How to export a GEDCOM file from Ancestry
A GEDCOM file (it ends in .ged) is a copy of your whole Ancestry tree that you can keep as a backup, move to other genealogy software, or turn into a printable chart. Ancestry lets the owner of a tree download one for free, with or without a subscription.
Before you start: use a computer, not the Ancestry phone app, which can't export trees. And you must be the tree's owner. Guests, contributors and editors don't get an Export button.
Step by step
- Open your tree. Sign in at Ancestry, click Trees in the top menu and choose the tree you want to export.
- Go to Tree Settings. Open the tree's menu (click the tree name at the top left, or the ⋯ menu in the tree toolbar) and choose Tree Settings.
- Click “Export tree”. On the Tree Info tab, look on the right under Manage your tree and click Export tree.
- Wait for the file. Ancestry builds the file for you. Small trees take seconds; trees with thousands of people can take a few minutes. You can leave the page and come back.
- Download it. Click Download your GEDCOM file. It saves to your Downloads folder, named after your tree, for example
Smith Family Tree.ged.
What's in the file (and what isn't)
- Included: every person, their names, birth, marriage and death events, places, family relationships and source citations.
- Not included: photos, scanned documents and stories you've attached, plus DNA matches and ThruLines. Download media separately if you want a full backup.
- Living people are included with their details. Keep the file private. When you use it in Fan Chart Studio it stays on your computer and is never uploaded.
Troubleshooting
I don't see an Export tree button
You're probably not the owner of the tree. Ask the owner to export it for you, or to make you the owner under Tree Settings → Sharing.
The download never finishes
Very large trees sometimes time out. Try again at a quieter time of day, or in a different browser. Clearing the browser cache for Ancestry also helps.
Accented names look garbled in another program
Ancestry exports in UTF-8, which most modern programs read correctly. Fan Chart Studio also reads older ANSEL, ANSI and UTF-16 files, so names like Łódź or Müller come out right.
Turn it into a fan chart
Once you have the .ged file, open Fan Chart Studio, click Open GEDCOM file and choose it. It picks the youngest person with the most ancestors as the center; search for any other name to change that. Then choose a style and download a print-ready PDF.
Make a chart from your Ancestry tree
Free for up to 5 generations. Nothing is uploaded.
Open your GEDCOM fileAncestry® is a trademark of Ancestry.com LLC. Fan Chart Studio is independent and not affiliated with Ancestry. Menu names may change over time. If something here looks different on your screen, let us know.