Media Files in Family Tree Maker

 

I have seen people commenting many times in genealogy Facebook groups that they don't like to upload their gedcom to FTM because they can't get the media. That's because all has to be done from the Family Tree Maker program. 

Here is how to get media attached to people on Family Tree Maker.

First open Family Tree Maker and  make sure your uploader is up to date.

Next, make sure you are logged in to Ancestry.

Here some people make the mistake of going to Ancestry, downloading a gedcom of their tree, then importing the tree into Family Tree Maker. You can do that, but you will not get the media files. 

 

Next go to the Ancestry leaves in the top right hand corner and click on Download from Ancestry.

From the new screen you choose your tree that you want to download and follow instructions. This takes a long time when it comes to the downloading media part. You can do other things on your computer in the  meantime, just don't close the FTM screen.

When I downloaded my FTM program I saved the folder in Documents. All the media that downloads with my tree goes in that Family Tree Maker folder creating another folder named the same as your tree... here is it named Seale Family Tree Media

Once the program is finished downloading the media, you are set to go. When you click on a person you can see the media for that person. Here I chose my 2x ggf Andrew Smith Tait. You can see he has 20 facts and 16 media.

Any records, images, and stories will download with the tree. Since they are now downloaded onto your computer, they are there to stay, even if you do not renew your membership. The only thing it seems that does not download are all the Web Links I had attached to each person. 

One thing I WISH I had done from the beginning of time, is rename the media as it was attached in Ancestry. Now, for example, in the Seale Family Media Files folder there are 93 images named Lancashire, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1911. I would have to open each one to see who it belonged to. Something to add to my To Do list.