Ancestry · your family tree

How to Login Ancestry Family Tree?

Your family tree is the heart of your Ancestry experience – where you build, discover, and share your family history. A successful ancestry family tree login gives you access to add relatives, attach records, and explore hints. This guide walks you through logging into your account and navigating directly to your tree on both computer and mobile devices, plus tips for managing multiple trees and troubleshooting access issues.

What is the Ancestry family tree?

Your Ancestry family tree is a private or public space where you build your genealogy. You can add people, photos, stories, and connect records. Trees are stored in the cloud and sync across all your devices. After a successful login, you can access your tree from anywhere.

Build your legacy Add generations, from yourself back to your earliest ancestors.

Record attachments Attach census, birth, and military records as sources.

Hint system Shaky leaves suggest new records and potential relatives.

Collaboration Share with family or invite others to contribute.

Method 1: Access your family tree on a computer (web browser)

🖥️ Step-by-step: login and navigate to your tree

Open your web browser and go to www.ancestry.com (or your regional site).
Click the Sign in button at the top-right corner of the page.
Enter your Ancestry email/username and password. If you have two-factor authentication enabled, complete that step.
After signing in, you'll land on your Ancestry homepage. Look at the top menu bar – you'll see a tab labeled Trees. Click it.
A dropdown will appear showing your trees. Click on the name of the tree you want to view (if you have more than one).
Your family tree will load in the browser. You can now view, edit, or explore hints.

Tip: If you have a default tree, you can also click your profile icon and select "Tree" from the menu for quick access.

    Shortcut: Once you're logged in, you can directly go to your tree by typing www.ancestry.com/family-tree in the address bar.
  

Method 2: Access your family tree on the Ancestry app (mobile)

📱 Step-by-step: app login and tree access

Open the Ancestry app on your iPhone or Android device. If you're not logged in, tap Sign in and enter your credentials.
Once logged in, you'll see the app's home screen. At the bottom of the screen, tap the Tree icon (usually a silhouette of a tree).
The app will display your list of trees (if you have multiple). Tap the tree you want to open.
Your family tree will appear in a touch-optimized view. You can zoom, pan, and tap on individuals to see details.
To edit, tap on a person and choose "Edit" or "View profile".

Note: The app also offers a "Tree" tab on the bottom navigation – that's your direct path.

Method 3: Access a family tree shared with you

If someone has shared their tree with you, you can access it after logging into your own account.

🤝 Viewing a shared tree

Log into your Ancestry account as usual.
Click on the Trees menu at the top of the page (on web) or the Tree tab in the app.
You should see a section called "Trees shared with me" or similar. Click on the shared tree's name.
The tree will open, and you can view it according to the permissions the owner set (view-only or contributor).

If you have multiple trees: how to switch

Many Ancestry users maintain more than one family tree (e.g., one for paternal side, one for maternal). Switching between them is easy.

On web: Click the Trees menu at the top. A dropdown will list all your trees. Click the one you want to switch to.
On app: Go to the Tree tab. At the top of the screen, you'll see the current tree's name. Tap it to see a list of your other trees, then select the one you want.

Troubleshooting: can't access your family tree

🔍 "I logged in but don't see my tree"

If you've just created an account, you may not have started a tree yet. Look for a button that says "Start a new tree" or "Create tree". If you believe you had a tree but can't find it:

Check if you're logged into the correct account (maybe you have multiple accounts with different emails).
Try searching for a person you know was in your tree using the search bar – if results appear, your tree exists.
Contact Ancestry support – they can help locate trees associated with your account.

🚫 "Tree is locked or private"

If you're trying to view a tree shared with you but see a lock icon or privacy message, the owner may have changed the sharing settings. Contact the tree owner to adjust permissions.

🐢 Tree not loading or slow

Large trees can take a moment to load. Try these fixes:

Refresh the page or close and reopen the app.
Check your internet connection.
On web, try a different browser or clear your cache.
On app, ensure it's updated to the latest version.

🌐 "I see a blank tree"

If your tree appears but has no people, you may have accidentally created an empty tree. Try switching to another tree from the Trees menu. If your main tree is truly empty, you may need to restore from a GEDCOM or contact support.

👤 "Can't edit my tree"

If you're viewing your own tree but can't edit, ensure you're not in a "view-only" mode. Check if you're logged into the correct account. If the tree is shared with you, the owner may have given you view-only access.

Managing your family tree after login

Once you're logged in and viewing your tree, here are some common actions:

Add a person: Click "Add" or "Add relative" and fill in the details.
Attach records: When viewing a person, look for "Hint" or "Search records" to find and attach historical documents.
Edit details: Click on a person, then "Edit" to change names, dates, or places.
Share your tree: In tree settings, you can invite others via email or generate a shareable link.
Export your tree: You can download your tree as a GEDCOM file for backup or use in other software.

Security best practices for your family tree

Your tree contains personal information about living people – consider marking your tree as "Private" in settings to control who sees it.
When sharing, use the "Invite by email" method rather than a public link for better control.
Enable two-factor authentication on your Ancestry account to protect your tree from unauthorized access.
Regularly back up your tree by exporting a GEDCOM file.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have more than one family tree?

Yes, you can create and manage multiple trees under a single Ancestry account. This is useful for separating different family lines or for test projects.

Is my tree automatically saved?

Yes, any changes you make are saved instantly to the cloud. You don't need to click a "Save" button.

Can I access my tree offline?

The Ancestry app has limited offline capabilities – you can view previously accessed profiles, but for full functionality, an internet connection is required.

I see "Shaky Leaves" – what are they?

Shaky leaves are hints. They indicate Ancestry has found potential record matches or possible relatives in other trees. Click them to review and attach to your tree.

What if I accidentally delete someone from my tree?

You can usually undo recent changes. In the tree view, look for "View changes" or "Undo". For older deletions, you may need to re-add the person manually.

Conclusion

Logging into your Ancestry family tree is the gateway to discovering and preserving your heritage. Whether you use a computer or the mobile app, the process is simple: sign in with your credentials, then navigate to the Trees section. From there, you can build, edit, and explore your family history. Keep your account secure, and don't hesitate to use the troubleshooting tips above if you encounter any issues. Your family story awaits.