Support

Quick help

• Your family tree is stored on your device
• Back up your tree
• Importing a GEDCOM file
• FolioTree is stuck or won’t load
• Photos and camera
• Web browser help
• Contact support
• Privacy

Your family tree is stored on your device

FolioTree is a genealogy app. There is no FolioTree user account and no FolioTree cloud database. Your people, relationships, media, and related information are stored on the device where you use the app—in browser storage on the web, or in the Android app’s local storage.

FolioTree cannot remotely inspect, fix, or recover a tree that exists only on your device. Moving to a new phone, another browser, or clearing application data without a backup can mean losing access to that local copy. Exports and backups are how you protect and move your work.

Use FolioTree in your browser at app.foliotree.co.uk, or install the Android app when it is available for your device.

Back up your tree

Because FolioTree does not store your tree on our servers, regular backups are important. If data is deleted on your device and you have no backup, FolioTree cannot restore it for you.

In the app, open Settings and use the Data & Backup section:

• Download backup — saves a FolioTree backup file (ZIP) to a location you choose. This is the most complete way to capture your tree, media, and app data for recovery on the same or another device running FolioTree.
• Restore backup — loads a FolioTree backup you previously saved. Follow the on-screen steps carefully; restoring can replace or add trees depending on your options.

Export GEDCOM (under GEDCOM in Settings) is also useful for sharing or opening your tree in other genealogy software. A GEDCOM export may not include everything a FolioTree backup does; keep both types of copy if you rely on FolioTree-specific features or media.

Importing a GEDCOM file

FolioTree can import standard GEDCOM files. The import runs on your device and loads genealogy locally—it is not uploaded to FolioTree as a hosted service.

• To start a new tree from a file, open Settings, find the Family Tree (or Family Trees) section, and choose Import GEDCOM.
• To replace the current tree’s contents from a GEDCOM file, use Replace from GEDCOM in the GEDCOM section. This is destructive for the current tree; export a backup or GEDCOM first if you might need the previous version.

Large files can take longer to import; wait for the progress indicators to finish. If an import fails repeatedly, contact support with what you were doing and any error message shown. Please do not email GEDCOM files or other genealogy content—FolioTree support will not ask for them.

FolioTree is stuck or won’t load

Try these steps first—they are designed to recover loading problems without deleting your family tree:

• If FolioTree is opening a large tree, wait a little longer. You may see a message that larger trees can take a while.
• If loading takes longer than expected, use Try again or Repair FolioTree when those buttons appear. Repair resets temporary app state and reloads; your family trees, photos, and research tasks stay on the device.
• Open Settings → Troubleshooting and choose Repair FolioTree if you can reach Settings. The button explains that it fixes display and loading problems without deleting your family trees, photos, or research tasks.
• Close and reopen the browser tab or Android app, or restart your device, then try again.

If a problem persists, make or confirm you have a recent backup before considering any step that clears site data, clears app storage, uninstalls the app, or otherwise removes FolioTree’s data from your device—those actions can permanently remove locally stored genealogy information.

Photos and camera

You can attach photos and other media to people in your tree. Media is stored on your device with your tree; FolioTree does not receive or store copies.

On Android, the camera is optional and only used when you choose to take a photo for genealogy media. If the camera was denied, allow camera access for FolioTree in your device’s app permission settings, then try again. You can also pick existing photos or files where the app offers that choice.

On the web, use your browser’s file picker to add images from your computer or device.

Web browser help

The FolioTree web app at app.foliotree.co.uk is developed and tested mainly in current Chromium-based browsers such as Google Chrome. Other modern browsers, including Safari, may work but receive less testing.

You need a network connection to load the web app the first time in a session; after that, much of your work uses data already stored in the browser. We do not guarantee every offline scenario on the web.

The installed Android app keeps your genealogy data on the device and does not depend on a FolioTree genealogy server for day-to-day editing once the app is installed.

Contact support

Contact FolioTree support by email. FolioTree is provided by FolioTree Limited, a company registered in England and Wales. We do not operate a separate support desk or ticketing portal—messages go to our support team.

It helps if you include:

• whether you are using Android or the web app;
• browser name and version, or Android device model, if relevant;
• what you were trying to do;
• what happened instead;
• any on-screen error message;
• whether you can make the problem happen again.

Please do not send genealogy databases, GEDCOM files, FolioTree backup ZIPs, photos, or other sensitive family information to FolioTree support. FolioTree support will not ask you to send these files. FolioTree has no user accounts—do not send passwords.

We have not published a guaranteed response time; we will read genuine support messages as we are able.

Privacy

How FolioTree handles information is explained in our Privacy Policy. For privacy-specific questions, privacy enquiries.