diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 2b8a44c51..67eebe150 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -240,7 +240,6 @@ set(SDL_SUBSYSTEMS
   Haptic
   Hidapi
   Power
-  File
   Filesystem
   Sensor
   Locale
@@ -2052,11 +2051,7 @@ elseif(APPLE)
     set(HAVE_SDL_MAIN_CALLBACKS TRUE)
   endif()
 
-  # Requires the darwin file implementation
-  if(SDL_FILE)
-    sdl_glob_sources("${SDL3_SOURCE_DIR}/src/file/cocoa/*.m")
-    set(HAVE_SDL_FILE TRUE)
-  endif()
+  sdl_glob_sources("${SDL3_SOURCE_DIR}/src/file/cocoa/*.m")
 
   if(IOS OR TVOS OR MACOSX OR DARWIN)
     sdl_sources("${SDL3_SOURCE_DIR}/src/video/SDL_video_capture_apple.m")
@@ -2732,13 +2727,7 @@ elseif(N3DS)
     set(HAVE_SDL_LOCALE TRUE)
   endif()
 
-  # Requires the n3ds file implementation
-  if(SDL_FILE)
-    sdl_glob_sources("${SDL3_SOURCE_DIR}/src/file/n3ds/*.c")
-    set(HAVE_SDL_FILE TRUE)
-  else()
-    message(FATAL_ERROR "SDL_FILE must be enabled to build on N3DS")
-  endif()
+  sdl_glob_sources("${SDL3_SOURCE_DIR}/src/file/n3ds/*.c")
 endif()
 
 # Platform-independent options
diff --git a/include/build_config/SDL_build_config.h.cmake b/include/build_config/SDL_build_config.h.cmake
index 9ad2840e7..5e2c7aed8 100644
--- a/include/build_config/SDL_build_config.h.cmake
+++ b/include/build_config/SDL_build_config.h.cmake
@@ -257,7 +257,6 @@
 
 /* Allow disabling of core subsystems */
 #cmakedefine SDL_AUDIO_DISABLED @SDL_AUDIO_DISABLED@
-#cmakedefine SDL_FILE_DISABLED @SDL_FILE_DISABLED@
 #cmakedefine SDL_JOYSTICK_DISABLED @SDL_JOYSTICK_DISABLED@
 #cmakedefine SDL_HAPTIC_DISABLED @SDL_HAPTIC_DISABLED@
 #cmakedefine SDL_HIDAPI_DISABLED @SDL_HIDAPI_DISABLED@
diff --git a/src/file/SDL_rwops.c b/src/file/SDL_rwops.c
index dde12ded3..b1a2e8305 100644
--- a/src/file/SDL_rwops.c
+++ b/src/file/SDL_rwops.c
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ SDL_RWops *SDL_RWFromFile(const char *file, const char *mode)
     rwops->type = SDL_RWOPS_WINFILE;
 #elif defined(HAVE_STDIO_H)
     {
-#if defined(__APPLE__) && !defined(SDL_FILE_DISABLED) // TODO: add dummy?
+#if defined(__APPLE__)
         FILE *fp = SDL_OpenFPFromBundleOrFallback(file, mode);
 #elif defined(__WINRT__)
         FILE *fp = NULL;