What is a GEDCOM File?

GEDCOM in plain English

GEDCOM stands for Genealogical Data Communication. It's a simple text file format (ending in .ged) that stores your family tree data — names, dates, places, relationships, and events.

Think of it as the universal language for family trees. Just like a .jpg is a photo that any program can open, a .ged file is a family tree that any genealogy software can read.

What's inside a GEDCOM file?

• Individuals — names, birth dates, death dates, occupations
• Families — who married whom, who are the children
• Places — where events happened (births, marriages, deaths)
• Sources — where you found the information
• Notes — any additional details you added

0 @I1@ INDI
1 NAME John /Smith/
1 SEX M
1 BIRT
2 DATE 15 MAR 1842
2 PLAC London, England
1 DEAT
2 DATE 3 JAN 1918
1 FAMS @F1@

Which programs create GEDCOM files?

Every major genealogy program can export your tree as a GEDCOM file:

• Ancestry.com — Tree Settings → Export Tree
• MyHeritage — Family Tree → Manage Trees → Export to GEDCOM
• FamilySearch — Free export
• RootsMagic — File → Export → GEDCOM
• Gramps — Family Trees → Export
• Family Tree Maker — File → Export → GEDCOM

What can you do with a GEDCOM file?

1. Move between programs — switch from Ancestry to MyHeritage without losing data
2. Back up your research — keep a copy of your tree that no company can delete
3. Share with researchers — send your tree to relatives doing their own research
4. Create a beautiful website — upload to PublishMyTree and get an interactive family site

GEDCOM versions

The most common version is GEDCOM 5.5.1, which virtually all programs support. A newer GEDCOM 7.0 was released in 2021, but adoption is still limited. PublishMyTree supports both versions.

Common questions

Does a GEDCOM file include photos?

No. GEDCOM files contain text data only — names, dates, places, and relationships. Photos and documents are stored separately. When you use PublishMyTree, you can upload photos directly to your family site.

How big is a typical GEDCOM file?

Most files are under 1 MB, even for trees with hundreds of people. GEDCOM is plain text, so it's very compact.

Is my data safe in a GEDCOM file?

A GEDCOM file is just a text file on your computer. It's as safe as any other file. When you upload it to PublishMyTree, the parsing happens entirely in your browser — your data isn't sent to our servers until you choose to publish.