Exporting Your File
When you export your family tree, you are creating a new file with all your data, information, and media items bundled into it. The original file will remain on your first computer unchanged so you can safely move the newly exported file onto your second computer. Please see the following article for instructions on exporting your file.
Note: In Step 5 of the above article, you will choose a location to save the newly exported file. We recommend choosing the Desktop to ensure you can easily locate your file for the next step, transferring.
Transferring Your File
- Close Family Tree Maker
- Find the icon for your newly exported family file on your desktop. Please ctrl-click on it and select Copy.
- At this point, if you are going to save your file to a CD, rather than ctrl-clicking on the file and selecting Copy, you can select Burn [Tree name] to Disc… More information regarding burning a disc can be found here.
- This file is now ready to be pasted (copied) to your USB flash drive. After inserting your USB flash drive into an open USB port, please double-click its icon from the desktop to open it.
- CTRL-click on some blank space in this window. A menu will appear. Please click Paste Item from this menu.
- Your file will now be copied to your USB flash drive. Once this process completes, you should see the file listed on your flash drive.
- Depending on the size of your file, this process can take a few minutes.
- You can now eject the flash drive from your Mac and plug it in to your other computer.
- Once the flash drive is inserted into your other computer, you will need to copy your file onto this computer prior to restoring it in Family Tree Maker.
- After inserting your USB flash drive into an open USB port, please double-click its icon from the desktop to open it.
- Find the icon for your family file on the flash drive. Please CTRL-click on it and select Copy.
- On your desktop, CTRL-click anywhere in the empty space and select Paste.
Restoring Your File
Now that your file has been copied to your second computer, you can simply restore it in Family Tree Maker. Please see the following article for more instruction in the restoration process.