MacFamilyTree 10 is an attractive and innovative genealogical software suite. It is a great choice for users around the world because of its many language options. Also, it gives Mac users the same tools that are often limited to Windows users. In this review, we’ll take a look at the features of this application and see how it can help you build your family tree.
What’s New in Version 10?
MacFamilyTree 10 was completely reworked to meet the needs of family historians. It features many new tools and a new, easier-to-use interface. The look is modern and sleek, as well as simple to navigate. Additionally, you can enable dark and light modes, color code, and enable or disable tools all from one page.
Editing is based on lists. When you select a person from a list, you can fill in a profile form to record details about their life. If you have a long record or a great deal of information to document, speech-to-text features are available. This helps limit the entry time and records your impressions of the document as you see it.
You can also decide how you want these profiles to display. If you wish to view only a specific event, you can choose to do this and decide where on the screen to display it. Additionally, you can show a whole set of forms if you need to edit, allowing for a large scale view of facts and details.
MacFamilyTree 10 contains three innovative tree views. The first, Interactive Tree, is a 3D view that allows camera panning. Additionally, it features more efficient numbering of ancestors and attractive lighting modes. Supported referencing systems include Henry, D’Aboville, and Kekulé/Sosa. The Interactive Tree view also provides a more descriptive view of ancestors using symbols and colors.
In the Virtual Tree view, complex relationships are effectively displayed. The Virtual Tree shows people according to their relationships, building a web. This feature allows you to easily breakdown difficult linkages and determine how relatives connect to one another.
Finally, the Person Groups view shows people who match specific criteria. For example, you can make a group for a family line or place. Similar in look to the Interactive Tree view, it allows you to seperate families groups out. Thus, you can better examine these groups in greater detail.
The Virtual Globe feature allows you to view when and where an event took place or to track migration patterns. You can scan documents into the program using your iPhone or iPad. These, in turn, can be saved to the Cloud along with the rest of your research.
MacFamilyTree 10 also supports the import of GEDCOM files, as well as the use of templates for citations. These templates are customizable. You are able to create new templates as you need them. Additionally, lists of contacts can be recorded in the software.
Core Features
MacFamilyTree is a great choice for Mac users both domestically and across the world. It allows you to search for records and to share them. This is accomplished using the Cloud Tree Sync&Share Feature, which uploads work to the Cloud for others to view.
To use this feature, all users will need to have MacFamilyTree 10 installed on a device. You can invite users to view the data stored in the Cloud. You can even make the tree read only or allow others to add edits.
You also have a wide variety of choices when it comes to using media. MacFamilyTree supports video and photographic media. It also allows for the enhancement and colorization of photographs.
With MacFamilyTree, you can create a wide variety of colorful and attractive charts. These include hourglass, ancestry, double ancestry, name distribution, fan, and kinship charts. These charts are fully customizable and editable. You can print them as multi-page documents or as keepsake wallpapers.
Reports can be published in a total of 16 languages, providing greater sharing ability. You can generate reports on individuals and events, places, lists of birthdays and anniversaries, and timelines. Uniquely, if you are working with international genealogy and would like to add a coat of arms to your reports, you have the ability to do so.
The Family Statistics feature lets you view patterns in your family. This is especially helpful for medical research, as you can track death age and time from marriage to first birth. Additionally, if you are doing demographic research, you can track elements such as name distribution. Smart Filters allow you to create complex criteria to search for individuals in your tree. This is a powerful tool for organizing and compartmentalizing your research.
You can also store DNA test data in the program. This function is currently under further development.
Compatibility
MacFamilyTree 10 is specifically designed for Mac users. To use this software, you will need Mac OS 10.15 Catalina or higher. MacOS Big Sur and MacOS Monterey also work with MacFamilyTree 10.
This software also works with M-1 based Macs and supports 16 languages. These include German, Chinese, Polish, and Czech.
Mobile versions of the software are also available for iPhone and iPad. Called MobileFamilyTree, they contain the same features as the desktop or laptop version. If you are purchasing the app, you will need OS 14 or later.
MobileFamilyTree will run on iPhone 11, 12, and 13, as well as iPad Pro.
How Much Does It Cost?
MacFamilyTree 10 is exclusively available for download through the Apple AppStore. Usually priced at $69.99, it is currently available for $39.99. A free demo is available through Synium Software’s website, the software’s parent company.
The mobile app is available for $14.99, down from its usual price of $29.99. Like the desktop or laptop version, it is exclusively available for download in the Apple AppStore.
Does It Sync with Ancestry?
MacFamilyTree 10 does not sync with Ancestry. With a registration fee, though, you can search records on FamilySearch. Additionally, you can add documents you find with citations for deceased persons using your device’s camera.
If you choose to use FamilySearch with MacFamilyTree 10, you can keep your tree private and add records. Conversely, you can upload your tree to FamilySearch to crowdsource what you know.
FAQs
Getting started with MacFamilyTree 10 is easy. You can upload a GEDCOM file or start with a new tree file by entering information about yourself. You can then add relatives to your first generation, building connections as you go. You can also add media to each person.
Publishing is also simple. Using the Publish option in the software, you can create a family website in a number of languages. You can even choose themes, a logo, or customize how information is displayed. Best of all, websites are private until published and can be password protected. You can also publish a family history book by exporting your family data as a .PDF file and working with them in a design program. Using this feature, you can create a beautiful family keepsake.
If you are a previous user of MacFamilyTree 9, you can still use this data in the current version. Just export the previous data to your hard drive, you will be able to open it in MacFamilyTree 10. You will then be able to view and edit it without difficulty.
Final Thoughts
Capitalizing on Apple’s strong track record with design, MacFamilyTree 10 is a powerful set of tools that truly bring family history to life. It is colorful and attractive, taking the needs of Mac users into account and positioning itself well in a global market.
