How do I set the preferred spouse or parents in Family Tree?

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Show the Correct Spouse or Parents in Family Tree


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In Family Tree, a person can have more than one spouse or set of parents. You can choose the spouse or parents that you want to see on a pedigree view.

Here are the impacts of setting the preferred spouse or parents:

  • You see all spouses and parents on the person page.
  • You see only the preferred spouse and parents in pedigree views and on printed family group records. Only the preferred spouse's or parents' descendants and ancestors show.
  • Only you see your changes to the preferred spouse or parents. Other users make their own choice.
  • The preferred spouse or parents remains set until you change it.
  • Setting a preferred spouse or parents affects how Source Linker works. The Source Linker only aligns the preferred spouse and children of the preferred couple.
  • The person page displays couples by marriage date. Setting the preferred parents does not affect the order in which the parents show on the child's page.

Steps (website)

  1. Sign in to FamilySearch.org.
  2. In the top menu, click Family Tree, and then click Tree.
  3. If needed, switch to your private tree or the family group tree where the family line is located.
  4. Find the person with multiple spouses or parents.
  5. Click the person's name. In the details that pop up, click the person's name again.
  6. Click the Details tab.
  7. Scroll to the top of the Family Members section.
  8. Click Set Preferred.
  9. Click the preferred spouses or parents.
  10. Click Save.

Steps (mobile app)

  1. Open the Family Tree mobile app.
  2. If needed, switch to your private tree or the family group tree where the person is located.
  3. Navigate to the profile of the person.
  4. In the Family Tree app, find and tap the name of the person with multiple spouses or parents.
  5. In the bar below the name, tap Spouses or Parents.
  6. To the right of your preferred spouse or parent, tap the small gray arrow.
  7. Next to Preferred Spouse or Preferred Parent, tap the circle.
  8. When you return to the tree, the preferred spouse or parent now shows.

Steps (Family Tree Lite)

Family Tree Lite does not allow you to select preferred spouses or parents.

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