Windows is the primary path for this family tree guide because GitHub Releases for gramps-project/gramps ships GrampsAIO-*-win64.exe on stable tags. No winget package id was verified here, so stay on those release assets.
Download the installer
Open gramps-project/gramps releases in a new tab. Confirm you are on a stable tag such as the current release, not a beta, then download GrampsAIO-*-win64.exe. The real filename uses a double-dash before the build number, for example GrampsAIO-*-win64.exe. Refuse any site that renames the setup or bundles a toolbar.
Run and confirm
Run the AIO exe. If SmartScreen warns, prefer the Releases URL you typed yourself over a redirected marketing page. After install, open Gramps from the Start menu so the Family Trees manager appears.
Create a Family Tree
Gramps does not invent ancestors for you. Create a new Family Tree on disk you control, add a Home Person, and prove one relationship before you import a large GEDCOM. That is the everyday family tree proof on Windows.
Update door
Return to the same GitHub Releases page for the next AIO. Do not stack Softonic-style wrappers. Longer notes: Windows AIO notes, download safe, first hour.
Common Windows mistakes
Downloading a twin installer from a review portal is the top failure. Matching the exact AIO filename on GitHub Releases fixes it. Inventing winget is second; this guide did not verify one. Skipping the empty Family Tree proof is third; create a Home Person before bulk import. Mixing beta and stable builds on one PC is fourth; prefer stable tags.
Why Releases instead of a store page
This guide verified the AIO asset names on GitHub Releases and did not verify a winget id. Inventing a store command would mislead readers. When Microsoft or the project publishes a verified package later, re-check with fetch:gh and update the research file. Until then, Releases remains the honest Windows door for this family tree.
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
Is Gramps free?
Yes. Gramps the program is free under GPL-2.0, so you can install it for local family tree work without a seat fee. Optional paid research sites you use later stay separate from the program licence and do not change the AIO download.
Where is the safe download?
Prefer GitHub Releases for gramps-project/gramps when you need the Windows AIO. Match GrampsAIO-*-win64.exe and note the double-dash before the build number. Skip Softonic-style wrappers that rename the setup for a family tree search ranking.
Is there a winget package?
No winget package id was verified for this guide. Stay on the AIO from GitHub Releases until research records a verified package id. Inventing a winget command would mislead readers who need a trustworthy family tree install.