If you have recently started researching your family history, there’s a good chance you have already come across Ancestry. For many people, it’s the first stop on their genealogy journey. You sign in to your ancestry account, start adding relatives, and before long, you are discovering census records, military documents, and family members you never knew existed.
At that stage, everything seems simple. Then a few months or a few years go by.
Your tree grows from a handful of relatives to hundreds of people. You have uploaded old photographs, added family stories, attached records, and spent countless hours verifying information. That’s usually when many researchers start asking a new question:
Should I keep everything only on Ancestry, or should I also use Family Tree Maker?
The answer is most experienced genealogists use both.
Can You Start Your Free Family Tree on Ancestry?
Ancestry’s popularity stems from its user-friendly setup process. You can start your free family tree by creating an account and entering basic information about yourself and your immediate family.
Within minutes, you will have the foundation of a family tree.
As you continue adding relatives, Ancestry may begin suggesting records and possible family connections. For beginners, the software makes genealogy much less intimidating than it was years ago.
The challenge isn’t starting a family tree. The challenge is protecting and managing it as it grows.
When People Realize They Need More Than Ancestry
Someone spends years building a family tree online. They add photographs from old family albums, they enter information gathered from grandparents and carefully verify records and connect generations of relatives.
Then something happens.
Maybe they want a complete backup or they buy a new computer and realize they don’t have a local copy of their research. They might want more control over their data. That’s where they start looking at family tree software. Ancestry is useful, but their family history is too valuable to store in just one place.
Why is Using a Free Family Tree Maker Important?
A free family tree maker gives you something that online platforms alone cannot always provide and that’s independence. Instead of relying entirely on an online account, you maintain your own copy of your family tree.
That means your research is also available even when you are offline; you can create backups whenever you choose, and your years of work remain accessible on your computer.
For many family historians, that’s reason enough.
After all, genealogy isn’t a project you complete in a weekend. Some people spend decades researching their family history. The more time invested, the more important it becomes to protect that work.
What Happens If Your Ancestry Subscription Ends?
Many users worry that they will lose their entire family tree if they decide not to renew their subscription. Fortunately, your tree generally remains available. However, many records, collections, and subscription-based features may become inaccessible.
In this situation, having a family tree maker can be extremely helpful because it stores your family tree on your computer.
With it, you still have access to:
- Family relationships
- Notes and research
- Photographs
- Sources you have entered
- Personal records and stories
Even if your subscription status changes, your personal copy remains available.
That’s one reason experienced researchers rarely rely on a single location for storing years of genealogy work.
Family Tree Maker and Ancestry serve different purposes and are not direct competitors.
Many beginners think they have to choose one or the other.
In reality, they serve different purposes.
Ancestry is a research platform. It’s where people search records, discover hints, review DNA matches, and explore historical collections.
Family Tree Maker is designed to help you organize, manage, and preserve your family tree on your computer.
A simple way to think about it is that Ancestry helps you find information, whereas Family Tree Maker helps you keep it. That’s why many serious genealogists use both together.
Family Tree Maker and Ancestry Sync Together
One of the biggest reasons people choose Family Tree Maker is the ability to use Family Tree Maker Sync with Ancestry. Without synchronization, maintaining two versions of a family tree can become frustrating.
Data synchronization eliminates the need to enter every new person, record, or update twice. It allows users to work with both an online tree and a desktop tree while keeping information aligned.
For researchers, this feature offers several advantages.
You can continue benefiting from Ancestry’s records and hints while maintaining an independent copy of your research.
You get the convenience of online genealogy along with the security of local storage.
Why Some Researchers Prefer Having an Offline Tree
Internet access isn’t always the issue but control over the data is.
When your family tree is stored on your computer, you can access it whenever you want without depending on a website, account login, or internet connection.
This is the reason users prefer having:
- Additional backup options
- Greater privacy
- Easier file management
- More control over media storage
- Long-term preservation of research
If you have invested hundreds or thousands of hours into genealogy, those benefits become increasingly important.
