Error messages can be caused by several reasons, such as a web browser that is not supported or needs to be updated. Some problems can be cleared up or avoided by using a different browser or by clearing your browser history. We recommend trying the suggestions below before contacting Support. If the problem persists, contact FamilySearch Support.
Make sure you are using a supported browser. FamilySearch tends to favor Chrome but all of the major browsers are supported. Issues that only affect Internet Explorer 11 will not be fixed unless found to be broken on other supported browsers as well.
Closing your browser and opening it again will usually update it.
To see if your browser is on the latest version:
- Chrome: Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the browser.
- Click Help and choose About Google Chrome. A new tab will open and Chrome will search for available updates, or let you know that your browser is up to date. If an update is available, you will need to restart Chrome after the installation.
- Firefox: Click on Firefox in the menu bar and choose About Firefox. A window will open and Firefox will search for available updates, or let you know that your browser is up to date. If an update is available, you will need to restart Firefox after the installation.
Clearing your browser history can have a positive affect on how FamilySearch runs.
- Shortcut: While in your browser, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+Delete (Mac).
- Manually: For Chrome, click the three vertical dots, click More Tools, then click Clear Browser History. For Firefox, click the Library icon, click History, then click Clear Recent History.
Some other things you might try:
- Restart your computer
- Try a different browser
- Return the current indexing batch and try opening another.