Manual method
- Open FamilySearch’s export notice and follow its Solution Gallery link.
- Select a compatible Family Tree Management app after checking supported download scope and any cost.
- Authorize only the required FamilySearch access, retrieve the desired branch, and use that app’s documented GEDCOM export.
- Save permitted memory images and record citations separately; check sample people and source links against the website.
Coverage and limitations: FamilySearch explicitly says its old direct GEDCOM export is no longer supported. Compatible-app capabilities vary; each app defines its own download and export limits. Do not follow the obsolete eight-generation instructions still visible below the notice.
Size and time to allow
Illustrative planning size: 1 GB; scenario range 0.01–20 GB. This is a storage-planning example, not a measured average. Your archive may be smaller or larger. A selected family branch with about 500 supporting images; the tree text may be only a few MB.
Preparation and hands-on time: Budget 30–90 minutes to configure and check a small branch; planning estimate, excluding app-specific synchronization.
For the 1 GB example, network transfer alone is approximately:
| Connection download speed | Transfer estimate |
|---|---|
| 10 Mbit/s | 20 min |
| 50 Mbit/s | 4 min |
| 100 Mbit/s | 2 min |
These calculations use decimal GB and 70% of the advertised speed. Tiny transfers can take longer because of startup overhead. Local exports do not need an internet download; use these numbers only for a network transfer. Preparation, retries, extraction, checking and a cloud upload are additional; use upload speed for the latter.
Where and how to keep it
An encrypted USB key can hold this example, but keep another independent copy on an external drive or in private encrypted cloud storage. A USB key alone is easily lost and is not a complete preservation plan.
Create a dated familysearch/YYYY-MM-DD/ folder. Keep received originals unchanged, use a separate working copy, and note the account/profile, selected dates, formats and known gaps in a private README. Compare file sizes, check any supplied checksums, and open sample files from the backup before considering the task finished. Repeat after meaningful additions. Follow the storage, archive-checking and large-file guide.
Sources and review
Public documentation was reviewed on 27 October 2026. No signed-in export or restoration was performed. Account options and availability can change; follow the current provider instructions.