Printing Family Trees from Ancestry for Family Gatherings
One of the most rewarding parts of genealogy is sharing discoveries with relatives.
It’s amazing how often a printed family tree starts conversations at reunions, anniversaries, birthdays, and holiday gatherings.
Many users enjoy Printing Family Tree from Ancestry because it provides a simple visual way to show family connections.
Sometimes a relative sees a printed chart and suddenly remembers a name, photograph, or story that nobody else in the family had documented. That’s how new discoveries are often made.
Family tree software can also provide additional printing and reporting options, especially for larger trees that span multiple generations.
Common Problems Family Tree Researchers Face
Building a family tree is rewarding, but it isn’t always trouble-free.
Some of the issues users encounter include:
Sync Problems
Occasionally users experience difficulties with Family Tree Maker Sync with Ancestry. Large trees, interrupted connections, or software updates can sometimes create synchronization issues.
Duplicate Individuals
Adding records from different sources can sometimes result in duplicate family members appearing in a tree.
Missing Photos or Media Files
Users sometimes discover that photographs or attached documents are no longer linked correctly after moving files between computers.
Login Difficulties
Problems that occur when users sign in to an ancestry account can temporarily interrupt access to online research.
Tree File Concerns
Unexpected computer problems or accidental deletions can create anxiety for anyone who has spent years building a family tree.
This is another reason regular backups are strongly recommended.
How Family Tree Makers Support Can Help
Most genealogy enthusiasts would rather spend time researching ancestors than troubleshooting software.
Whether you are dealing with installation issues, synchronization problems, backup concerns, or file recovery questions, getting assistance from Family Tree Maker Support can save considerable time.
They can help with:
- Installation
- Family Tree Maker Sync with Ancestry issues
- Tree migration to a new computer
- Backup and restore procedures
- Printing a Family Tree from Ancestry
- Software upgrades
- File recovery assistance
- Error troubleshooting
Should You Use a Free Family Tree Maker for Ancestry?
Ancestry remains one of the best resources available for discovering records and expanding your family history. But as your research grows, protecting that work becomes just as important as finding new information.
A free family tree maker gives you:
- A personal copy of your research
- Greater control over your data
- Offline access
- Backup protection
- Long-term data preservation
Rather than replacing Ancestry, it complements it. That’s why so many experienced genealogists continue using both.
Final Thoughts
When you are first starting out, building a family tree on Ancestry may be all you need.
However, family history tends to expand over time. A few names become a few hundred and a handful of photographs become an entire collection. What often begins as curiosity usually turns into a long-term project that spans generations.
Using a free family tree maker alongside Ancestry helps you keep all that work protected, organized, and accessible in the future.
If you are serious about preserving your family’s story, don’t think of a family tree maker as a replacement for Ancestry. Think of it as insurance for the years of research you’ve worked so hard to build.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Start a Free Family Tree on Ancestry?
Answer: Yes, create a basic family tree on Ancestry and start adding family members without needing advanced genealogy software.
Why do people use Family Tree Maker if they already have Ancestry?
Answer: People usually use FTM because they want a local copy of their family tree for backup.
Does Family Tree Maker Sync with Ancestry automatically?
Answer: Synchronizations are initiated through the software, helping keep your desktop and online trees aligned.
What happens if I cancel my Ancestry subscription?
Answer: Your tree generally remains available, but access to many subscription-based records and features may be limited.
5. Is printing a family tree from Ancestry possible?
Answer: Yes, it is possible to print family tree from Ancestry. Additional reporting features may also be available through genealogy software.
6. Where can I get help with Family Tree Maker problems?
Answer: For any issues related to Family Tree, such as installation, sync, backups, migration or file recovery FTM Support can help you troubleshoot and resolve problems.
Disclaimer
Family Tree Maker is available for Windows and macOS only. It does not support Linux-based operating systems.