How do I fix errors about living relatives in Family Tree?

Article Id: 1290
January 22, 2025
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If Family Tree contains incorrect information about a living person, you can correct it.

If the person's record is in your private tree, it is visible only to you, so only you can edit it. If it is in a family group tree, any group member can see and edit the information.

Important: Changes made in one tree do not automatically get copied to other trees. You may need to make corrections in your private tree and in family group trees.

Before you start

As you enter information about living relatives, please follow these guidelines:

  • Do not enter any information about living individuals without their permission.
  • Do not include any information that could be considered sensitive. To assist you with this effort, we also have disabled certain fields (national identification, race, tribe, bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah, and religious affiliation) that could potentially be considered sensitive.

For more information, please also review the FamilySearch submission agreement.

Steps (website)

  1. In Family Tree, use the tree selector in the upper-left corner to switch to the tree that you want to edit.
  2. Navigate to the person in the tree.
    • If you cannot find the person, click Private People. Enter the person's name in the Search field.
  3. Click the person's name.
  4. In the details that pop up, click the person's name again.
  5. Click the Details tab.
  6. Click the Edit icon beside the information that you will correct.
  7. Review the sources and reason statement. Continue only if your change makes the information more accurate.
  8. When editing the person's name, choose the appropriate language in the field above the name fields, as needed.
  9. Make your changes.
  10. If you change a date or place, click a standardized date or place.​ If no matching standard is available, enter in the date, and the system picks a standard for you.
  11. Enter a reason statement, and explain why the information is correct. If the existing reasoning is applicable, leave the existing explanation, and add your own comments as needed.
  12. Click Save.
  13. If needed, switch to another tree where the person appears, and make the same changes there.

Steps (mobile app)

  1. In the Family Tree mobile app, use the tree selector at the bottom to switch to the tree that you want to edit. (This option is currently available in the iOS version of the app only.)
  2. Navigate to the person in the tree.

    • If you cannot find the person, open the My Contributions list: Tap the 3 horizontal lines icon. Then tap My Contributions, and then tap Private Persons. Scroll down a little, and enter the person's name in the Search field. The 3 horizontal lines icon is in a different place in the Apple iOS and Android versions of the app.

      • Apple iOS: In the bottom-right corner.
      • Android: In the top-left corner.
  3. Tap Details.
  4. In the Vitals section, tap the information that you want to change.
  5. Tap Edit.
  6. Review the sources and reason statement. Continue only if your change makes the information more accurate.
  7. Edit the information, and tap Continue.
  8. Enter a reason statement and explain why the information is correct. If the existing reasoning is applicable, leave the existing explanation, and add your own comments as needed.
  9. Tap Save.
  10. If needed, switch to another tree where the person appears, and make the same changes there.

Steps (Family Tree Lite)

  1. On the Family screen, tap the name of the person.
  2. Tap the information that you want to change, and tap Edit.
  3. Review the reason statement. Continue only if your change makes the information more accurate.
  4. Edit the information.
  5. Enter a reason statement and explain why the information is correct. If the existing reasoning is applicable, leave the existing explanation, and add your own comments as needed.
  6. Tap Save. 

How do I change the status from deceased to living in Family Tree?
How does Family Tree protect the privacy of living people?

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