Understanding and using a GEDCOM file
The GEDCOM format lets a family tree travel between different software. Here's how to get one and turn it into a printable tree.
What is a GEDCOM file?
GEDCOM (GEnealogical Data COMmunication) is a text file format created so genealogy software can exchange a family tree without losing information. A GEDCOM file usually has the .ged extension.
In practice, it contains a list of individuals (birth and death dates, names, sex) and families (unions, parent-child links), tied together by internal identifiers. It's the same file most genealogy software can both import and export.
The format was created in 1984 by FamilySearch's genealogical services, so that no two programs would invent their own exchange system. Version 5.5.1, released in 1999, is still the most common in today's exports; a newer version 7 exists but hasn't yet replaced it across most consumer software.
What's inside a GEDCOM file
A typical GEDCOM groups three kinds of information: individuals (one record per person, with their known events), families (linking a couple to their children), and sometimes sources (civil records, censuses) documenting each fact. Gedcom Tree focuses on individuals and families to build your visual tree.
Inside the file itself, each person is a block starting with INDI and each union a FAM block, linked by identifiers between at-signs. An excerpt looks like this:
0 @I1@ INDI
1 NAME Jeanne /Martin/
1 BIRT
2 DATE 1902
1 FAMC @F1@This block describes a person named Jeanne Martin, born in 1902, linked to family @F1@ as a child. This is the kind of structure Gedcom Tree scans to work out the parent-child links.
How to export a GEDCOM file
Nearly every genealogy program offers a GEDCOM export option, usually under a "File" or "Export" menu. MyHeritage, Ancestry, Geneanet, Geni, Heredis, FamilySearch and Gramps can all produce this file in a few clicks.
Once the file is exported to your computer or phone, it's ready to be imported into any compatible service, including Gedcom Tree.
On a mobile app, the export option is sometimes tucked into a share menu rather than settings: look for a "share" or "export" icon on an individual's record or in the app's main menu.
Turning your GEDCOM into a printable tree
Upload your file from the home page: Gedcom Tree analyzes it instantly and shows a free preview across 3 generations, with a watermark. You can then pick from 21 rendering styles and, if you'd like, unlock the watermark-free HD version, across up to 6 generations, ready to print or frame.
Common issues
The file is rejected: check that it's a standard GEDCOM export (.ged, .gedcom or .txt) rather than a proprietary save file from the software.
Some characters look wrong: some older software exports in a legacy encoding rather than UTF-8; re-exporting from a recent version of the software usually fixes it.
No one shows up: the file may be empty of individuals, or got corrupted during transfer; try exporting it again.
Some branches seem to be missing: Gedcom Tree displays generations working back from a root person chosen in the file; if a branch doesn't show up, change the root person to recentre the tree on them.
Need definitions? Check out our genealogy glossary.
More questions? See the full FAQ.