In Family Tree, you can correct the name, sex, or event information for a person, regardless of whether you added it.
Family Tree is an open, collaborative environment. Your change shows in a change history, along with your Contact ID and a means to contact you. Any user, including you, can reverse changes.
Before you start
- Focus on accuracy. Make changes that make the person's profile more correct.
- Be prepared to explain your changes, and, when possible, attach sources.
- Consider contacting the user who made the last change before you make a correction. To find contact information, click the user's name, and then click Message.
- Other Family Tree users could be following this profile. (You can see how many are following when you make your correction.) Users who follow the profile receive a Family Tree notification when you make a change. Other users can contact you to discuss your change.
Steps (website)
- Sign in to FamilySearch, and click Family Tree. Then click Tree.
- Find the person that you want to enhance.
- Click the person's name. In the details that pop up, click the person's name again.
- Click the Details tab.
- Beside the information you want to change, click the Edit icon .
- Review the sources and reason statement. Continue only if your change makes the information more accurate.
- When editing a name, choose the appropriate language in the field above the name fields.
- Make your changes.
- If the option is available to delete information, the Delete button appears on the left side. Scroll to find it.
- If you change a date or place, select a standardized date or place. If no matching standard is available, select exactly what you typed.
- Enter a reason statement. Explain why the information is correct. If the existing reasoning is applicable, leave the existing explanation, and add your own comments.
- Click Save.
We recommend that you refresh the web page after you save changes.
Steps (mobile app)
- Navigate to the Person page of the individual whose information that you want to correct.
- Tap Details.
- In the Vitals section, tap the information that you want to change.
- Tap Edit.
- Review the sources and reason statement. Continue only if your change makes the information more accurate.
- Edit the information.
- If you are able to delete the information, you see a Delete option at the bottom.
- Enter a reason statement. Explain why the information is correct. If the existing reasoning is applicable, leave the existing explanation, and add your own comments.
- Tap Save.
Steps (Family Tree Lite)
- On the Family screen, tap the name of the person whose information you want to correct.
- Tap the information that you want to change, and tap Edit.
- Review the reason statement. Continue only if your change makes the information more accurate.
- Edit the information.
- If you are able to delete the information, you see a Delete option at the bottom.
- Enter a reason statement. Explain why the information is correct. If the existing reasoning is applicable, leave the existing explanation, and add your own comments.
- Tap Save.
After you finish
Whenever possible, attach sources to show where you found your information.
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