How to open and view a GEDCOM file safely

The short answer

GEDCOM is a structured text format for exchanging genealogical information between compatible programs. Open a copy in genealogy software or a privacy-conscious viewer, preserve the original file unchanged and verify people, relationships, dates, places, notes and citations after import.

GEDCOM stands for Genealogical Data Communications. FamilySearch maintains the specification, and many genealogy programs can import and export some version of it.

A GEDCOM is useful because it separates core family-tree information from one program's private database format. It is not a complete visual archive and should not automatically be assumed to include photographs, scanned records or every program-specific feature.

Already have a file to check? Use the GEDCOM import review record (.txt) alongside a separate test tree. It gives you fields for the original file, privacy review, expected and observed results, unresolved issues and the decision before a merge. No signup is needed for this plain-text template.

What is a .ged file?

A file ending in `.ged` is normally a GEDCOM family-tree file. It stores tagged text records for people, relationships, events, places and sources. To view the tree as a tree, open a copy in compatible genealogy software or a local GEDCOM viewer. A text editor can show the raw records, but it will not turn them into a visual family tree.

Do not rename an unknown file to `.ged` and assume it is valid. Keep the original unchanged, inspect a duplicate and confirm the header identifies a GEDCOM version before importing it.

What a GEDCOM file contains

A GEDCOM file is structured plain text. Instead of storing a page that looks like a family tree, it stores linked records representing people, families, events, places, sources and other supported information.

A simplified fragment can look like this:

`0 @I1@ INDI`

`1 NAME Ellen /Carter/`

`1 BIRT`

`2 DATE 14 MAR 1866`

`2 PLAC Franklin County, Ohio, USA`

The numbers show levels in the record structure. Identifiers connect people to family records and sources. You do not need to edit this text manually to use the file.

GEDCOM is an exchange copy, not the only backup

Use GEDCOM when you want to:

• move a tree between compatible programs;
• preserve a portable copy outside one platform;
• send a selected branch to another researcher;
• test how well data transfers;
• inspect a tree with a separate tool;
• retain a dated snapshot of core genealogical information.

Keep the native application backup too. A Family Tree Maker backup, for example, is designed to restore the program's own database and can include media and sync information that a GEDCOM does not preserve in the same way.

→ Compare the roles in a Family Tree Maker archive

Does a GEDCOM include photos?

Usually, the media files themselves are not contained inside a GEDCOM. The file may include links or references to media locations, depending on the exporting program and settings, but those references do not create an independent copy of the image.

Ancestry describes its GEDCOM downloads as text-only and says photos and similar media are not included. Exports created there after November 2022 can contain information about where media is stored on Ancestry, which may allow relinking when re-uploaded if the media remains available.

For long-term preservation, keep the actual permitted media files in a separate controlled folder with stable filenames and source information.

→ See exactly when a GEDCOM includes photos, references them or needs GEDZIP

How to open a GEDCOM safely

First preserve the downloaded or received file unchanged. Duplicate it and use the copy for testing.

Then choose one of these paths:

Import into genealogy software. This is the normal way to view relationships, events and sources. Import into a new, clearly named test tree rather than merging immediately with your master.

Use a local viewer. A tool that processes the file on your device can be useful for inspection. Confirm its privacy statement and whether data leaves the browser or computer.

Open as plain text for diagnosis. A text editor can confirm that the file is readable text and show the source program, GEDCOM version and character encoding in the header. Do not edit the only copy.

Wiserta's Research Companion prototype reads a GEDCOM locally in the browser and limits the workflow to clearly deceased ancestors. It does not upload the file to Wiserta's server.

→ Open one GEDCOM privately in the Research Companion

Check the header before importing

The beginning of the file can identify:

• the software that created it;
• the software version;
• the GEDCOM version;
• the character encoding;
• creation date or filename where supplied.

Keep this information in the export note. If names with accents display incorrectly, the encoding and receiving program are important diagnostic clues.

FamilySearch publishes specifications for GEDCOM versions and notes that software support varies. A file's version number does not guarantee that every optional structure is handled identically by every program.

Test what actually transferred

Never judge an import only by its people count. A useful validation sample includes:

1. the starting person and parents;
2. a family with multiple relationships or another complex structure;
3. several source citations;
4. notes containing punctuation and line breaks;
5. names with diacritics;
6. approximate, ranged and uncertain dates;
7. places with several jurisdiction levels;
8. a living or private person;
9. media links;
10. one person with conflicting evidence.

Write down omissions or changes. That record tells you whether the export is suitable for preservation, sharing or migration.

→ Use the pre-import GEDCOM checklist

The checklist includes a worked example in which all 120 people transfer but three media files and one citation link still need attention. It shows why matching counts alone are not enough to approve a migration.

Avoid merging into the master tree first

Importing a GEDCOM directly into an established master tree can create duplicate people, altered source structures and unexpected private information.

Use this order:

1. preserve the original file;
2. scan the file with normal security precautions;
3. import into a separate test tree;
4. inspect the sample above;
5. compare identities and sources;
6. plan any merge deliberately;
7. back up the master before making changes.

A matching name and date do not prove that two records represent the same person.

Privacy questions before upload or sharing

A GEDCOM can contain information about living people, private notes, submitter details and source text. Before sharing:

• create a separate export for the recipient and purpose;
• exclude or privatize living people where appropriate;
• review notes and source descriptions;
• remove details the recipient does not need;
• avoid emailing an unencrypted file containing sensitive information;
• record what was shared, with whom and when.

Do not upload an inherited GEDCOM to an unfamiliar online viewer merely to see what is inside. Read its privacy terms first or use a local tool.

→ Prepare a privacy-safe GEDCOM share copy

A preservation package for GEDCOM

Keep:

• the original GEDCOM, unchanged;
• a SHA-256 checksum or other integrity record;
• an export note naming the source program and settings;
• the related media folder or inventory;
• a validation note describing the test import;
• a human-readable pedigree, report or narrative;
• another copy in a separate location.

Use dated filenames and avoid repeatedly overwriting the same export. Several snapshots can show when a relationship, citation or place changed.

Official references

• FamilySearch: what is a GEDCOM file?
• FamilySearch GEDCOM specifications and tools
• Ancestry: uploading and downloading trees

Wiserta is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by FamilySearch, Ancestry, Software MacKiev or Family Tree Maker. Product and company names belong to their respective owners.