# Move Family Tree Maker to a new computer without losing media > Move Family Tree Maker to a new computer with a full backup, media, restore checks and safer Ancestry or TreeVault relinking steps. By Oleg Khmelnytskyi, Wiserta founder (https://wiserta.com/about#founder). Updated 2026-08-30. Canonical page: https://wiserta.com/family-tree-maker-move-new-computer > **The short answer** > Create a fresh full Family Tree Maker backup on the old computer and include media. Restore it on the new computer, verify the archive, then reconnect any online tree links. Moving the visible tree file alone is not the safest migration. The useful unit is a restorable package: the native Family Tree Maker backup, its media, a separate GEDCOM, and a short record of the version and online links. This workflow is designed to protect the archive while following Software MacKiev's current backup-and-restore approach. Menu names can vary by version. ## Before you touch the old computer Identify the current trusted source tree. Record: - the tree name and filename; - the Family Tree Maker version that opens it; - the last successful Ancestry sync, if linked; - the TreeVault account and Source Tree status, if used; - the people count shown in the program; - the normal media-folder location; - any known missing media or unresolved sync warning. Finish pending edits on one computer. Do not keep changing the old and new copies in parallel during the move. ## Confirm the new computer can run the right version Install a supported Family Tree Maker version that can restore the backup you are creating. Registered users may be able to obtain a standalone installer through Software MacKiev; the old installation does not need to remain present on the new computer. Very old Family Tree Maker files may require conversion or an intermediate migration step. Do not repeatedly open and save the only copy while testing compatibility. Preserve the original file and use the official support path for the versions involved. ## Create a full backup with media On the old computer, use Family Tree Maker's backup command. Include media. If the tree is linked to Ancestry and your version offers the option, include the information required for a restored file to resume syncing. Use a dated filename that includes the application version: `Carter-Family_master_FTM2024_2026-08-30.ftmb` Keep the new backup outside the active tree folder. Confirm that the file exists and has a plausible size. A tiny file deserves investigation before you move on. → [Build the complete Family Tree Maker backup system](/family-tree-maker-guide) → [Back up Family Tree Maker with media step by step](/family-tree-maker-backup-media) ## Make a portable companion copy Export a separate GEDCOM from the same trusted tree. It is not a substitute for the native backup, but it gives you a portable snapshot of supported people, relationships, events, notes and sources. Preserve a controlled copy of the media folder or at least an inventory of its contents. Include a short migration note naming the software version, backup date, online links and known problems. This creates three different forms of protection: - the native backup for restoring Family Tree Maker; - GEDCOM for portability and diagnosis; - the media archive for the actual photographs and documents. Before importing that portable copy anywhere, [check the GEDCOM in a temporary tree](/check-gedcom-before-import) rather than testing it against the newly restored master. ## Transfer the backup, then restore from the internal drive Copy the full backup to the new computer with a trusted external drive, local network or secure storage method. After copying, place it on the new computer's internal drive before restoring it. Software MacKiev's current guidance says to open Family Tree Maker on the new computer, choose the restore command, select the copied backup and choose the restored tree's location. Follow the [official moving-a-tree instructions](https://support.mackiev.com/565126-Moving-your-FTM-Source-Tree-between-Two-Computers) for the current details. Do not delete the transfer copy merely because the restored tree opens. ## Verify the restored tree before syncing Check more than the person count. Inspect: 1. the starting person and immediate family; 2. a complex family with multiple relationships; 3. names containing accents or non-English characters; 4. several source citations and notes; 5. photographs and document images from different folders; 6. a report or chart you use regularly; 7. one private or living person; 8. the restored file and media locations. Open a sample of media at full size. A thumbnail can remain visible even when the underlying file link is broken. If anything is missing, stop and preserve both computers unchanged while you diagnose it. ## Reconnect Ancestry or TreeVault carefully Relinking is a separate step from restoring. Confirm the restored local tree is complete before reconnecting any online service. For an Ancestry-linked tree, use the restore and relink option supplied by your Family Tree Maker version. Review the proposed sync direction and change list before accepting it. For TreeVault, Software MacKiev's current instructions say to sign in with the same account and link the restored tree to the existing TreeVault Antenna Tree. The restored tree then becomes the linked Source Tree; the older computer's copy is no longer the active Source Tree. Do not continue editing both copies as if each were the master. Mark the old copy read-only or clearly retired once the new one has passed verification. If you also maintain an online tree, keep an [independent Ancestry export and media inventory](/ancestry-family-tree-backup) rather than treating the renewed sync connection as the only recovery path. ## If media is missing First determine whether the media files were absent from the backup or whether the restored tree points to an old folder path. Check: - whether media inclusion was selected during backup; - whether the original media files still exist on the old computer; - whether the new computer uses a different username or folder structure; - whether files were stored in cloud-only folders and had not fully downloaded; - whether security software blocked access to the restored folder. Do not reorganize or rename the media archive until the restored tree is stable. Repair one controlled sample before applying a large relink action. → [Find and relink missing Family Tree Maker media](/family-tree-maker-missing-media) ## When the move is complete Keep the old computer and migration package unchanged until you have: - opened the new tree several times; - completed and reviewed one controlled edit; - tested the online link, if used; - created a fresh backup on the new computer; - copied that new backup to separate storage; - recorded the new master location. Only then retire the old working copy. Keeping it for a short verification period is useful; continuing to edit it is not. --- **Keep the migration understandable** **The Ancestor File** — Give one person's records, source clues and unresolved questions a stable home outside the software move. → [See The Ancestor File](/shop/the-ancestor-file) --- ## Common questions ### Can I move Family Tree Maker by copying the working file? A working file may open, but Software MacKiev recommends moving a tree by creating a full backup and restoring it. This is the safer route for transferring and relinking media and preserving eligible online-tree information. ### Should I restore directly from a USB drive? Copy the backup to the new computer's internal drive first, then restore it. Keep the USB or transfer copy unchanged until the restored tree has passed verification. ### Does the new computer need the old installation first? Software MacKiev's current FAQ says registered users moving an older version can receive a standalone installer, so the old installation does not have to be present on the new computer. Confirm eligibility and compatibility with official support for the exact version involved. ## Official references - [Software MacKiev: moving an FTM Source Tree between two computers](https://support.mackiev.com/565126-Moving-your-FTM-Source-Tree-between-Two-Computers) - [Software MacKiev: Tree File Moving Guide for Windows](https://www.mackiev.com/ftm/ftmtransferkit/Tree_File_Moving_Guide_Win.pdf) - [Software MacKiev: Family Tree Maker FAQ](https://www2.mackiev.com/familytreemaker/ftm/faq.html) Wiserta is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Software MacKiev, Family Tree Maker, Ancestry or TreeVault. Product and company names belong to their respective owners.