How to Connect FamilySearch to TreeAlive (No GEDCOM Download)

TreeAlive is listed in the official FamilySearch Solutions Gallery and can connect directly to your FamilySearch tree. No GEDCOM export needed. Sign in once with your FamilySearch account, pick an ancestor, and watch their family's migrations animate across historical maps. The whole process takes about 30 seconds, and nothing about your tree is stored on our servers.

Step-by-step instructions

Open TreeAlive

Go to treealive.com in your browser. You don't need a TreeAlive account.

Click "Sign in with FamilySearch"

Look for the green "Sign in with FamilySearch" button on the home page. Click it to start the secure OAuth sign-in flow.

Enter your FamilySearch username and password on the official FamilySearch sign-in page. TreeAlive never sees your password. Sign-in happens entirely on familysearch.org.

Grant access (one time)

FamilySearch will ask if you want to let TreeAlive read your tree. Click "Allow." You can revoke access anytime from your FamilySearch account settings.

Pick a starting person

TreeAlive will show a person picker. Choose yourself or any ancestor you want to start from. You can switch later.

Choose how many generations

Pick the number of ancestor generations to load. 6–8 generations typically covers 200–500 people and gives a rich, watchable map.

Watch your tree come alive

TreeAlive loads your data, geocodes the places, and starts the animation. From here you can play the Time Machine, explore Journey Mode, and discover Historic Crossings with famous figures.

Tip

TreeAlive does not store your FamilySearch data on our servers. Your tree lives in your browser for the session and is gone when you close the tab. Prefer to export a GEDCOM file instead? See the GEDCOM export guide.

See what you'll create

🎬 Watch a sample video Watch an ancestry journey unfold across the map over hundreds of years. Watch video →

🗺️ Explore the Time Machine Click any ancestor to see their world on a real historical map from their era. Explore example →

Ready to see your ancestors' journey?

Upload your GEDCOM file and watch their migrations come alive on the map.

Upload Your GEDCOM Free · No account needed · Nothing stored