Add Memories of Your Loved One to FamilySearch

Sharing memories of loved ones who have passed away can be a very healing process. It is comforting to pull up your family tree on FamilySearch, click the name and memories tab of your loved one, and see your most treasured memories pop up. It also feels good to add those memories yourself and see how you have added to the tree and shared your love.

There are many ways to share memories of loved ones on FamilySearch. You can record your memories orally, write down your memories and upload them to FamilySearch, upload obituaries, or add photos. You can even add a funeral program or any other memorabilia you may have of your loved one, such as awards and certificates, or even special recipes.

When you add any variety of these remembrances, you have the option to keep them public for anyone to see, or you can even make them private.

Below, we will share quick tutorials on how to do all of these different options.

Getting Started

FamilySearch has a variety of file types that can be uploaded in Memories. They include images, audio, and documents. You can upload these through the Memories Gallery on the FamilySearch website, directly from your family tree, or using the Memories mobile app. Instructions for all 3 will be given here.

Note: Before starting to upload an item, it’s important to read the submission agreement. This tells you how your uploads might be displayed and other important information.

Upload Memories Using Your Gallery on FamilySearch:

1. Go to the header on FamilySearch.org, and click Memories. Then from the drop-down, choose Gallery.
2. Sign in, or create a FamilySearch account (it's free!). 
3. Once you are in your Memories gallery, in the green circle, click the plus sign (+).
4. Drag and drop content from your computer to the screen, or to select the file on your computer, click Choose Files.

Upload Memories from Your Loved One’s Page in the Family Tree:

1. Go to the Family Tree on FamilySearch.org, and find your family members in your tree view. (If you have not added them to the Family Tree yet, it’s easy! Find instructions here.)
2. Click on your loved one’s name and then, from the pop-up, click on the name again to open up the full page.
   

   

3. To add your memories, click the Memories tab.
   

   

4. Click either Upload Photo or Upload document, and select the file from your computer. 
5. To add an item to your loved one’s page that you have already uploaded, click Select from Gallery. 

To upload multiple photos at the same time, find the instructions here.

Upload Memories Using the Mobile Apps:

You can upload memories from both the Memories mobile app and the Family Tree mobile app. Here is how you do it from the Memories mobile app:

1. Tap the plus sign (+) in the circle. 
2. Tap Add Document or Add Photo. 
3. Choose between 2 options:
   
   1. Select a file from your device, and tap Upload. 
   2. Use the camera feature to capture the content. Edit the photo, and tap Save. 

Here's how you do it from the Family Tree mobile app:

1. Tap on an individual to open the person detail page.
2. Tap Memories.
   
   1. Tap the plus sign icon (+).
   2. Tap Add Document or Add Photo.
   3. Choose between 2 different options:
      
      1. Select a file from your device, and tap Upload.
      2. Use the camera feature to capture the content. Edit the photo, and tap Save.

The Memories App Helps You Record and Upload Right in the Moment, Wherever You Are

When you upload memories of your loved ones on the mobile app, the uploaded item will also show up in the web version of your memories. One of the best features in this app, however, is the ability to upload oral history recordings in real time. All you do is open the app, log in, and click the plus sign in the right corner. Choose the add audio icon, and a screen comes up asking you to choose a topic—or you can also click Begin Recording to record freely about whatever you like.

This is the part where you would choose to talk about your loved ones. You can share a short story about them, you can share something they have written or any memory you choose. You have 5 minutes to record that memory and then save it with whatever title you choose. Once you have done that, you can then attach it to their memories tab by clicking on the recording and tagging them.

You can also click on a photo of your loved one and add an audio narration.

On the Memories app, pictures can be uploaded from Facebook, Instagram, or your own photo gallery. This is a great way to help process grief when you may feel down and have a few minutes to scroll through photos — adding them to your memories app makes it so others can see the photos and puts them all in one place for you to view and enjoy too.

Learn more about the Memories app here.

Bookmark Your Memories, Make Certain Memories Private, and Add Details

You can also bookmark your favorite memories of your loved ones through the Memories app or Memories tab so you can get to your loved ones’ page easily and quickly. Learn how to do that here.

There may also be some memories you want to make private for a length of time until you feel ready to share them. On your desktop, the process is simple.  You can right-click on an image and a menu will come up with a list of options—just click the Make Private option from the menu. Learn more about making memories private here.

One of the best ways to keep track of your memories, whether public or private, is to tag your loved ones in the photo so it can be saved to their Memories pages in the Family Tree too. When a memory is public, this allows other people to enjoy the memory as well. Tagging the people you can identify in the photo will help you keep track of who was who, and will also help make the memory more meaningful for others who might see it when they browse the Family Tree.

Another option available in Memories is to add a description to each photo. You can give extra details about what is happening in the image, share fun stories related to the image, or write about what the photo means to you.

Make a Slideshow of Your Loved One

Many people enjoy the option of making a slideshow using the memories of loved ones. This is a great feature found on the Memories tab or Memories app. On the Memories tab of your loved one, choose the album you would like to use to create your slideshow, and the different photos or memories will come up for you to put your slides in the order you would like. You can also share those slideshows! Click here to learn more.

As you can see, there are many ways to add memories and share the life of your loved one. Taking a few moments to look through your memories on the Memories app or Memories tab on our website will help you remember your loved one fondly and help you recall special moments you had with your loved ones.