Technology – The Family History Guide Blog

October 31, 2026

Options for Using Other Family Trees

Note: This article was published previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. The genealogical landscape is populated by a great number of different genealogical resources and genealogical programs. It is extremely difficult to even begin to estimate the total number of active genealogical tree programs. A good sample of the programs available can be found in FamilySearch.org Solutions Gallery. The solutions...

Research/Technology Comments: 0

July 11, 2026

Keep or throw away: the challenge of genealogical documents and photos

Note: This article was published previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. This may not be obvious, but it is a generated image and it does bear a significant relationship to the recent status of the boxes in my basement. The past few weeks, various members of my family have come and “assisted” us in working through the piles of boxes in...

Memories/Technology

June 22, 2026

Guided Learning Videos for U.S. States

Over the past week we have added 10 new Guided Learning videos, each focused on basic research in an individual U.S. state. We plan to complete the series for all 50 states in the next few weeks. Below is the list of new videos. You can also find them in Part E of the Guided Learning page, in the Research...

Learning/Technology/U.S. Research

June 14, 2026

How to Improve Any Prompt

Note: This article appeared previously in the Genealogy’s Star blog site. A fundamental part of mastering communication with AI chatbots (subsequently AI) involves learning how to structure and write effective prompts. To develop this ability it is important to understand that the AI can help you draft an initial prompt on a specific subject and also refine and improve your...

artificial intelligence/Research/Technology

April 4, 2026

Precision Inquiry: The real core of using AI for research

Note: This article appeared previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. When the current wave of generative AI came out, the main draw seemed to be the Natural Language Interface (NLI). The NLI is not Voice Recognition. Voice Recognition is the “ears” (turning sound into text), while a Natural Language Interface (NLI) is the “brain” (understanding what that text actually means)....

artificial intelligence/Research/Technology

October 12, 2025

Finding Records Lost Online in the AI Universe

Note: This article was published previously in the Genealogy’s Star blog site. FamilySearch.org‘s Full-text Search capability is an overwhelming change to way genealogical searches are conducted and may well modify or replace any current way of searching historical documents. At the heart of using a previously unavailable tool for genealogical research is an artificial intelligence supported handwriting recognition. Currently, the...

artificial intelligence/Country Research/Research/Technology

September 28, 2025

Full-Text Search and FamilySearch Records

At the end of August, FamilySearch released full-text search as a feature on their main website. In a nutshell, full-text search enables you to search for keywords in the actual text of the record, even if the record has not yet been indexed. Previously, unindexed records could be quite difficult to work with due to large amounts of scrolling or...

artificial intelligence/FamilySearch/Technology/What is new at The FHG

September 21, 2025

Exploring the Family Circles Diagram

Recently we learned about a new type of free online family tree diagram, authored by Michael Fagan. This diagram is unlike traditional ancestor and descendant diagrams: it uses a circular approach to show and print your relatives, from living back to deceased ancestors. The website is called Family Circles, at https://faganm.com/diagram. To make a family circle diagram, you supply a GEDCOM...

Technology

September 14, 2025

Learning about Chrome Flex OS

Chrome Flex OS is a lightweight operating system from Google that can give new life to older computers. It’s oriented towards streaming and internet browsing, and so it doesn’t have a lot of the storage and processing capabilities included with the Windows or Mac OS. However, Chrome Flex OS can be an attractive alternative for users who may not be...

Technology

August 4, 2025

The FamilySearch Together App

Recently FamilySearch introduced the Together app on its website. Here’s a brief description from a FamilySearch Help Center article: “Together by FamilySearch is an exciting new way for youth to connect with their parents, grandparents, and other family members. Users will find ways to develop stronger family bonds and create lasting memories through interactive games and activities.” Here are the...

Family History Activities/FamilySearch/Technology

The Family History Guide Blog

Category: Technology