diff --git a/sunpy/io/_file_tools.py b/sunpy/io/_file_tools.py
index 87f296cc2eb..f412773fe9a 100644
--- a/sunpy/io/_file_tools.py
+++ b/sunpy/io/_file_tools.py
@@ -1,10 +1,5 @@
 """
 This module provides a generic file reader for internal use.
-
-.. warning::
-
-    ``sunpy.io.file_tools`` is deprecated, and will be removed in sunpy 4.1. This is
-    because it was designed for internal use only.
 """
 import re
 import gzip
diff --git a/sunpy/io/file_tools.py b/sunpy/io/file_tools.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 6be3417e17e..00000000000
--- a/sunpy/io/file_tools.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-from sunpy.util.exceptions import warn_deprecated
-from . import _file_tools
-from ._file_tools import *  # NOQA
-
-__doc__ = _file_tools.__doc__
-__all__ = _file_tools.__all__
-
-warn_deprecated("The `sunpy.io.file_tools` module is deprecated, as it was designed "
-                "for internal use.")
diff --git a/sunpy/io/tests/test_filetools.py b/sunpy/io/tests/test_filetools.py
index a09199a62ea..b898d212d9f 100644
--- a/sunpy/io/tests/test_filetools.py
+++ b/sunpy/io/tests/test_filetools.py
@@ -139,8 +139,3 @@ def test_write_file_fits_bytes():
     assert np.all(np.equal(outpair[0], aiapair[0]))
     assert outpair[1] == aiapair[1]
     os.remove("aia_171_image_bytes.fits")
-
-
-def test_old_import():
-    lib = importlib.import_module("sunpy.io.file_tools")
-    assert lib.read_file is sunpy.io.read_file