, puts them back to where they were prior to deletion.

It’s a simple thing, really, but it is a feature I’m already loving and cannot wait to see in the Stable Channel of Chrome OS. It is still behind a flag here in the Developer Channel, so we may or may not see it hit Chrome OS 89 Stable, but I’m hopeful that’s when it will make its official debut. Along with all the fun changes on the way for the Media App, I think this will help round out Chromebook file handling for the slew of new users likely to come on board as 2021 progresses and a massive amount of new hardware starts hitting shelves.