Can I import my family tree from Ancestry or FamilySearch into AncestorOS?

Yes. AncestorOS supports GEDCOM file import from any genealogy platform that exports GEDCOM — including Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, MyHeritage, MacFamilyTree, Gramps, and others. The import wizard previews your data before committing.

What data is preserved when importing a GEDCOM?

AncestorOS imports people, relationships (parent-child, spouses), dates, places, and notes from your GEDCOM file. The import wizard includes duplicate detection to avoid creating duplicate people.

Can I export my AncestorOS tree as a GEDCOM?

Yes. AncestorOS includes a GEDCOM export tool so you can take your data with you at any time. Living people are exported as 'Living [Surname]' to protect their privacy.

GEDCOM IMPORT

Bring your tree
with you

Already have a tree on Ancestry, MyHeritage, or FamilySearch? Import it in minutes using the standard GEDCOM format. And export anytime — your data is never trapped.

Import Your Tree Free See Plans →

Drop your .ged file here

or click to browse — GEDCOM 5.5 / 5.5.1 supported

family-tree.ged

Complete

Import successful

847 people imported · 0 errors

847

People

312

Families

1,204

Events

Sources

STANDARD FORMAT

Standard GEDCOM support

Import .ged files from any platform that supports the GEDCOM standard — Ancestry, MyHeritage, FamilySearch, MacFamilyTree, Gramps, Legacy Family Tree, and dozens more. If it exports GEDCOM, AncestorOS can import it.

              
              Ancestry.com
            
              MyHeritage
            
              FamilySearch
            
              Gramps, MacFamilyTree, Legacy + more

SMART PARSING

Handles messy GEDCOMs gracefully

We handle date formats (ABT, BEF, AFT, EST), special characters in names, UTF-8 and ANSEL encodings, notes, source citations, and media file references. Even GEDCOMs exported from older software come out clean in AncestorOS.

              2 DATE ABT 1847

              2 DATE BEF 1920

              2 DATE AFT 14 JUN 1901

              1 NOTE Jörg Müller, born...
            
              Parsed cleanly — all fields imported

NO LOCK-IN

Export anytime — your data is yours

Download your tree as a GEDCOM file at any time from the settings page. Use it in any other genealogy software. AncestorOS does not hold your data hostage. We earn your continued use by being the best place to work, not by making leaving painful.

              
Export as GEDCOM
Available anytime from Settings → Export Tree

HOW IT WORKS

Import in three steps, minutes not hours

Most imports finish in under two minutes regardless of tree size.

Export your tree from Ancestry, MyHeritage, or FamilySearch

Follow the platform-specific instructions below. Each platform calls it something slightly different, but all produce a standard .ged file.

Upload to AncestorOS on the GEDCOM Import page

Drag and drop your .ged file or click to browse. The file is uploaded securely over HTTPS and parsed immediately.

Review the import summary and start using your tree

You'll see a count of people, families, events, and sources imported — plus a list of any records that were skipped and why. Your tree is ready immediately.

PLATFORM INSTRUCTIONS

How to export from each platform

Step-by-step instructions for the three most common genealogy platforms.

From Ancestry

Open your tree and click Tree Settings in the top menu

Select Export Tree from the left sidebar

Click Export your tree and wait for the email with the download link

Download the .ged file and upload it here

From MyHeritage

Go to your family site and click Family Tree

Click Manage Trees in the dropdown

Select Export next to your tree name

Choose GEDCOM format and download

From FamilySearch

Open the Family Tree tab in the main nav

Click on a Person to open their detail page

Click Details, then scroll to the Export section

Select GEDCOM and choose the number of generations

WHAT YOU GET

Your tree. Your format. Your choice.

Full data portability, in and out, always.

All major platforms

Works with any software that exports standard GEDCOM — Ancestry, MyHeritage, FamilySearch, Gramps, MacFamilyTree, Legacy, and more.

Smart date and character parsing

ABT, BEF, AFT dates, special characters, UTF-8, ANSEL — all handled automatically without manual cleanup.

Export anytime

Download your full tree as GEDCOM at any time. No approval needed, no waiting period, no fee.

Fast — minutes not hours

Trees under 100 people import in seconds. Trees over 1,000 people finish in a few minutes at most.

1 free import, unlimited on paid

Free plan allows 1 import to get started. Personal and Professional plans support unlimited imports.

Error summary on every import

See exactly which records were skipped and why. Nothing fails silently — you always know what imported and what didn't.

FAQ

Common questions

What GEDCOM version is supported?

GEDCOM 5.5 and 5.5.1, which are the versions exported by all major genealogy platforms including Ancestry, MyHeritage, FamilySearch, and most desktop software.

Are photos imported?

GEDCOM files contain references to media files but not the files themselves. We import all text records, dates, places, notes, and source citations. Photos will need to be re-uploaded separately after the import.

How long does an import take?

Small trees under 100 people import in seconds. Large trees with 1,000+ people typically complete within one to three minutes depending on the number of sources and notes.

Can I import multiple times?

Personal and Professional plans allow unlimited imports. The Free plan is limited to 1 import. Note: each import creates a new tree — it does not merge with an existing one.

What if my GEDCOM has errors?

We skip malformed records rather than failing the entire import. After the import completes, you'll see a summary of what imported successfully and a list of any records that were skipped along with the reason each was skipped.

Bring your treewith you