Written by Generation Archives. We make an app that imports GEDCOM, so some steps describe how ours works. The checks apply to any program.

How to import a GEDCOM file, and what usually breaks

Published by Generation Archives on November 5, 2026.

Importing a GEDCOM file is usually quick. Checking that it came across properly is where the time goes. This guide covers how to prepare, what to expect during the import, what tends to survive, what tends to break, and a checklist for verifying the result. If you want a general introduction to the format first, read what is GEDCOM.

Before you import

Keep the original file

Save the .ged file somewhere safe and do not edit it. If an import goes wrong, you can try again. Make a second copy with a date in the name, such as whitfield-tree-2026-11-05.ged. This is the same file you would use as a backup. See how to back up a family tree.

Know which version you have

Most files are GEDCOM 5.5.1, which almost every program reads. Some newer programs write 7.0, and some write GEDZIP, which is a 7.0 file packaged as a zip. If the app you are moving to supports the version you have, great. If you are unsure and the old app offers a choice, choose 5.5.1 when you export.

Check the file opens in a text editor

A .ged file is plain text. Open it in a text editor, and you should see lines starting with 0, 1, and 2, and tags such as INDI and FAM. If you see garbled text or an unfamiliar format, you may have the wrong file, or the export may have failed.

Decide about living people

Some programs let you exclude living people when they export. If you are moving to a tree that will be shared, decide before you import. What to record about living people helps with that.

How the import works in Generation Archives

Sign in to a free account. Importing needs one, and the demo does not support it.
Open a tree and click Import / export on the toolbar.
Choose Import, then select a GEDCOM 5.5.1, GEDCOM 7.0, GEDZIP, or Family Echo HTML file.
Review the preview. It shows what was found before anything is created.
Name the tree and import. The import creates a new tree, so it does not change a tree you already have.

If your file came from Family Echo and you want photos, use that site's Read-only HTML export instead. Import a Family Echo tree has the steps.

What usually survives

In most imports these arrive intact:

Names, including given names and surnames.
Birth, marriage, and death dates and places.
Parent and child relationships, and spouse links.
Simple notes attached to people.
Source text, though the structure may change.

What often breaks, and how to check

Photos and other files

A GEDCOM file does not contain pictures. At most it records a path or link to where an image used to be, and that path usually will not work on a new computer or service. Plan to re-add photos. A GEDZIP file can carry picture links, but the image files are not copied into the archive. Keep your original photos in a folder you control.

Dates

Dates are the most common source of trouble. Watch for:

Approximate dates such as "ABT 1850" or "BEF 1900" being converted to exact ones, or dropped.
Date formats like day-month-year being read the other way around.
Calendar differences, such as dates before 1752 in the Julian calendar.
Ranges and phrases such as "BET 1840 AND 1850" appearing as plain text.

Spot-check dates for ten or so people, especially older ones.

Places

Places arrive as text. They may not be matched to a standard list, and different spellings of the same town may be treated as different places. That is not usually harmful, but it can make later cleanup tedious.

Names

Check for:

Nicknames that were written inside the given name.
Prefixes and suffixes, such as "Dr." or "Jr.", which some programs drop.
Multiple names for one person, such as birth name and married name. Some programs keep only the first.
Special characters such as accents and non-Latin letters. These are usually fine in modern files, but check.

Relationships

Relationships are the heart of the file, so check them carefully:

Adoptive, step, and foster relationships. Programs record these differently. Some mark the type of a parent link, and some do not. In Generation Archives you can add any number of parents to a person, and parent types are not labeled, so check that the right people are linked and note the relationship in a biography. See adoptive and step-parents in a family tree.
Multiple marriages. Check that children are attached to the correct partnership.
Same-sex couples, where an older program expected a husband and a wife.
Unknown parents, which may be imported as empty placeholder people.

Duplicates

If your file came from a tree that had been merged or combined, it may contain the same person twice. Look for them after the import. How to merge duplicate people has a safe order of steps.

App-specific extras

Custom fields, tags, colors, layouts, charts, and "to-do" items belong to the original program. They may be dropped or turned into notes. The tree's layout in particular does not travel. Use auto arrange as a starting point, and then move people where you want them.

The verification checklist

Do this after every import, whatever the app.

Count the people. Compare the number with the old tree. A small difference may be due to placeholders. A large one is a red flag.
Count the families or couples, if the app shows that.
Open the oldest person in each branch. Check the name, dates, and parents.
Open a person with several marriages. Check that the children are with the right partner.
Open someone with an adoption or step relationship, if you have one.
Check a date you know well, such as your own birth.
Look at a person with a nickname or unusual characters.
Check living people. Make sure those you intended to exclude are not there.
Look at a few notes to see whether they came across.
Re-add photos for the people you care about most.
Export your own GEDCOM from the new app and keep it as a second backup.

If something is wrong

Small errors: fix them by hand. For a few dozen errors this is faster than re-importing.
Systematic errors: if the same problem appears everywhere, such as all dates being reversed, go back to the old app and try a different export option or version. Then import again as a new tree and delete the old attempt.
A tree that is mostly wrong: the file may be damaged, or you may have exported the wrong thing. Open it in a text editor and check.

Because an import in Generation Archives creates a new tree, you can try again without losing anything.

What it costs

Importing is free in Generation Archives, and the app is free to use. Hosting uploaded photos costs $1 per GB per year in prepaid credit, and new accounts get 100 MB-years of starter credit. Photos you link from a public address are free. Pricing has examples. You can try the demo first, with no signup, to see how a tree looks. Importing needs a free account.

Frequently asked questions

Will importing overwrite my existing tree?

In Generation Archives, no. An import creates a new tree. Other apps may behave differently, so check before you import.

Why are my photos missing?

GEDCOM files do not contain photos. Re-add them from your own copies, or link them from a public address. What is GEDCOM explains the limitation.

Can I import a file from Ancestry or MyHeritage?

If the site lets you export a GEDCOM, yes. Records, matches, and DNA stay with the original site. See Generation Archives vs Ancestry.

What if the import preview shows a problem?

Read the message. It usually names the cause, such as a wrong file type. Check that you chose the right file, and try a different export version from the old app if needed.

How long does an import take?

For most trees, a few minutes at most. Larger trees take longer, and checking the result takes much longer than the import itself.

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