GEDCOM File Not Opening
A practical guide to gedcom file not opening, including what to check, how to protect your research and where to find verified product assistance.
Understand the issue
Protect a separate copy of your genealogy data before importing, restoring or editing a tree. GEDCOM is a transfer format, not a guaranteed full-fidelity backup of images, citations, custom fields or software-specific features.
Step-by-step instructions
- Open the genealogy application that currently contains the most complete version of your tree and confirm the correct file is selected.
- Create a native-format backup including media when the application supports it; save a second copy on another drive or secure storage.
- For GEDCOM transfers, export a test copy and check the file format and encoding accepted by the destination program.
- Import into a new test tree rather than overwriting your working file. Compare people, dates, relationships, sources and media references.
- Review duplicates and information about living relatives before sharing or uploading the export.
How to verify the result
Return to the original action and check that it works without new warnings. For a genealogy tree, verify a sample of names, dates, relationships, sources and photos rather than assuming a successful import or sync preserved everything.
When the problem continues
Record the exact error, product version, device operating system and steps already attempted. Avoid repeating merges, deleting files or resetting an account until you have a restorable backup. Use the product publisher’s official help center for account-specific or version-specific support.
Official help resources
Primary official help resource ↗ · Family Tree Maker support ↗ · FamilySearch Help Center ↗