How do I upload memories to FamilySearch?

You can upload photos, audio files, or documents to FamilySearch Memories, either as a single item or as a group of items. You can also write your own story and add images to it.

Before you start

Carefully read the Submission Agreement.

Format and file size limits

• Documents: .plain and .pdf file formats up to 15 MB.
• Photos: .jpeg, .png, .tiff, and .bmp file formats up to 15 MB.
• Audio: .mpeg, .mp3, .wav, .x-wav, .mp4, .x-m4a and .ogg formats up to 15 MB.

Please be aware

• .pdf is the only supported file type that can include multiple pages.
• Edit a memory, such as cropping a photo, before uploading. After you upload an item, you cannot edit it.

Steps from Memories (website)

1. Sign in to FamilySearch.org.
2. In the menu bar at the top of the screen, click Memories.
3. Click Gallery.
4. Click the blue Add Memories button. You can upload files, write a memory, or record audio.
   
   • Upload: Drag and drop files from your device or click Select Files. Enter the title, description, place, and date. Click Continue. Choose your privacy settings and click Save Visibility. Choose to share with a Family Group. Click Done.
   • Write: Upload up to ten images from your device or from your Gallery. Enter a title, story, place, and date. Click Next. Choose your privacy settings and click Save Visibility. Choose to share with a Family Group. Click Done.
   • Record: Click the black microphone button to record your story as an audio file. You can record for up to 5 minutes for each audio memory. Click the black pause button to pause. Click the green checkmark icon to keep the audio or the red X icon to remove it and start over. Enter the title, description, place, and date. Click Continue. Choose your privacy settings and click Save Visibility. Choose to share with a Family Group. Click Done.
5. Memories are set as private by default. To make a story public, click on the memory to open it. Then, in the right panel, locate the Visibility section and click the pencil icon to change the visibility.
6. To tag others in your memories, see How do I tag memories of my ancestors or relatives in Family Tree?

Steps from the Person page (website)

1. Sign in to FamilySearch.org.
2. In the menu bar, click Family Tree. Then, click Tree.
3. Navigate to the ancestor you would like to add a memory about.
4. Click on their name. In the panel on the right, click Person to go to their record page.
5. Click the Memories tab.
6. Click the blue Add Memories button. You can upload files, write a memory, or record audio.
   
   • Upload: Drag and drop files from your device or click Select Files. Enter the title, description, place, and date. Click Continue. Choose your privacy settings and click Save Visibility. Choose to share with a Family Group. Click Done.
   • Write: Upload up to ten images from your device or from your Gallery. Enter a title, story, place, and date. Click Next. Choose your privacy settings and click Save Visibility. Choose to share with a Family Group. Click Done.
   • Record: Click the black microphone button to record your story as an audio file. You can record for up to 5 minutes for each audio memory. Click the black pause button to pause. Click the green checkmark icon to keep the audio or the red X icon to remove it and start over. Enter the title, description, place, and date. Click Continue. Choose your privacy settings and click Save Visibility. Choose to share with a Family Group. Click Done.
7. Memories are set as private by default. To make a story public, click on the memory to open it. Then, in the right panel, locate the Visibility section and click the pencil icon to change the visibility.
8. To tag others in your memories, see How do I tag memories of my ancestors or relatives in Family Tree?
   

Steps to upload multiple files or photos

Select Consecutive Files:

1. Find and click the first item.
2. Press down the Shift button on your keyboard.
3. With the Shift button pressed down, click the last item that you want to upload.
4. You see a list of attachments highlighted and ready to upload. Follow the prompts on the screen and upload the photos.

Select Non-Consecutive Files:

1. To select nonconsecutive photos from a folder, find and click the first photo.
2. Press and hold down the Control button (Ctrl).
3. With the Control button pressed down, click all the items that you want to upload. Then follow the prompts on the screen to upload.

Steps (Memories mobile app)

When you open the Memories app, you will view all of the memories in your Gallery.

1. Tap the plus sign (+) in the circle.
2. Tap Add Document or Add Photo.
3. Tap one of the following options:
   
   • Add Document: Take a picture of documents or upload files from your camera roll or files on your device.
   • Write Story: Add up to ten images, and enter the story title and content.
   • Add Audio: Record a new audio file or upload from the files on your device.
   • Add Photo: Take a picture with your camera or upload photos from your camera roll or files on your device.
4. Select the file you want to upload and tap Add. When you upload a single file or write a story, you have the option to change the visibility before it uploads. Memories are set as private by default. To change the visibility, tap the Only Me drop-down menu and tap Public to make the file visible to anyone. Or, you can share it with a Family Group by tapping on the group name below the visibility options.
5. To change the visibility of memories in your Gallery, tap the memory to open it. Tap the three dots and then tap Details. Choose the visibility you would like and tap Save.

Steps (Family Tree mobile app)

1. Tap Tree and navigate to the ancestor you would like to add a memory about. Tap on their name to open their record page.
2. Below their name, tap Memories.
3. Tap the plus sign icon (+).
4. Tap one of the following options:
   
   • Add Document: Take a picture of documents or upload files from your camera roll, files on your device, or memories from your FamilySearch Gallery.
   • Write Story: Add up to ten images, and enter the story title and content.
   • Add Audio: Record a new audio file or upload from the files on your device.
   • Add Photo: Take a picture with your camera or upload photos from your camera roll, files on your device, or photo memories from your FamilySearch Gallery.
5. Select the file you want to upload and tap Add. When you upload a single file or write a story, you have the option to change the visibility before it uploads. Memories are set as private by default. To change the visibility, tap the Only Me drop-down menu and tap Public to make the file visible to anyone. Or, you can share it with a Family Group by tapping on the group name below the visibility options.
6. To change the visibility of memories in your Gallery, tap the memory to open it. Tap the three dots and then tap Details. Choose the visibility you would like and tap Save.

Family Tree Lite

Currently, Family Tree Lite does not include the Memories feature. 

After you finish

If the colors display reversed (as negatives) in FamilySearch, please remove the photo. Convert it to a different file format and upload it again.

Tag each photo and document individually so it links to an individual in Family Tree. Add a title, event date, event place, and description so your memory item is easier to find. 

In Family Tree, a person's memories appear in the order they were added. You cannot change that order.

Related articles

How do I add or edit the title of a photo, story, document, or audio file?
Why isn't my photo or document uploaded yet?
How do I tag memories of my ancestors or relatives in Family Tree?
What rules apply to uploading memories to FamilySearch.org?

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