Fixing Broken Media Links In FTM 2019

Family Tree Makers Support

Errors or slower syncing may occur when Ancestry sees a lot of traffic on its website. You won’t have trouble syncing your trees if you have difficulty accessing or viewing your online tree. If you have had this problem, we appreciate your patience. Since most website traffic surges are momentary, please try again a little time later.

The following advice is meant to assist you in troubleshooting a FamilySync® problem that you are now facing. Still, prevention is always preferable to treatment. Once you have resolved your present issue, kindly follow this link and read over the best FamilySync® advice compiled in our FamilySync® Best Practices post. Hopefully, the advice you’ll find there will assist you in averting problems.

Causes of Problems with Ancestry Media Sync

Family Tree Maker 2019’s Ancestry media sync problems could have several root reasons. An internet connection that could be more active and reliable is a common cause of upload failures or lengthy completion times. Problems with the Ancestry.com website, like server outages or maintenance, could also be the reason. Furthermore, some firewall or antivirus software may prevent some files from being uploaded, interfering with the synchronization process.

How Can I Repair Broken Family Tree Maker media links?

There are several possible causes of broken media links:

  • The media item’s name is altered externally to Family Tree Maker.
  • The media item’s location has changed outside of Family Tree Maker.

When you choose this media item, the bottom right corner of the window will display the message “File not found – filename.” You must re-link this media item with the actual file to see or use it.

  • All media links for that family file will break if transferred to a different folder on your computer outside of Family Tree Maker without adding the media folder linked to it. This can be fixed by relocating the media folder to the same directory as the family file or by transferring the family file back to its original position.

How Can I Troubleshoot FTM 2019 Synchronization Issues?

Problems with Internet Connection

Though nothing is wrong, your software or tree file may cause a sync problem. Internet service providers differ regarding connection speeds, stability, and dependability. In such situations, we advise waiting and trying again the next day or in a few hours. The slowest connections include dial-up, satellite connections can vary significantly in speed, and cable connections, while generally fast, might slow down during high usage hours, which are typically the evenings.

Make sure you have a strong signal if you’re using a wireless connection for the Internet, then try the sync again. Consider plugging your computer straight into your modem, whether your router connection is wired or wireless. This troubleshooting phase determines whether the sync problem is caused by inadequate wireless connectivity or a setting on your network.

If your tree syncs correctly when plugged straight into your modem, you should contact your router’s manufacturer to see if they can help you adjust its settings so that Family Tree Maker can properly access it. Incorrect configuration of several computer settings could cause problems with tree sync.

Problems with Ancestry Syncing an FTM Tree

It might be necessary to repair your file if you can sync data into Family Tree Maker but not to Ancestry or if you cannot upload and link your tree from within Family Tree Maker. You can sync a newly created test tree to confirm that your file is the source of the problem. If your test tree syncs successfully, follow the instructions for file repair at the conclusion.

Restart your Computer or Family Tree Maker

Restarting your computer or closing and reopening Family Tree Maker might be very beneficial if you are experiencing frequent sync issues, are unable to sync your tree, or are receiving notifications regarding sync failure. Please know you shouldn’t do this while the synchronization process is ongoing.

Problems with Media Sync

Names, dates, notes, and most other tree data sync separately from the media (photos, articles, and so on) in your file. Furthermore, the synchronization process will take longer to finish the more media you have in your tree. Your media can still synchronize even if you can’t see the Media Processing progress bar at the top of Family Tree Maker 2019.

Your sync may be affected if you have a corrupted media file (typically a PDF, but any corrupted media can result in this problem). To determine which file or files are causing the issue, you must examine the Media workspace in Family Tree Maker and examine each one. You should be able to sync your tree once more after removing the offending item or files from your media collection.

Fixing Problems with Other Software

Some applications can disrupt tree sync (firewalls, antivirus software, and security software; however, other programs might also be involved). It may appear malicious because the sync process downloads and uploads simultaneously, but it is secure and won’t damage your machine. If you want help adding Family Tree Maker as an exception, you should contact the makers of your firewall, antivirus, and security software.

You may start your computer in Safe Mode (for Mac users) or Clean Boot (for Windows users) to ensure that nothing unrelated to Family Tree Maker is the source of your issue. 

Open Family Tree Maker and try to sync your tree once your computer has booted up in Safe Mode or Clean Boot. If the sync is successful, the problem was most likely caused by another program on your computer.

If you still have trouble syncing your tree in Safe Mode or Clean Boot, ensure your security, antivirus, and firewall programs are entirely disabled. Before re-linking and syncing your tree, you should manually remove and reinstall Family Tree Maker (all from within the Clean Boot or Safe Mode launch).

Restore the Most Recent Backup

We strongly advise that you maintain regular, complete backups of your family trees as a good general best practice. Restoring your tree’s most recent full backup is one solution if you are continuously experiencing issues with syncing it. Click these pages to learn more about backing up and restoring your tree.

Download your Tree Again

You can also re-download your Ancestry tree as a new tree in Family Tree Maker if you need a current backup of your tree. The procedure would be the same as if this was your first time syncing your tree; for instructions, click this link.

Bottom Lines

When using Family Tree Maker 2019, broken media link problems can be annoying, but there are a few things you can do to fix and avoid them. You can keep reaping the rewards of syncing your Family Tree Maker 2019 by investigating the problem and taking precautions to ensure it doesn’t happen again. You can Live Chat with our FTM Experts or give us a call at our Family Tree Makers Support Number, +1-781-2434-296, if you need any assistance.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

More thorough troubleshooting could be required if you have attempted every troubleshooting tip in this article and are still waiting for errors or experiencing sync issues. Thus, let’s explore the commonly asked question regarding this.

How can I use Family Tree Maker 2019 to restore from a backup?

Using a backup to restore Windows FTM 2017 and 2019. Click the File menu when Family Tree Maker is open, and then select Restore.

What’s causing the Family Tree Maker sync issue?

Discontinuous or sluggish internet access can lead to sync problems. Check your login information: Verify that your username and password to access your Family Tree Maker account on Ancestry.com are accurate. Verify again for any mistakes or inaccurate data that might impede the synchronization.

How can I modify the location of a media file in Family Tree Maker?

To access the Preferences list, open the Family Tree Maker Menu and choose it. There will be an option to modify the New Tree File’s Default Location in the General tab’s settings menu.

Why does the sync fail?

Auto-sync is enabled to ensure that synchronization occurs automatically.

How are devices synced with each other?

Using a cloud service, a platform that saves your data online and allows you to access it from any device with an internet connection is one of the simplest ways to sync numerous devices.

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