The new person page in Family Tree

Article Id: 19071
September 22, 2023

In Family Tree, the new person page contains a person's profile information.

Tips for adjusting to the new person page

Switch to the Details tab

When you open the new person page for the first time, the new About tab opens. Click the Details tab. From this point on, the Details tab will open by default when you open a person page. You can always use the Details tab and never return to the About tab if you so desire, though you may want to go there periodically to use Map feature.

Make the new person page look more like the old one

Make sure you are on the Details tab. Once there, use the new My Layout Settings to make the following changes:

  1. Find the Tools box, along the right side of the Details tab.
  2. Click My Layout Settings.
  3. Click Single Column. (Tip: Leave this option set to Double Column if you want to limit vertical scrolling.)
  4. In Section Order, click Brief Life History, and drag it to the top.
  5. Click the switch for High Contrast Mode.

Reduce vertical scrolling

To reduce vertical scrolling, turn the Details View and Show All Family Member switches to off:

  • Details View switches. In the Vitals and Other Information sections, turn off the Details View switch. If you turn the switches off, then the option remains off until you turn it back on. Turning the Details View switch on lets you see the reason statement plus details about the last change made.
  • Show All Family Members Switch. In the Family Members section, turn off the Show All Family Members switch. With this switch off, the children's names are hidden by default.

New features

The new person page has new features:

  • Sources side sheet You can view a person's sources from the Details tab. In the Tools section, click Sources. On the right, a new panel appears with sources.
  • Improved sourcing. You can tag sources to all types of information in the Vitals and Other Information sections.
  • My Layout Settings. You can reorganize the Details tab. To change the layout, click My Layout Settings in the Tools section.
    • Display the information in the Vitals and Other Information sections in one or two columns.
    • Change the order of the sections.
    • Turn on high contrast mode to make the details easier to read.
  • Alert notes. Each person in Family Tree can have one alert note. The note notifies other users about research notes or warnings. Users can read the notes before they edit the profile.
  • Other relationships. You can record relationships between people that are not direct parent-child or spouse relationships.
  • Improved filtering and layout of the Memories tab. Choose to sort by newest added, chronological, title, private, or public. In addition, you can sort in ascending or descending order. The sort determines the display on the Memories tab. After you click to view a memory item, you can use arrows to view the other memories. The system shows the memories to you in the order they were uploaded, regardless of how you choose to sort them on the screen.
  • About tab. To view a page with a compilation of information about the person, click the About tab.

Improved look and feel

The new person page has a simpler, easier-to-read layout that is more consistent with the rest of the site:

  • The Other Information section is better organized.
  • Improved contrast for easier reading.
  • Research suggestions with clear instructions.
  • The Life Sketch section was renamed and moved to the bottom. Use the life sketch for short life histories. Use alert notes for research notes and warnings. Use Memories for stories.
  • The time line and map are in the About tab and to the right of the Memories tab.

Can I return to the old version of the person page?

The toggle button to switch to the old page was turned off on 3 April 2023. The old person page is no longer available.

Questions and comments

  1. Go to the community group for the new person page
  2. Click Join or Sign in, if you have not previously Signed in.
  3. Click New Discussion.
  4. Enter your feedback. If you think you found a bug, provide details to allow us to reproduce the bug.

The old page was available for many months for testing and commenting. Many concerns and features users asked for were implemented during this time. We will continue improving the page as we move forward. Of special note are the needs expressed for a dark mode and other ways to make it easier to read.

Frequently asked questions about the new person page
What is the Other Relationships feature in Family Tree?
How do I give feedback to FamilySearch?

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