Legacy Family Tree 9 Review 2024

Finding a decent Family Tree maker can be rather challenging, and so can moving from one program to another. Legacy is ranked as one of the top programs, and there's no doubt why; it is easy to use, accurate, and makes storing and building your family tree quite simple!

Here is all you need to know about the Legacy 9.0 family tree software: how to use it, what to expect, and what options are available to you!

Who Is Legacy?

Legacy 9.0 Family Tree is a genealogy software program that is FamilySearch-certified. It can be integrated with genealogy services and online databases. It is Windows compatible and helps family historians organize, print, share, and track family history.

Legacy Family Tree has a standard edition which is distributed as freeware, there are no restrictions, and it is as simple as registering on the Legacy website, and then you are free to download the Legacy Family Tree software. There are also loads of additional features available.

Legacy is a master genealogy database and makes family research easier than ever. The Legacy team is there for support and help, and you get access to a comprehensive database and historical records so that you can build a detailed and accurate family tree.

How Does Legacy 9.0 Family Tree Work?

Legacy 9. o Family Tree makes it super easy for you to store all of your genealogical information. You can report, record, and display family trees that contain over millions of people.

Legacy will keep track of dates, names, places, alternate names, notes, pictures, sounds, sources, and events and displays them in an intuitive manner so that you can get a good idea of your entire family.

You can look through all of your family links via the Pedigree View and family view screens. You can easily add new people or new marriages, move between different generations, make edits and add further information.

In order to use Legacy, you will need a minimum of 8 GB of RAM, Windows 7 or newer, a Pentium-class PC, a minimum of 500 MB of free hard drive space, a mouse, and a solid internet connection.

Legacy gives you a form basis that you are required to fill in, the options are endless, and you can gather information about just about anyone from your family, no matter how far they date back to.

Legacy takes you on a genealogy journey as you can access and find information about all of your ancestors; this helps give you a bigger picture of who you are and where you come from.

The latest version is packed with loads of features that make your genealogical research easier and more effective so that you can organize all of your research and fill in all of the missing gaps.

Legacy offers report tools, like most genealogy software, that let you create a printable history of events, relationships, memories, and various other things using the genealogical data you have gathered.

It offers 22 different report options, all of which are based more on data collection than on design. Using the book tool, you can also build detailed reports with charts, organizing the data into a narrative you can publish in printable forms and HTML for websites.

What Does Legacy 9.0 Family Tree program Include?

The program includes loads of features. Some stand-out ones from the deluxe version include:

Charts and reports

With the help of Legacy, you can keep track of any known DNA matches that may be hiding in your family tree. Additionally, you can apply a color overlay to your charts and reports to show how genetically related you are to others.

With the new Cause of Death charts, you can observe patterns in your relatives' medical histories. The new X-DNA color schemes will enable you to expand your genetic genealogy tools.

Family Tree BINGO, which you can play with cards representing your ancestors, descendants, or a combination of both, will get everyone interested at your next gathering or family event. The Family Dictionary gives you the chance to preview your family tree.

Comparisons

If you are unsure about a family member you have included or have found numerous generations with the same name, Legacy can now help solve this problem.

To make sure you add the necessary information in the appropriate places, Legacy allows you to compare the two records you have side by side and will show you the similarities and differences.

Hinting

Legacy searches through the biggest and top genealogy sites and gets access to billions of various records. Less dead ends and more breakthroughs will happen because of this.

As you add information to your tree, Legacy will automatically start exploring all of these databases for you and will recommend additional research options.

Cloud storage backup

Losing a project, something that you have put so much time, effort, and energy into can be heartbreaking. Thankfully Legacy lets you safely store your work and data in their cloud storage. This way, you can get all of your data back should anything go wrong.

Questionnaires

Using blank census and questionnaire forms will help you ensure that you are gathering the correct data about your family members.

You can send these to your immediate and distant family members so they can fill in the blanks with any information they may have on your ancestors, such as birth and death dates, as well as potential research leads. This makes gathering research much easier.

