How to Build a Family Tree Online (Free, in Under 30 Minutes)

Building a family tree used to mean stacks of paper, handwritten charts pinned to walls, and long phone calls to elderly relatives. Today you can do all of it in a browser — for free — and share the result with your entire family in seconds.

This guide walks you through building your first family tree online using Rootleaves, a free genealogy app that stores your family data in a graph database so every connection is always accurate.

What you need

• A free Rootleaves account (email or Google sign-in)
• 20–30 minutes of uninterrupted time
• Names, birth dates, or GEDCOM files you already have (optional — you can start with just yourself)

Step 1 — Create your free account

Go to rootleaves.com and click “I’m new here”. You can sign up with email or continue with Google. Email accounts require a one-click verification; Google accounts are instant.

Once verified, you land directly in the app — no credit card, no trial period.

Step 2 — Create a new family tree

Click + New Tree and give it a name (e.g. “Shah Family” or “Mom’s Side”). You can create as many trees as you want — one for each branch of the family, or one combined tree.

Step 3 — Add yourself

Every tree starts with a single person card. Click the + button to add your first person:

• First name, last name
• Date of birth (approximate is fine — “circa 1985” works)
• Gender
• Any other details you have: location, email, a short bio

Click Save. You’ll see your card appear in the tree view.

Step 4 — Add your parents

Click the Add parent button on your card. A new person form opens — fill in your parent’s details. Repeat for the second parent. Rootleaves automatically draws the connecting line and places the generation above yours.

Tip: You don’t need complete information. A first name and approximate birth year is enough to get started. You can always come back and add more.

Step 5 — Expand outward

Work generation by generation:

1. Add siblings by clicking ”+ Add sibling” on any person card
2. Add grandparents the same way you added parents
3. Add children and spouses using the controls on each card

The tree redraws itself automatically. No dragging, no alignment work.

Step 6 — Invite family members to collaborate

Go to the Share button (top right when viewing a tree). Enter a family member’s email and choose their role:

• Editor — can add and edit people
• Viewer — read-only access

They’ll receive an invitation email and can join for free. Multiple people can work on the same tree simultaneously.

Step 7 — Import existing data (optional)

If you already have a family tree in Ancestry, MyHeritage, FamilySearch, or any other app, you can export it as a GEDCOM file and import it into Rootleaves in one click — preserving all names, dates, relationships, and notes.

Click the Import button in the tree menu and upload your .ged file. Rootleaves will preview all the people before importing so you can review for errors.

Common questions

Is Rootleaves really free?
Yes. No subscription, no per-person limit, no paywall on collaboration features.

Can I use it on my phone?
Rootleaves works in any modern browser including mobile Safari and Chrome. A dedicated mobile app is on the roadmap.

Is my data private?
Your family tree is visible only to you and the people you explicitly invite. Rootleaves never sells or shares your data.

What if I make a mistake?
Every person card has an Edit and Delete option. Removing a person removes all their relationships from the tree.

The 30-minute challenge

Most users are surprised by how quickly a tree comes together once you start. Here’s a realistic 30-minute plan:

By the end you’ll have 10–20 people in your tree and a clear visual picture of two to three generations.

Ready to start? Create your free Rootleaves account →