Home > FTM 2017 > Moving a tree from FTM 2014 for Windows to FTM 2017 for Mac

Moving a tree from FTM 2014 for Windows to FTM 2017 for Mac

How do I move my tree from Family Tree Maker 2014 for Windows to Family Tree Maker 2017 for Mac?

Family tree files created in FTM 2014 for Windows can be opened directly in FTM 2017 for Mac. The safest way to migrate a tree from PC to Mac is by creating a backup on your Windows computer and then restoring it on your Mac. This should ensure that all your media is transferred and relinked automatically, and that syncing with your online tree, if you have one, resumes smoothly.

Follow the steps below to migrate your tree safely.

Backing up your file

Restoring your file

 

Backing up a file in FTM 2014

1. On your PC, open the tree you want to move and choose Backup from the File menu. 

2. Choose a location for saving your backup file. Click Removable media if you want to save it to a USB flash drive or other removable media.

 

3.  In the Include in backup section, select the items you want to have in the backup. Make sure the Media files checkbox is selected if you want to include your photos and other media. 

4. If the current tree is linked to an online tree on Ancestry.com, select the Allow restored file to resume syncing checkbox. This will allow you to have the backed-up tree automatically relinked to the online tree when it’s restored on your Mac. Click OK

5. A backup file with the .ftmb extension will be saved to the location you specified. You can now move it to your Mac computer (using a USB flash drive, for example), and place it in an appropriate folder in the Finder.

 

Restoring a file from a backup in FTM 2017

1. On your Mac computer, open FTM 2017 and choose Restore from the File menu. 

2. Go to the location of the backup file you created in FTM 2014, select it, and then click Open.

3. If your backup file contains a tree that is linked to one on Ancestry.com, the Restore - Additional Options dialog opens. Select the "Restore sync files” checkbox, and then click Restore.  

4. Once your tree is restored, click the sync icon in the upper-right corner and choose Sync Now from the pop-up menu to make sure your restored tree is correctly synced with the Ancestry tree. 

Couldn’t find the answer you needed? Click here for further assistance.