How do I view a list of all record collections in Historical Records?

Article Id: 1158
October 17, 2024
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You can see lists of all record collections that are available online at FamilySearch. The lists include both collections that have been indexed and collections that have not been indexed.

Record Search Collections (website or mobile app)

Collections that you find from a Record search are of various kinds:

  • Index-only.
  • Image-only.
  • Items with both indexed data and free access to the record images.
  • Items from 3rd-party websites. You can see the indexed information on FamilySearch and the images on another website.
  • Items with viewing limitations. In most cases, the indexed data is freely available. Images can often be viewed at a FamilySearch center or an affiliate library.

Steps (website or mobile Tree app):

  1. Sign in to FamilySearch or open the Family Tree mobile app.
  2. Go to Search Historical Records.
    1. Web: At the top of the page, click Search and click Records.
    2. Mobile: Tap the 3 lines icon and click Search Historical Records.
  3. Scroll to Find a Collection.
  4. Below the search field, click Browse all collections.
  5. In the search bar at the top of the page, enter a collection name.
  6. On the right panel, use collection type, place, and date options to filter the list. The list sorts alphabetically by default. If you do not see the right panel, click Filters.
  7. Click the title of the desired record collection.

Sort the list (website or mobile app)
To see all columns separately, close the filter panel on the right. As desired, use the Collection Title search field to narrow the list to a place or topic of interest. To sort the list, click or tap a column heading.

  • Collection Title: One click changes the titles to a reverse alphabetical order.
  • Records: One click shows the largest set of records at the top of the list. A second click brings the unindexed (Browse Images) collections to the top, followed by the smallest record sets.
  • Last Update: One click brings the oldest collections to the top. A second click brings the newest collections to the top.

Explore Historical Images Collections (website only)

All collections in Explore Images have images that you can access freely from your home computer. Some include indexes. Others are image-only collections.

Steps

  1. Sign in to FamilySearch.
  2. Click Search and then click Images.
  3. Scroll to the section with the heading "New to Explore Images?"

You have 3 options:

  • Collection Title search field
    The title search field is not a way to see all record collections. But, if you know the title of a collection of interest, enter it in the search field. As you type, collection titles appear. Click the one you want to explore.
  • Help Me Find a Collection
    Help me find a collection guides you to a collection based on a place. It does not show all record collections. Follow the on-screen prompts.
  • Browse All Collections
    The full list of Collections in Explore Images appears.

To filter the list, in the upper right, click Filters. You can search by keyword; filter by life events; filter by place; or filter by dates.

The list defaults to a list view. The list view displays information about each collection:

  • The collection title
  • How many images are in the collection
  • For indexed collections, the percentage of the images that are indexed
  • Record types
  • The collection creator
  • A magnifying glass icon for the collections that are searchable

To switch to a grid view, in the upper right, click the 3x3 grid. The grid view shows each collection in a box with information:

  • The type of collection: image-only or indexed
  • The collection title
  • How many image groups are included in the collection
  • The percentage of the images that are indexed
  • A link to browse the images
  • If the collection is searchable, a magnifying glass icon

Search Tips for Historical Records
Search Instructions for Historical Records
How do I search all historical record collections at once?
How do I search historical records by place or by using the world map?
Find and search specific historical record collections
How do I find an image in an unindexed collection in Historical Records?
Getting the Most from Your Search: Understanding the Search Records Page

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