The short answer
Preserve the current tree first. Check the missing item's last known filename and path, locate the real file, then relink one controlled sample. If many files were moved without being renamed, use Family Tree Maker's Find Missing Media tool. Verify the matches before making a new full backup with media.
A red File not found link means Family Tree Maker still has a media record but cannot reach the file at its recorded location. The photograph or document may have moved, been renamed, remained online-only in cloud storage or been deleted.
Protect the tree before repairing links
Do not begin with a bulk rename or folder cleanup. First preserve the newest trusted tree and any media files that remain available.
If the tree is stable enough to back up, create a dated full manual backup. Include media, but remember that an already missing file cannot be added to the backup merely because its record still appears in the tree.
Record:
- tree filename and location;
- Family Tree Maker version;
- current media-folder location;
- approximate number of missing items;
- last major move, restore or folder reorganization;
- whether the media folder uses iCloud, OneDrive or another cloud service;
- one example of the old missing path.
→ Create a full Family Tree Maker backup with media
Understand what broke
Family Tree Maker stores a link to the media file. That link can break when:
- the file is renamed outside Family Tree Maker;
- the file moves to another folder or drive;
- the tree moves without its associated media folder;
- the computer username or folder structure changes;
- an external drive is disconnected or assigned a different location;
- a cloud file is visible but not downloaded locally;
- the original file is deleted.
The repair is safest when you know whether files were moved, renamed or lost. An automatic search can often find moved files. It cannot reliably identify a deleted file, and Software MacKiev notes that its missing-media finder cannot find items that were renamed.
Relink one missing file first
Open the Media workspace and select one missing item. Use the red File not found link to view the last known filename and location.
If you know the current location, choose the manual search option and select the exact file. If you do not know it, let Family Tree Maker search for the file.
After relinking, confirm:
- the image or document opens at full size;
- the filename and content match the person or citation;
- the new path is the location you intend to keep;
- captions and links to people or sources remain correct.
Do not approve a match based only on a generic filename such as `image001.jpg`. Compare the actual content and context.
Use Find Missing Media for moved files
When many links are broken, open the Media workspace and choose Find Missing Media from the applicable media menu or workspace control in your version.
Select a small group first instead of the whole collection. Run the search, review the paths it finds and open several restored items. Expand the batch only after the sample is correct.
The tool is best suited to media that has moved. If a file was renamed or deleted, expect to locate or restore it manually.
Menu labels differ between Windows, Mac and Family Tree Maker versions. Use Software MacKiev's current instructions for the installed version.
If the whole media folder moved
Family Tree Maker normally keeps a tree's associated media folder near the tree file. The folder commonly uses the tree name followed by Media.
If the working tree was moved without that folder, locate both before changing anything. In some Windows cases, returning the media folder to the same location as the tree file can restore the expected relationship. Preserve copies first and follow the official instructions for the exact version and operating system.
After a computer migration, prefer restoring the complete `.ftmb` backup rather than rebuilding the new tree from an isolated working file.
→ Move Family Tree Maker to a new computer safely
If the media is stored in the cloud
A file can appear in Finder or File Explorer while only a placeholder is stored on the computer. Confirm the item is downloaded and can open without an internet connection before attempting to relink or back it up.
Do not let a cloud-sync service reorganize the active media folder during repair. Pause large folder moves, confirm that uploads and downloads have completed and keep an independent copy of irreplaceable originals.
Software MacKiev's cloud-backup guidance also warns that some tree media can be linked from locations outside the normal media folder. Gather and verify those files deliberately rather than assuming that backing up one folder includes every item.
If the file was renamed or deleted
Search by the old filename, date, file type and likely folder. Check external drives, previous computer backups, cloud recycle bins and the original scanner or download location.
If you find several files with the same name, use image content, dimensions, timestamps and surrounding files to identify the right one. Do not relink an uncertain file merely to remove the warning.
When the original cannot be recovered, keep the missing-media record until you have documented what is absent. Record the old path and the people, events or sources affected.
Verify the repaired collection
Check more than thumbnails:
- open files at full size;
- sample photographs, PDFs, audio and video;
- check media linked to people and source citations;
- inspect names containing accents or long paths;
- restart Family Tree Maker and confirm the links remain;
- create a report or chart that uses media;
- record unresolved items separately.
Once the repair is stable, create a fresh full backup with media and copy it to separate storage. Keep the pre-repair backup until the new archive has passed a restore test.
→ Organize digital genealogy files without breaking links
Official references
- Software MacKiev: fix broken media links on Mac
- Software MacKiev: fix broken media links on Windows
- Software MacKiev: Find Missing Media on Windows
- Software MacKiev: back up the FTM Source Tree media folder in the cloud
Wiserta is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Software MacKiev, Family Tree Maker, Ancestry, TreeVault, Apple, Microsoft or any cloud-storage provider. Product and company names belong to their respective owners.