Compact and Back Up a Linked Tree

How to Compact and Back Up a Linked Tree

It is a promising idea to first compact your tree files on Family Tree Maker and make a full back up along with the media files if you are going to update your copy of Family Tree Maker or going to make any other meaningful change like using a new synching technology like FamilySync® for the first time.

When you compact you tree, it removes spaces in the tree database and reduces the probability of errors when performing any action on it.

Here is how you can Compact your Family Tree Maker file:

Compacting Your FTM File

• Click on the Tools menu and then click on Compact File.
• Click Compact in the window that appears on the screen.
• Once it is compacted, confirm the compacting by clicking on OK.

Backing up Your FTM File

• Click on File menu. Then click on Backup.
• In the Backup the Tree window that appears, check the boxes for Media files, Historical events. If your tree is linked with Ancestry.com, you will also be able to check Allow restored file to resume syncing.
• Then click on Backup.
• Once it is backed up, confirm the backing up by clicking on OK.

Safely Store Your File

Storing your tree files on an external media like external storage device (flash drive, disc, or on another pc) is important. There is always a possibility of your computer’s hard drive crash. You should always protect your family history by storing the copies of your tree outside your computer on a regular basis.

Tree Vault Cloud Backup

You can also use the latest feature — Tree Vault. The new feature helps you to back up your tree file on the cloud and you can restore the file in any event of mishap. Other options to back up the file is to store it on any cloud storage sever such as Dropbox or other similar service.

Ancestry tree as a full back up

There are components of the Family Tree Maker tree on your PC that you cannot sync with your Ancestry tree. So, after the sync, the Ancestry Tree includes much of your family history records, you should not depend on it as your only backup.

For detailed instructions on how to back up your tree file on FTM , you can click here.