Troubleshooting Family Tree Maker
There are many factors that affect program functionality and there are many different reasons that your program might have issues. With that in mind, if you are having problems with Family Tree Maker, please see the articles and steps outlined below to help resolve the program issues.
Note: The articles linked below will open in a new window to better aid you in this process. You can close these windows and return to this article at any time.
- These articles are designed to solve a variety of problems. However, not all articles may apply to your specific problem. Please, read the summary to each solution to find out if it is an applicable solution to your problem.
- This article only applies to Family Tree Maker for the PC. If you need assistance with a Mac version please click here.
- If possible we recommend creating a backup of your file before continuing with any of these processes.
- Family Tree Maker will only work correctly if your computer meets the minimum system requirements. You can review the system requirements for your program by clicking on the appropriate link below.
This article discusses the following:
Repairing a Family Tree Maker File
Often file damage occurs in a family file through merging unchecked files, improper shut-downs of Family Tree Maker or Windows, a virus, or inserting damaged data into the file. This can cause a variety of issues with merging, reports, importing/exporting, as well as a variety of other problems. For information on repairing a Family Tree Maker file, please click on the following link for detailed instructions:
How can I repair a Family Tree Maker file?
Checking for Updates
Family Tree Maker is regularly updated to improve the product and to fix issues. To check for updates please click on the Help button and then select Check for Update in the drop down menu. Family Tree Maker will then automatically check for updates. If you have an error that says “You must be logged on as an administrator,” please click on the following link for detailed instructions:
How to resolve the "You must be an administrator error"
Family Tree Maker Encountered an Error or Stopped Working
The “Family Tree Maker has encountered an error and needs to close” and “Family Tree Maker has stopped working” messages have been known to occur occasionally after Family Tree Maker has been uninstalled and then reinstalled or when a software patch has been installed to your software. Usually these messages are caused by an old or corrupted Family Tree Maker user configuration file. To resolve this issue, please click on the link below for detailed instructions:
Family Tree Maker encountered an error or stopped working
Family Tree Maker Crashes
Any application, no matter how stable, crashes from time to time. However, if you are having problems with Family Tree Maker continually crashing, please click on the appropriate link below for detailed instructions:
Family Tree Maker Crashes or Closes Unexpectedly
Uninstalling Family Tree Maker
Sometimes program issues can be solved by simply uninstalling and then reinstalling the Family Tree Maker program. For detailed instructions on uninstalling Family Tree Maker, please click on the following link:
Uninstalling Family Tree Maker
Manually Uninstalling Family Tree Maker
If you have uninstalled and reinstalled the Family Tree Maker program and you are still receiving errors, you may need to do a manual uninstall. This will manually remove all aspects of the program from your computer. For detailed instructions on performing a manual uninstall, please click on the link below:
Manually Uninstalling Family Tree Maker 2010-2014
Note: After doing a manual uninstall we recommend reinstalling the program in the clean boot mode. Instructions for starting in clean boot mode can be found in the next section.
Performing a Clean Boot
When Windows starts up, many basic system processes, antivirus software, system utilities, and other software load as well. These applications and services can sometimes cause interference when installing or running programs. Loading your computer in a clean boot starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs and can help troubleshoot many issues. For detailed instructions on performing a clean boot, please click on the following link:
How to perform a clean boot of Windows
I've tried the above, but I am still having issues with Family Tree Maker
After going through the steps and articles reference above, if you are still experiencing issues with Family Tree Maker, please click here to contact our Tech Support Team.