What is a GEDCOM file?
A GEDCOM (.ged) file is the universal format for sharing family tree data between genealogy programs. It contains your people, relationships, dates, places, and notes as plain text. It does not contain your photos — those are linked separately.
Almost every genealogy app can export a GEDCOM: Family Tree Maker, Ancestry, RootsMagic, MacFamilyTree, Gramps, Legacy Family Tree, and more.
How to create a project
- Export a GEDCOM from your genealogy software (see the tabs above for specific instructions).
- Click New project on your dashboard.
- Give your project a name — usually the family or tree name.
- Select your .ged file and click Create project.
- Once imported, upload your family photos and generate your report.
Tip: Start with a focused branch
For the best results, export a focused branch of your tree — one grandparent's line, or the descendants of a specific ancestor — rather than your entire tree. Smaller, well-documented trees make for better, more readable family history books.
File size and people limits
3,000
Max individuals per project
10
Max projects per account
Why these limits exist
This app is designed to create meaningful, readable family history books — not to manage an entire research database. Keeping imports focused means faster processing for you, a more responsive app for everyone, and family books that are actually enjoyable to read rather than overwhelming reference documents.
A well-focused tree of 500–2,000 people typically produces a far better family history book than a massive tree of 10,000+ people would.
What to do if your file is too large
If your GEDCOM file is over 3,000 people or 10 MB, you have a few options:
- Export a branch — most genealogy apps let you export just one part of your tree (one grandparent's line, one family surname, ancestors only). This is usually the best approach.
- Limit by generation — export ancestors up to 8–10 generations back, or descendants for 4–5 generations down.
- Focus on one family — pick a specific person and export their ancestors and close descendants only.
See the Family Tree Maker and Ancestry.com Users tabs above for software-specific instructions.
Exporting from Family Tree Maker
Family Tree Maker (FTM) has built-in tools to export a filtered subset of your tree — you don't need any extra software. This is the easiest path for FTM users with large trees.
Exporting your full tree
- In FTM, go to File → Export.
- Choose GEDCOM File as the format.
- Select All individuals if your tree is under 3,000 people.
- Click Export and save the .ged file.
Exporting a filtered subset (for large trees)
- In FTM, go to File → Export.
- Choose GEDCOM File as the format.
- Select Selected individuals instead of All individuals.
- The Filter Individuals window opens. From here you can:
• Choose Ancestors of a specific person (e.g., 8–10 generations back)
• Choose Descendants of a specific ancestor
• Choose a specific family or surname group
- Click OK then Export.
Tip: Check your file size before uploading
After exporting, check the file size before uploading. FTM files include extra tags that can make them larger than expected. If your file is close to 10 MB, try reducing the number of generations or people in your export.
Ancestry.com — What you need to know
Ancestry only exports your entire tree
Unlike desktop genealogy software, Ancestry.com does not support partial or filtered GEDCOM exports. You always get your whole tree. If your tree has more than 3,000 people, you'll need to filter the exported file before uploading here.
How to export from Ancestry
- Click the Trees tab and open your tree.
- Click the tree name dropdown and choose Tree Settings.
- In the Manage Your Tree section, click Export Tree.
- Once generated, click Download your GEDCOM file.
Note: Photos, charts, and DNA matches are not included in the GEDCOM — only text data (names, dates, places, notes, and sources). Photos stored on Ancestry and MyHeritage aren't embedded in the file — they remain hosted on those platforms' servers, so you'll need to upload them separately here.
GEDCOM export is available on the free plan — no paid subscription required.
If your tree is over 3,000 people
You'll need to filter your Ancestry export using free desktop software. Here are the best options:
RootsMagic
Best for Ancestry users
Free version available — Windows & Mac. Syncs directly with Ancestry, making it the easiest bridge for Ancestry users.
- Download and install RootsMagic (free at rootsmagic.com).
- Import your Ancestry GEDCOM: File → Import → GEDCOM.
