Close detail of family tree fork geometry used as the Family tree mark.
Branch detail for the Family tree mark used across this install guide. Linen Gate original kin-branch geometry for factory-family-tree (not a Gramps logo).

Backups turn a family tree from a fragile hobby file into an archive you can recover.

Milestone exports

Before every large GEDCOM import, export the current tree. Keep the inbound GEDCOM too.

Dated bundles

Use folders like 2026-09-15-family-backup with XML/GEDCOM and a media zip. Short notes beat memory.

Restore drill

Once a quarter, create a temporary Family Tree and import the latest backup. Confirm people and a media link.

Offline copies

Keep one backup offline. Cloud sync is fine as a second copy when encrypted and intentional.

First run, switch, update.

Verify against research notes

Facts on this page come from the gramps-project/gramps README, GitHub Releases tag assets, Homebrew cask JSON for gramps, Snap Store metadata, and the Gramps wiki checked on 2026-09-15. If a newer stable tag appears, prefer the live Releases list and exact filenames over any hard-coded memory of one version alone. The home install panel reads gh.json at build time so the current release link stays fresh.

Keep one update door

One install style per machine. Write it down.

Pick one install style per machine and write it down. Windows AIO users return to GitHub Releases. Homebrew users run brew upgrade. Snap users refresh the snap. apt users use distro tools. Mixing three doors on one PATH creates confusing dual launches and stale Family Trees.

Privacy and offline use

  • Local Family Trees keep pedigree data on disk after install.
  • Online research in a browser is optional and separate.

Living-person details deserve care. Export GEDCOM only when you mean to share, and review privacy options before you upload a file to any third party. A desktop family tree is useful precisely because the database can stay offline after the first download.

Classroom and shared PCs

Shared labs often block unknown publishers. Document the asset name in your image build notes. Societies that need offline pedigrees should prefer a machine they administer. Keep GEDCOM licences and contributor agreements with the archive so redistribution stays clear.

Network and offline

You need network once to download the AIO, dmg, brew bottle, or snap. After the Family Tree lives on disk, editing people and printing charts works offline unless you choose online research later. That split is why a desktop family tree beats a fragile tab for travel and archive work that forbids cloud uploads.

After install checklist

Confirm the window opens, create one Family Tree, add a Home Person, save, and bookmark Releases or note the brew/snap door. Then read first-run and safety guides. If policy blocks unknown executables, ask an admin instead of smuggling a random mirror binary.

Extra install discipline

Write the asset name or package command in a short text file next to your backups. When someone else inherits the research PC, that note prevents a second random download for the same family tree job. Prefer stable tags, refuse renamed wrappers, and keep living-person exports intentional.

Why this matters for searchers

People who type family tree into a search box often land on adware portals. A clear install door, an exact filename, and a local Family Tree proof keep the job honest. Repeat the same door on the next machine instead of improvising a new mirror each time you travel.

Source checklist

  • GitHub Releases stable tag assets
  • Homebrew cask metadata when used
  • Snap or apt package ids when used
  • Gramps wiki for workflow menus after install

If any of those sources disagree with this page, prefer the upstream page and file a correction through the contact path so research notes can be updated.

Frequently asked questions

GEDCOM or Gramps XML?

GEDCOM is the interchange format most tools share for a family tree. Gramps XML can preserve more Gramps-specific detail. Many archivists keep both on important milestones before major imports into a production tree.

How often should I export?

Export before imports, before OS reimages, and on a weekly or monthly cadence if you edit heavily. Date the filenames so the newest family tree backup is obvious under stress.

Do media files export automatically?

Not always as you expect. Back up media directories explicitly and test a restore on a spare folder so the family tree photos still resolve after a recovery drill next quarter.