If you’ve worked in genealogy for any length of time, you’ve likely run into a familiar problem: moving your family tree information from one platform to another seems simple, until it isn’t. Maybe you’re exporting your carefully sourced research from Ancestry to a desktop program like RootsMagic or Gramps. Or maybe you’re collaborating with another researcher who uses different tools. Either way, once you transfer the file, things don’t look right. Sources are missing. Photos don’t come through. Formatting is gone. Entire notes fields are collapsed or unreadable.
The reason is simple: almost every genealogy platform has been relying on a file format that hasn’t meaningfully changed since the late 1990s. That format, GEDCOM 5.5.1, was last revised in 1999, before digital sourcing, Unicode characters, collaborative workflows, and embedded media were common needs. It was never designed to support modern genealogical research. And for over two decades, genealogists have been forced to work around its limitations.
GEDCOM (which stands for Genealogical Data Communication) files are supposed to be universal. That’s their purpose. The idea was that you can export your family tree from one tool, import it into another, and everything will carry over: names, dates, places, sources, notes, and attached documents. But under the GEDCOM 5.5.1 standard, this has rarely worked as intended. Most software programs had to add their own custom tags or formatting hacks to deal with sources, media, and metadata. That made cross-platform compatibility unpredictable at best, and destructive at worst.
All of that began to change in 2021, when FamilySearch released GEDCOM 7.0, a full redesign of the specification. It wasn’t a minor patch—it was a reworking of the format to meet the real needs of modern genealogists: media-rich documentation, multilingual support, clean citations, version tracking, and true portability.
Now, in 2025, that specification is finally being adopted by major genealogy software tools. But support isn’t universal yet. Some platforms are fully compatible with GEDCOM 7.0. Others still rely on GEDCOM 5.5.1, with no clear timeline for upgrade. And if you care about preserving the structure and quality of your research, you need to know the difference.
What’s New in GEDCOM 7.0
GEDCOM 7.0 isn’t just a patch—it’s a full rewrite of the format that makes genealogy files far more stable and complete when moving between tools. Here’s what it improves:
✅ Embedded media: Photos, documents, and even audio files now travel with the GEDCOM file—not as broken links.
✅ Structured citations: Citations retain page numbers, quote marks, proof comments, and confidence levels.
✅ Change tracking: You can see when each detail was added or edited—ideal for collaboration or tracking research updates.
✅ Unicode support: Names and places with accents (é, ø, ł) or non-Latin characters now display correctly across systems.
✅ Rich notes and links: Notes fields retain formatting, and URLs remain clickable and intact.
Put simply: GEDCOM 7.0 finally lets you preserve the tree you built—without starting over when you switch programs.
GEDCOM 7.0: Who Supports It
Here’s where major genealogy tools and websites stand as of June 2025:
✅ FamilySearch
Fully supports GEDCOM 7.0 for import and export. Media, Unicode, notes, and sources all transfer cleanly.
Notes: As the creator of the GEDCOM standard, FamilySearch is leading the push for adoption.
✅ RootsMagic (v9 and newer)
Full support for GEDCOM 7.0. Embedded media, detailed citations, multilingual characters, and change tracking all work properly.
Notes: Excellent option for maintaining a master research tree offline.
✅ Gramps (open source)
Fully supports GEDCOM 7.0. Includes robust tools for verifying data integrity, especially for complex relationships or multilingual trees.
Notes: Great for researchers comfortable with open-source tools.
✅ Ancestral Quest (v16+)
Supports GEDCOM 7.0 with built-in validation tools to ensure clean transfers.
Notes: Good choice for researchers transitioning from older LDS-compatible systems.
GEDCOM 7.0: Not Yet (But Promised)
🟡 Ancestry.com / Family Tree Maker
Still uses GEDCOM 5.5.1. Exported files do not include photos, and citation formatting is often flattened or lost.
Update: Ancestry has acknowledged GEDCOM 7.0 and says it’s “planning future support,” but as of now, no launch date has been announced.
Recommendation: Export your tree regularly, but don’t rely on GEDCOM from Ancestry to preserve media or citation details yet.
GEDCOM 7.0: Not Yet Supported
❌ MyHeritage
No GEDCOM 7.0 support. GEDCOM exports lose media, source structure, and formatting.
No timeline announced.
❌ Findmypast
Also still using GEDCOM 5.5.1. No embedded media or citation support.
No update available on 7.0 adoption.
What This Means for Researchers
If you’re building source-rich trees—especially with images, formatted citations, and multiple languages—GEDCOM 7.0 is the only format that can carry all of that across platforms.
Right now, the most reliable workflow looks like this:
Build or maintain your tree in a GEDCOM 7.0–compatible desktop program (like RootsMagic or Gramps)
Use GEDCOM 7.0 when sharing, archiving, or collaborating with others
Continue backing up Ancestry trees, but be prepared for cleanup until their 7.0 support goes live
GEDCOM 7.0 doesn’t solve everything. But it’s the first real progress in decades on a problem that has affected every serious genealogist: the inability to move complete, well-documented trees between tools without damage.
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