TreeAlive

How to Export a GEDCOM File from FamilySearch

FamilySearch keeps one big Family Tree that everyone works on together, so unlike Ancestry or MyHeritage there is no personal tree with an "Export to GEDCOM" button to click. There are still two ways to get your data onto a map: use a free browser extension, or connect FamilySearch directly to TreeAlive with no file at all. Both take just a few minutes.

Step-by-step instructions

Install the GEDCOM Exporter extension

Open Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. In the Chrome Web Store, search for "GEDCOM Exporter for FamilySearch" and click "Add to Chrome." The extension is free. It also works in Microsoft Edge, which asks you to allow extensions from other stores the first time.

Sign in to FamilySearch

Go to familysearch.org and sign in with your FamilySearch account.

Navigate to your ancestor

Open the Family Tree and navigate to the person you'd like to start from (usually yourself or a grandparent).

Open the extension

Click the extension icon in your browser toolbar (puzzle piece icon, then select GEDCOM Exporter).

Choose how many generations

Select the number of ancestor generations to include. 6–8 generations gives a great result and typically covers 200–500 people.

Export and download

Click "Export" and wait while the file builds. It downloads as a .ged file to your Downloads folder. From there, upload it to TreeAlive to see your family on the map.

Tip

Don't want to install an extension? TreeAlive can connect directly to your FamilySearch account instead, and read the tree from there. See the FamilySearch direct-connect guide for step-by-step instructions.

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

Upload your GEDCOM and watch the family move

You choose a starting ancestor, and the map fills in from the places in the file.

Upload Your GEDCOM Free · No account needed · We keep no copy of your tree