Is it safe to use a foot file on cracked heels?

Reviewers generally advise filing only on softened (damp, post-shower) skin and stopping well before reaching live tissue. Threads in r/IndianSkincareAddicts also flag that overly aggressive scraping can make heels thicken further over time, so most consensus advice favors light, regular passes plus a moisturizer or urea cream rather than deep removal in one session.