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Getting Started with Family Tree Pro

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    hanmen
    Twitter

When I first started building Family Tree Pro, I wanted to make sure that anyone — regardless of their technical skill level — could easily create a beautiful family tree. Today, I'm excited to walk you through the process of getting started with the tool.

Step 1: Create Your Account

The first thing you'll need to do is create a free account. This takes just a minute and allows you to save your work and access it from anywhere.

[INSERT_IMAGE: create-account.webp] Creating a free Family Tree Pro account

Once you've signed up, you'll be taken to your dashboard. This is where you'll manage all your family trees and access the editor.

Step 2: Start Your First Tree

Click the "Create New Tree" button to begin. You'll be asked to give your tree a name — something like "Smith Family Tree" or "Johnson Heritage" works perfectly.

[INSERT_IMAGE: new-tree.webp] Starting a new family tree

Step 3: Add Your First Person

Every family tree starts with a single person. Typically, this is you! Click the "Add Person" button and fill in the basic information:

  • Full name
  • Birth date and place
  • Gender (optional)
  • Profile picture (optional)

[INSERT_IMAGE: add-first-person.webp] Adding the first person to your tree

Step 4: Build Out Relationships

Now it's time to add family members and build relationships. Family Tree Pro makes this intuitive with a simple drag-and-drop interface.

Adding Parents

Click on your profile and select "Add Parent". Fill in their information, and Family Tree Pro will automatically create the parent-child relationship.

Adding a Spouse/Partner

Click "Add Spouse" to connect your profile with a partner. The system handles marriages, partnerships, and even multiple relationships with ease.

Adding Children

With you and your partner profiles connected, click "Add Child" to expand your tree.

[INSERT_IMAGE: build-relationships.webp] Building relationships in the editor

Step 5: Add Rich Media

Remember, a family tree is more than just names and dates. Add photos, documents, and stories to bring your family history to life.

To add a photo:

  1. Click on a person's profile
  2. Select "Add Photo"
  3. Upload from your computer or paste a URL
  4. Add a caption to tell the story behind the photo

[INSERT_IMAGE: add-media.webp] Adding photos and documents to profiles

Step 6: Use Smart Features

As you build your tree, take advantage of Family Tree Pro's smart features:

Auto-Layout

Don't worry about arranging nodes — the auto-layout feature automatically organizes your tree in a logical, aesthetically pleasing way.

Data Consistency Checks

The system will alert you to potential issues like conflicting dates or impossible relationships.

AI Suggestions

The AI Discovery tool will suggest potential connections and highlight missing information based on your existing data.

[INSERT_IMAGE: smart-features.webp] Family Tree Pro's smart features in action

Step 7: Share and Collaborate

Once you've built a portion of your tree, consider sharing it with family members:

  1. Click the "Share" button
  2. Enter email addresses of family members
  3. Set permissions (view only or edit)
  4. Send the invitation

Collaborating with family members is a great way to gather more information and make your tree more complete.

[INSERT_IMAGE: share-collaborate.webp] Sharing your family tree with others

Step 8: Export and Preserve

When you're ready, you can export your tree in various formats:

  • PNG/JPEG for printing
  • PDF for sharing
  • JSON for backup
  • GEDCOM for compatibility with other genealogy software

[INSERT_IMAGE: export-options.webp] Exporting your family tree

Tips for Success

  1. Start small — focus on immediate family first, then expand
  2. Be consistent — use the same format for dates and locations
  3. Cite your sources — add notes about where you found information
  4. Ask family members — they often have stories and photos you don't
  5. Update regularly — family trees are living documents that grow over time

[INSERT_IMAGE: success-tips.webp] Tips for building a successful family tree

Ready to Begin?

I'm so excited for you to start your family history journey with Family Tree Pro. Remember, every family tree tells a unique story — and yours is waiting to be told.

If you have any questions along the way, don't hesitate to reach out. The support team and I are here to help.

Ready to create your first family tree? Launch the editor now and begin your adventure.