- Use File → Export → GEDCOM, then choose Selected individuals.
- Use the Focus Group to select ancestors, descendants, or a family branch.
Gramps
Windows · Mac · Linux
Free and open source. Most powerful filtering options — ideal if you want precise control over which individuals are exported.
- Download and install Gramps (free at gramps-project.org).
- Import your GEDCOM: Family Trees → Import.
- Use File → Export with the Filtered Export option.
- Select a preset filter (ancestors of, descendants of) or define your own.
Legacy Family Tree
Windows & Mac · Free
Free standard edition available at legacyfamilytree.com. Uses a "Focus Group" system to define which individuals to export.
- Import your GEDCOM into Legacy Family Tree.
- Go to File → Export → GEDCOM.
- In the dialog, select Selected Records in the Focus Group.
- Use View/Select Focus Group to pick your subset by family or ancestry.
Family Tree Maker
Windows & Mac · by MacKiev
Available at mackiev.com/ftm — syncs with Ancestry and FamilySearch. Has its own dedicated tab above with full filtering instructions.
- Go to File → Export → GEDCOM File.
- Choose Selected individuals and use the Filter window to pick ancestors, descendants, or a branch.
- Click OK then Export.
Family Tree Builder
Windows & Mac · Free · by MyHeritage
Free download at myheritage.com/family-tree-builder — syncs with your MyHeritage online tree. In the export wizard you can switch from "Include all people" to "Include only selected people," then pick individuals or groups.
- Go to File → Export → Export to GEDCOM.
- In the export wizard, toggle to Include only selected people.
- Select ancestors, descendants, or specific individuals, then export.
Family Historian
Windows & Mac · Free trial
Free trial at family-historian.co.uk. Has a dedicated "Split Tree Helper" with a wide range of options for selecting and exporting people from the main file into a separate GEDCOM.
- Import your GEDCOM into Family Historian.
- Use the Split Tree Helper to select the individuals or branch you want.
- Export the selection as a new GEDCOM file.
Ancestris
Windows · Mac · Linux · Free
Free cross-platform app at ancestris.org. The "Save As" function has multiple filter tabs — filter by entities, properties, or a tree view showing specific branches or generations. Filters can be combined.
- Import your GEDCOM into Ancestris.
- Use File → Save As and apply the branch or generation filters.
- Save the filtered result as a new GEDCOM file.
Suggested filtering strategies
- By grandparent line — export one of your four grandparent lines as a separate project. Each becomes a focused, compelling family history book.
- Ancestors only — export all direct ancestors of yourself or a specific person for 8–10 generations back.
- Descendants of one ancestor — pick a great-great-grandparent and export all their known descendants.
- One family surname — if you have a particular family you're researching, export just that surname group.
Many serious Ancestry users also use Family Tree Maker, RootsMagic, or another desktop app alongside Ancestry — those apps make partial exports easy without any extra steps.
MyHeritage — How to export your GEDCOM
How to export from MyHeritage
- Log in to your account at MyHeritage.com.
- Click Family Tree in the top navigation bar, then select Manage trees from the dropdown.
- Find your tree and click Export to GEDCOM in the Actions column. Indicate whether you'd like to include photos, then click Begin the Export.
- MyHeritage will prepare the file and send you an email with a download link.
GEDCOM export is available on the free plan — no paid subscription required.
Photos are not embedded in the GEDCOM
Photos stored on MyHeritage aren't embedded in the GEDCOM file itself — instead, the file contains links to where they're hosted on MyHeritage's servers. If you need the photos too, download them separately from MyHeritage before uploading them here.
Tip: Start with a focused branch
For the best results, export a focused branch — one grandparent's line, or ancestors/descendants of one person — rather than your entire tree. If your tree is over 3,000 people, see the Ancestry.com Users tab for a list of free desktop tools that can filter any GEDCOM file before you upload it here.
