Managing People in Networks

This article is to help you manage people in networks. For help with something else, select what you want to do: 


When changes are made to people in a network, those changes are  also made in the connected family tree. For example, if you add someone new through networks, they’ll be added to the network and its linked tree. Remember, networks are private, but family tree information follows the tree’s privacy settings.

Adding people

Anyone, living or deceased, in a connected family tree can be added to a network, and there’s no limit on how many people can be included. People can also be part of multiple networks.

  1. Go to the network and select the People tab.
  2. Click Add person.
  3. Choose someone from your linked tree or add a new person.
    • To choose someone from your linked tree: Click Choose someone from your tree, enter their name and select it when it appears, then click Save.
    • To add a new person: Click + Add new person, enter their information, and click Save. They'll be added to this network and your linked tree. 

Editing people

  1. Go to the network and select the People tab. 
  2. Find the person you want to edit and click their name. This will open their profile in the linked tree. 
  3. On their profile, make any desired changes. They’ll automatically be reflected in the tree and network(s) they’re in. 

Removing and deleting people

Removing a person from the network keeps them in your tree but removes them from the network. Deleting a person from your tree removes them from the tree, network, and any other networks linked to that tree.

  1. Go to the network and select the People tab.
  2. Find the person you want to remove.
  3. In their section, click Tools and select Remove from network. They’ll be removed from this network.
  4. (Optional) If you also want to remove them from your tree, follow the steps in Deleting People from a Tree. Deleting someone from a tree will remove them from all networks they’re part of.
     

Frequently asked questions

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Which trees can I use networks with?


Networks can only be used with trees you own. If you don’t have one, create a family tree.

Who can see my networks and their details?


Only you can see and edit your networks. However, when you add people and media to your networks, they’re also added to the linked family tree and its gallery. People and media in your tree follow your tree’s privacy settings.

  • If your tree is public, information and media about deceased people are visible to others.
  • If your tree is private, only invited people can see information and media about deceased people.

Details about living people are kept private. Only those you invite as an editor or grant access to can view them and their media.

How can I keep information in my networks private?


Only you can see and edit your networks. But, when you add people or media to a network, they’re also added to the linked family tree, and they follow its tree privacy settings.

To keep everything private:

  1. Create a new family tree.
  2. Set it to private.
  3. Create a new network and connect it to that private tree.
  4. Don’t share or invite anyone to that network’s connected tree.

If needed, you can copy people from another tree to your new private tree. They’ll be copied but not linked, as linking people between trees isn’t currently possible. Any future changes made to them in one tree must also be made in the other for the updates to appear in both trees.

How many people can I add to a network?


There’s no limit. You can add as many people as you want to each network.
 

How many networks can people in my tree be added to? 


People in your tree can be added to as many networks as you’d like. There is no limit. 

Are networks available in the Ancestry App?


No. Networks and some of the other Pro Tools features aren’t currently available in the Ancestry app. However, when you add people and media to your networks, they’re also added to the linked family tree and its gallery, which you can view in the app. 

To use networks, use the Ancestry website.

How do I unlink or change the tree my network is linked to?


The tree your network is linked to cannot be unlinked or changed at this time. 

What happens to the people in my network if I delete the linked tree?


If you delete a network’s linked tree, the tree and everything in it—people, media, and sources—will be permanently deleted, along with any connected networks.

What happens to the people in my tree if I delete a network they’re in?


When people are added through a network, they’re also saved to the connected tree. If you delete the network, you can still access them in your tree until you delete them or the tree.

How do I find people in my tree without relationships who were added through networks?


To find people in your tree without relationships, go to your tree’s list of all people, click Filters, and select People without relationships.

 


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