Downloading Source Images in FTM 2010-2024

In Family Tree Maker 2017, 2019 and 2024, Ancestry source images are downloaded when you sync your tree - for articles describing the process click here for Win or click here for Mac.  In earlier editions of Family Tree Maker, when you downloaded your tree from Ancestry.com, the source citations for your tree were included, but the actual image for the citation was not.

Starting with FTM 2010, an option was included that allows you to download all source citation media.  Whether you're using an older edition and need to use this to download the Ancestry source media, or are using one of the newer editions and want to ensure all of the media has properly downloaded, please follow the steps below.

Note: To download source images, you must have a subscription to Ancestry.com that covers the database the images are coming from. After downloading the source citation media, the download button will no longer be available for that source citation.

This article discusses the following:

• Downloading All Source Images
• Downloading an Individual Source Image

Downloading All Source Images

• Note: If this process fails for any reason you may need to download the files individually. You can find instructions for this in the section labeled Downloading an Individual Source Image .

  1. Select the Media workspace using the button at the top of the program interface.  Then select the Collection tab if it is not already selected and click in the white free space at the bottom of the media thumbnails in the main window.

     

  2. On your keyboard, hold down the CTRL key and press F5 at the same time.

     

  3. A window will appear with your options for downloading the source images. You can choose to Download All Media attached to the Ancestry citations or you can choose to download only the missing media for the source citations by clicking Download Missing Media.

     

  4. A window will appear displaying the progress of the source images you are downloading. This process may take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours depending on how many images need to be downloaded.

     

  5. Once this process is completed the Media Download box will disappear and all of your source images will appear temporarily as thumbnails within your media box.
      

Downloading an Individual Source Image

• Note: As only the media associated with this citation is downloaded, you will need to repeat this process for any other source citations for which you want the media.
•  

  1. Select the Sources workspace using the button at the top of the program interface.

     

  2. Navigate to and double-click the source citation you would like to download the image for.

     

  3. The Edit Source Citation window will open. Select the Media tab.

     

  4. If media is available for this citation, click the Download Image If Available button in the bottom-right corner of this window.

     

  5. A Media Download window will appear, showing download progress.

     

  6. The image for this citation is now downloaded to your computer. You can view it from the Media workspace, or through the source citation directly.  Click OK to close this window.