# Share a GEDCOM file without exposing private details

> Review living people and private notes before sharing a GEDCOM. Create a smaller export, inspect it and test the recipient copy.

By Oleg Khmelnytskyi, Wiserta founder (https://wiserta.com/about#founder). Updated 2026-08-30.
Canonical page: https://wiserta.com/gedcom-privacy

> **The short answer**
> Treat a GEDCOM as a readable data export, not as a private link to your tree. Create a separate share copy, exclude living people and private fields where the exporting program allows it, inspect the file and import it into a test tree before sending it.

A GEDCOM can contain names, relationships, dates, places, notes, sources and researcher details. It may also include media filenames, local folder paths or web addresses. The recipient may be able to read this information in genealogy software or by opening the file as text.

## What private information may appear

Review more than names and birth dates. A family-tree export can reveal:

- living people and their relationships;
- exact dates and places;
- addresses, email details or submitter information;
- notes copied from interviews or correspondence;
- adoption, medical, legal or family-conflict details;
- source citations that identify private documents;
- filenames and folder paths containing personal names;
- links to online photographs or documents.

The exact contents depend on the exporting program, GEDCOM version and options you selected.

→ [Understand the structure of a GEDCOM file](/gedcom-file-guide)

## Do not rely on one privacy tag

FamilySearch GEDCOM 7 includes the `RESN` restriction structure. It can mark data as confidential, locked or private, and the specification recommends that applications let users filter restricted data during export.

The same specification warns that `PRIVACY` has been interpreted differently by different applications. A receiving program may not handle the notice the way the exporting program did.

For a share copy, removal or deliberate omission is safer than assuming a tag will hide the information everywhere. Confirm the actual exported file rather than trusting the checkbox label alone.

## Start from a duplicate or selected branch

Never edit the only master tree to prepare a share file.

Use the exporting program's option to select a branch, named people or a limited number of generations. If the program requires changes before export, make them in a duplicate tree created for sharing.

Give the file a clear name:

`Carter-Family_share-copy_2026-08-30.ged`

Keep the private master, native backup and media archive separate from this package.

## Review living people

Check how the program decides that someone is living. A missing death fact, recent birth date or manual living status can change what the exporter includes.

For each living person, decide whether the recipient needs:

- the person's name;
- an approximate year instead of an exact date;
- a relationship placeholder;
- any place information;
- notes, sources or media.

When sharing outside a trusted family circle, obtain appropriate permission for living people's personal information. For minors, use an especially narrow export.

Ancestry protects living-person profiles inside its own tree-sharing controls by default. A downloaded file becomes a separate copy outside those controls, so review the export itself before distributing it.

## Inspect the actual GEDCOM

Open the share file in a plain-text editor or a read-only GEDCOM viewer. Search for:

1. names of living people;
2. email addresses and phone numbers;
3. street addresses;
4. words such as `NOTE`, `SUBM`, `ADDR`, `EMAIL`, `PHON`, `FILE` and `WWW`;
5. private surnames or interview subjects;
6. local usernames and folder paths;
7. filenames for media you do not intend to share.

Do not make ad hoc text replacements in the GEDCOM unless you understand its structure. Return to the export settings or duplicate tree, make the correction there and export again.

→ [Check a GEDCOM before importing or sharing it](/check-gedcom-before-import)

## Test the recipient copy

Import the file into a new temporary tree in the receiving program when possible. This shows what another person may actually see.

Check:

- living-person names and relationships;
- notes and source text;
- submitter or researcher details;
- unexpected branches;
- media paths and web links;
- private flags and how the receiving program displays them.

Delete the temporary test tree after the review if you no longer need it, while keeping the validation note with your private archive.

## Share media separately

A normal `.ged` file usually references media rather than containing the image files. Those references can still disclose filenames, folder structures or URLs.

Build a separate media folder containing only the permitted items. Remove location metadata from modern photographs when it is unnecessary, and check repository or photographer terms before forwarding record images.

→ [See how GEDCOM handles photos and media](/does-gedcom-include-photos)

## Make the recipient's responsibility clear

Include a short note stating:

- who prepared the file and when;
- which branch and generations are included;
- whether living people were removed or reduced;
- which media files are included separately;
- whether the recipient may forward the package;
- how to report a privacy or accuracy problem.

Send the share copy through a method appropriate to its sensitivity. Avoid public upload links for files containing living-person information, and remove temporary shared copies when the transfer is complete.

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**Share a smaller research package**
**The Ancestor File** — Prepare one person's evidence, media and open questions without exporting an entire private family tree.
→ [See The Ancestor File](/shop/the-ancestor-file)

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## Official references

- [FamilySearch GEDCOM 7 specification](https://gedcom.io/specifications/FamilySearchGEDCOMv7.html)
- [Ancestry Privacy Center](https://www.ancestry.com/c/privacy-center)
- [Ancestry Privacy Statement](https://www.ancestry.com/c/legal/privacystatement?language=en_US)

Wiserta provides practical organization guidance, not legal advice. Privacy duties vary by location and context. Wiserta is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by FamilySearch or Ancestry.