Why this exists
You’re working through a box of inherited photos. Most of the people in them are gone. Even when you can name a face, typing every relative’s name into the archive one by one is tedious, and the further back you go, the harder it gets to remember who’s who.
If you (or someone in your family) already keeps a tree on Ancestry, MyHeritage, FamilySearch, RootsMagic, Family Tree Maker, Gramps, or FamilyEcho, that work is already done. Import it so names suggest while you scan — not because Nostalgia needs a complete genealogy. Your existing tree populates People records, and the archive ranks photo matches you can confirm or reject.
Nostalgia is the photo archive, the place where the actual images live, get repaired, and get passed down. The tree is ranking fuel, not a prerequisite. If you don’t have one, you don’t need to build one to use Nostalgia; People still works without it. This guide is for archivists who already have a tree and want names to suggest during an album session.
The crucial design constraint: import is read-only. We parse your tree to populate Nostalgia, but we never push changes back. Your tree platform remains the source of truth.
Platforms supported by GEDCOM import
The standard GEDCOM format is supported by every major genealogy platform. Here’s what to expect from each:
| Platform | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ancestry | GEDCOM (.ged) | Export from Tools → Trees → Tree Settings → Export Tree. |
| MyHeritage | GEDCOM (.ged) | Export from MyHeritage Family Trees → My Trees → Export to GEDCOM. |
| FamilySearch | GEDCOM (.ged) | Use the FamilySearch Solutions Gallery, where third-party tools (e.g. RootsMagic) export GEDCOM from FamilySearch trees. |
| RootsMagic | GEDCOM (.ged) | Built-in GEDCOM export. Reliable round-trip with Ancestry and FamilySearch. |
| Family Tree Maker | GEDCOM (.ged) | Export from File → Export. Choose GEDCOM 5.5 or 5.5.1. |
| Gramps | GEDCOM (.ged), GEDZIP (.gedz) | Open-source, robust GEDCOM export. GEDZIP includes media references. |
| FamilyEcho | GEDCOM (.ged), FamilyScript (.fs) | Export from File → Save / Print. FamilyScript carries more metadata than standard GEDCOM. |
Export from Tools → Trees → Tree Settings → Export Tree.
Export from MyHeritage Family Trees → My Trees → Export to GEDCOM.
Use the FamilySearch Solutions Gallery, where third-party tools (e.g. RootsMagic) export GEDCOM from FamilySearch trees.
Built-in GEDCOM export. Reliable round-trip with Ancestry and FamilySearch.
Export from File → Export. Choose GEDCOM 5.5 or 5.5.1.
Open-source, robust GEDCOM export. GEDZIP includes media references.
Export from File → Save / Print. FamilyScript carries more metadata than standard GEDCOM.
If your platform isn’t listed but supports GEDCOM export, it should work. We keep compatibility notes current as we test against real exports.
How it works
- 11. Export GEDCOM from your tree platform
Most major platforms support standard GEDCOM (.ged) export. The file is a structured text format containing person records, relationships, dates, and places.
- 22. Drop the file into Nostalgia (web)
Read-only import: we parse your tree to populate person records inside Nostalgia, but we don't modify or sync changes back to your tree platform. You stay the source of truth.
- 33. We suggest photo-to-person matches
Once the tree is imported, the archive cross-references your photos against your tree by name, era, and birth/death window. Suggested matches show up as 'is this Grandma Eleanor?' prompts you can confirm or reject.
- 44. Confirmed matches sync to your archive
Person records become permanent in your private Archive. Photos linked to a person show up everywhere they appear. New photos added later get suggested against the same tree automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Will my tree platform see my Nostalgia data?
No. Import is read-only. Nostalgia parses your GEDCOM file but doesn't push anything back to Ancestry, MyHeritage, FamilySearch, or any other platform. Your tree stays where it is.
What if I update my tree later?
Re-export and re-upload. Review the new import preview before confirming changes, and check the resulting people and relationships. Keep your source tree as the authoritative copy; this is not automatic two-way synchronization.
Will my photos get uploaded to my tree?
Only if you explicitly export them and upload them yourself. Nostalgia doesn't auto-publish anything. The privacy model is symmetric: read-only in, manual out.
Does this require a paid plan?
Family tree import runs in the web app, for larger archives. Current plan availability and limits are shown in the app and on Pricing. The free tier still works without tree import, keeps free private links, and includes one free Family Vault.
What about platforms that don't export standard GEDCOM?
Most do. For platforms that use a proprietary format, third-party converters (FamilySearch Solutions Gallery, GEDCOM converters) are widely available. We'll publish a list as we test compatibility.
When will this ship?
Read-only tree import is available as a web-first archive workflow. Keep larger imports on web so you can preview, commit, and review suggestions carefully.
Before you import a tree
You can still build a serious archive in Nostalgia without a tree. People tagging works from confirmed face suggestions and manual tags, letting you record names, dates, places, and stories alongside the image.
When you import later, existing People records can be matched against the staged tree without losing the confirmed photo connections you’ve already built.
- For Family Historians: the full overview of how Nostalgia fits alongside genealogy work.
- Organizing inherited photos: the album-session playbook — tree import is optional step 1b, never a gate.
If you already keep a tree, import it on web
Optional prep before a scanning weekend. Start with a GEDCOM, GEDZIP, or FamilyEcho FamilyScript export. Nostalgia stages the people and suggestions for review before anything is committed. You can still start with one photo if you do not have a tree.