Best Built on a Desktop Computer
Building your tree can be done on a mobile device, but we highly recommend using a desktop computer for this task as it allows better visibility of entry screens, data, and the tree itself.
Build At Least Part of Your Family Tree
Once you create your account, MyFamilyArchive will first ask you to build at least part of your family tree.
You can build the tree person by person, import a GEDCOM file (a file created by sites like Ancestry.com to export your family tree), or import a FamilySearch tree.
Re-Entering Tree Edit Mode
You can go back at any time to add or edit information about people by clicking the "three dot icon" and then the "Edit Tree" drop-down from the selection in the top left corner of the tree.
If building the tree yourself, you'll create your first person on your tree (or "node" for an organizational chart).
For Families, you'll want to eventually build out your family tree going as far back as you have relatives with media or stories you want to store. Remember that you don't necessarily have to add more than one or two people right away, and you don't have to enter anything but their name to start. It will be easy to edit their information and add to your tree later.
Here's the information you can add for each person.
- First name, Last name (maiden name is suggested as this is standard genealogy practice, but you may choose maiden, last or both).
- Gender
- Brith Date and Place of Birth
- Death Date and Place of Death
- You can upload a profile photo of this person from your phone or computer.
If you'd like a worksheet to pre-enter this info, please select here:
Family Tree Worksheet (PDF) Family Tree Worksheet (Word)
How to Create and Edit Your Family Tree
Add People to Your Tree or Edit Information
Click on any person on the tree to add a direct relative to that person or edit their information.
First Person on Tree
The New Tree button prompts to add the person to your tree. Required fields are noted with an asterisk. Other fields are optional. You don't need to enter much first time through as you can come back later to fill in information.
To add a photo, click Upload and select a photo from your computer or mobile device.
To Crop Photo: You'll find if you play around with the cropping tool that you can change the size of the image behind the cropping template.
On a PC, hold down the control button while using the mouse wheel to change the size. Hold the mouse's left button down to drag the image into the template.
On an iMac, use the mouse wheel to change the image size. Hold the mouse button down to drag the image into the template.
On a mobile device you can use two fingers to pinch to make the image smaller or larger.
See "Edit Navigation Rules and Tips" in the corner of the tree screen for more info on editing and viewing your tree.
Additional Persons or Units
After the first time you register and add a person to your tree, you can return to Tree Edit Mode by clicking the three dots in the top left corner of your Tree Screen and then clicking Edit Tree.
You can then add people by clicking on that person and following directions. See "Edit Navigation Rules and Tips" in the corner of the tree screen for more info on editing and viewing your tree.
When Finished
Click EXIT FROM EDITING MODE in the right lower corner to exit.
After you close Editing Mode, you are in Standard Mode where clicking on a person takes you to that person or unit's Collection.
Note for Organizations and Collectors:
Take time to think through your ideal organizational format before creating your tree. For example, a collection of Western Native American Headdresses could have just one node with several different nations represented in the one Collection page. Or it could have separate subnodes for each nation, each with its own collection. Either way works and is likely dependent upon the size of the collection. The larger it is, the more likely you'll want more nodes on the tree to represent different elements of the collection.