Is Samsung My Files safe, and is it free?

Last reviewed: October 8, 2026 · Markdown version

Yes on both counts, as far as Samsung's own listings go: it is Samsung's app, it comes on the phone, it costs nothing, and its Google Play entry declares that it collects no data. The fair caveat is that those declarations are Samsung's word, and one of its features — cloud and network storage — is a route for your files to leave the phone, by your own choice.

Who makes it, and what it costs

My Files is published by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung's UK guide says "The My Files folder comes pre-installed on most Galaxy devices" (How to use Samsung My Files App, Samsung UK, read 8 October 2026; page "Updated : 3rd April, 2024"), so on a Galaxy you have it without downloading anything. On Google Play it carries an Install button and no price; the page's own product data gives the price as 0 US dollars (Samsung My Files, Google Play listing, read 8 October 2026). The Galaxy Store entry is likewise marked free and priced at zero (Samsung My Files, Galaxy Store listing, read 8 October 2026). Neither listing describes a paid tier.

The permissions Samsung lists

The two listings do not agree. Google Play's text names two "Required permissions": "Storage: Used to open, delete, edit, search files and folders on internal / external memory (lower than Android 13)" and "Notifications : Used to show the progress of ongoing actions such as moving or copying files and folders" (Play listing above). The Galaxy Store text, for both My Files and its Network storage add-on, lists only the Notifications line (Galaxy Store listing above). Neither says which access the app uses on Android 13 and newer; on that point both are silent. A file manager has to reach your files to do its job, so broad storage access is expected here rather than a warning sign — the question is what the app does with it.

What Samsung declares about your data

The Play data-safety panel for My Files is short: "No data shared with third parties", and "The developer says this app doesn’t collect user data" (Samsung My Files, Google Play data safety, read 8 October 2026). That is a self-declaration — Google's panel says so in its own wording — and the Galaxy Store listing says nothing about data either way. The Samsung support pages we read for this answer, including the My Files guide above, are silent on privacy too.

The part worth knowing is the cloud. The Galaxy Store text lists "Samsung Cloud Drive", "Google Drive" and "OneDrive", plus "Network storage (accessible after downloading the APK file)". Files you copy there are governed by that service, not by My Files. If you never connect an account, that route stays shut.

Can you remove it?

No — Samsung counts My Files among the essential apps that "cannot" be deleted "because they are required for basic device functions" (How to delete pre-installed apps, Samsung UK, read 8 October 2026; page "Updated : 26th May, 2026"). Hiding it, and whether disabling is offered, are covered on our uninstall page. For what the app actually does day to day, see how My Files works; Google's equivalent is weighed on its own page.

The same questions, asked of Adinand Auto File Sorter

Because it moves files, it needs All files access on Android 11 and newer, and without that permission it sees nothing in Download. Its only network use is Google Play Billing; there are no analytics, crash-reporting or ad SDKs in it, and sorting works offline. Its Play data-safety panel, read on 8 October 2026, shows "No data collected" and "No data shared with third parties". It reads a file's bytes only to compare same-named files and to find exact duplicates — never to decide where a file goes, and never to upload it.