Download PhotoFamilySearch International’s plans for 2025 include new artificial intelligence applications, more access to the world’s genealogical records, more digital books, new collaborative family tree features, the new Together mobile app, and RootsTech 2025, the world’s largest family history conference.
FamilySearch Artificial Intelligence
FamilySearch has been busy building its artificial intelligence (AI) technology to read old handwriting in more languages and improve its ability to suggest lineage-linked data from records. All these opportunities will create greater search capabilities and more family discoveries for more FamilySearch patrons worldwide.
Full-text Search
At RootsTech 2024, FamilySearch provided a sneak peek at how its AI is unlocking incredible discoveries hidden in unindexed, handwritten historical records that have never been searchable before now. Leveraging its state-of-the-art AI-powered handwriting recognition technology, FamilySearch can convert an image of historical text into a machine-readable text format that gives patrons the ability to search the full text of a record—before it has been indexed by online volunteers. FamilySearch Full-text Search will introduce more exciting advancements to the record search experience in 2025, adding full-text search capability to many more record collections. Interested patrons can test Full-text Search now in FamilySearch Labs.
FamilySearch Get Involved and Computer-Assisted Indexing
FamilySearch AI will expand computer-assisted indexing algorithms to index more historical genealogical records than ever before—and more quickly. FamilySearch’s Get Involved web and mobile app will make it easier and even more fun for volunteers to refine the work of the handwriting recognition AI, yielding unprecedented volumes of searchable records and new ancestor discoveries.
More Genealogy Records
FamilySearch has worked with archivists from more than 160 countries to help make genealogical records more accessible online. In 2025, FamilySearch will make significant strides to expand record collections for France, Germany, Honduras, Italy, Palau, and the Philippines.
FamilySearch will continue to publish the millions of oral genealogies it has gathered by conducting in-person interviews with tribal leaders from 25 African countries. It will also be expanding this effort to other oral genealogy cultures on other continents. FamilySearch uses its tree and search technology to build searchable family tree databases from the oral genealogies gathered, making them searchable online for the first time ever. Users will be able to search by tribe, village, or surname and get instant access to audio recordings and lineages that were captured during the interviews.
More Digital Books
FamilySearch will continue to work with societies and libraries to digitize historical genealogical books, which will be accessible for free online in its Digital Library. These digitized publications are full-text searchable and include genealogy books, family histories, local histories, maps, yearbooks and more. The library currently has over 600,000 digitized, searchable books and serials.
Exciting New Tree Features
The FamilySearch Family Tree will become even more collaborative in 2025 with the fully launched, time-saving Family Groups feature. Patrons will be able to create private groups of living family members who have a FamilySearch account to efficiently share collective family history information—photos, stories, sources, and memories. Group participants won’t have to reenter their living information to join the collaborative efforts. Patrons’ life’s work and family legacy will then be preserved for future generations.
Together by FamilySearch
FamilySearch 2025
FamilySearch’s new mobile and web app, Together, helps families make, share and record memories. Photo is a screenshot from the Apple App Store.© 2025 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.FamilySearch’s fun new mobile and web app, Together, is the perfect way to capture the most important moments in life and build stronger family connections as families make, share, and remember unforgettable memories together. The content is suitable for all ages, young and old. Patrons can create their life story as they experience it or later as they find themselves reminiscing. Patrons can also create family groups and invite select family members to help capture impactful life stories, memorable family events, traditions, favorite foods, hobbies, interests, friends, holidays, vacations, and so on. The built-in prompts are generous — remaining relevant throughout different life stages. Download Together by FamilySearch today on Google Play and the App Store.
RootsTech 2025 — A World Family Celebration
RootsTech is FamilySearch’s popular global online family history event that is enhanced by a vibrant in-person experience in Salt Lake City, Utah, March 6–8, 2025. Millions of participants will enjoy hundreds of classes, localized experiences, and interacting with presenters, exhibitors, and other virtual and in-person attendees through an e-chat feature online and in the mobile app.
Updates to the website’s search algorithms will take you on a suggested journey of content based on your language and search queries. RootsTech is also a wonderful way to meet new relatives worldwide, make new family discoveries, learn helpful tips for expanding your family tree, explore innovative new products and services, and be inspired by wonderful keynotes and speakers.
The online event is completely free, and the in-person Salt Lake City event is only $129 for the 3-day event at the Salt Palace Convention Center or $79 for a 1-day pass. Registration is now open, and patrons can begin creating their personal session schedule at RootsTech.org later this month.
FamilySearch Labs
Individuals who love keeping up with the pulse of what’s new and upcoming will want to visit FamilySearch Labs regularly. Some of the new experiences and features coming in 2025 are already available in Labs for user testing. Interested users can inquire to be early testers of these experiences to help FamilySearch maximize their effectiveness.
Join FamilySearch in 2025
FamilySearch invites patrons to join its growing global community in 2025 and use its services often to make more meaningful family discoveries. Subscribe to or visit the FamilySearch Newsroom and FamilySearch Blog to keep up with the latest updates.