How To Purchase Legacy 9.0 Family Tree Testing Kit

Legacy 9.0 Family Tree comes in two versions, the standard edition and the Deluxe version. The standard edition is free to use, except you will not have full access to all of the features. It is only available for digital download, which also means zero shipping fees.

The deluxe version is a once-off purchase with no monthly subscription fees, and if you own one of their previous editions, you can buy Legacy 9.0 at a discounted rate.

How much does the Legacy 9.0 Family Tree program cost?

The Legacy 9.0 Family Tree is very affordable, and you can get full access to all of the deluxe features for $40 or less. You will get full access to their Family Tree Webinar library for a whole year.

How To Use The Legacy 9.0 Family Tree Program

As soon as you have downloaded the software and launched it, you will be guided through a step-by-step process of building your first tree. Additionally, you can import information from a FamilySearch account, another genealogy software, or an existing tree.

You can also manually add data through a GEDCOM file. Legacy has a PDF user guide and user groups that can also help you navigate the program.

How to install:

  1. You can purchase, download and install the Legacy family tree from their official website.
  2. Say "next" to all of the questions prompts, and don't make any changes to the setup process.
  3. Ensure that it installs as C:.Program Files.Legacy by default. If not, certain features will not be able to run properly.
  4. Then log in using your version 9 customer number so that you can unlock and access all of the deluxe features.

How to use:

  1. After installation, you will be taken to the start-up wizard.
  2. You can select "start a new family file" if you have not yet made a family tree, or you can choose to import an existing family tree from another program.
  3. You will then be required to fill in all of your personal information, start with the first three generations and fill in the rest.
  4. Click the finished button and name your Family Tree file and save it.
  5. You will then be taken to the family view, and you can carry on with your research and add new information.
  6. You can edit your tree and add new information. There will be columns where you can insert data, which are titled, so you know what to insert.
  7. You can go to the Research tab to get information about your ancestors; you will then see four steps. Begin with Step 1.
  8. You will then have access to various databases to search for certain information about your family and ancestors.
  9. Some information will be free and available for you, while other sources may require a fee.

You can access tons of help videos for every minor detail involved in making your family tree. You can get help videos on how to sync family trees from other genealogy programs to videos about how to add family members and search for things.

Legacy has a whole list of support links that help you use the software! You can customize just about anything, and you can change the fonts, move toolbars, and even control various formatting. This is great as you can set it up just the way you want it to be!

The Pros And Cons of Legacy 9.0 Family Tree Testing Kit

Pros:

  • The software is very easy to use
  • Excellent GEDCOM accuracy
  • Complete user guide fully available
  • You can customize the user interface
  • Tons of options for publication
  • The standard version is packed with great features

Cons:

  • The interface looks very old
  • You can't undo or redo anything
  • You cannot integrate information sources
  • It cannot automatically sync data. You have to do it manually.

Is The Legacy 9.0 Family Tree Accurate?

You can get a lot of your information from online sources, and Legacy gets you access to tons of databases that are packed with information. So the accuracy can depend on how well you do your research and what you research.

So your Legacy Family Tree will be as accurate as you make it, but with the help of all the sources and databases, you should have no trouble getting factual and accurate information.

Some databases are free, and you can easily access them, while you will be required to pay a small fee to access some of the others.

You can research the smallest detail and find tons of information about it, which can help you gather family stories and create a tree that is as accurate as possible. You can also go back to certain parts of your family tree when you have managed to gather more information.

Legacy assists you in ensuring that all of your records are thorough and correct. The program will also suggest sources that can help you find a new information and fill in the missing gaps. You can also email various sources to double-check the information and make sure it is correct.

Will Legacy Keep My Information Private?

Yes, and you have total control over what information you would like to keep private. Protecting your information is crucial. With Legacy, you can privatize exports, and you can privatize certain files.

You can also only select certain people to be private, or you could opt to make them invisible. You can also select certain stories or events. You have the freedom to show what you want and hide what you want.

However, Legacy does not make your information and data readily available for just anyone to see, and you have total control over all of your information. You can also back your Family Tree up into their Legacy cloud.

Your file will be securely stored on their secure servers. This is great as it can help you recover your information if needed. Nobody else has access to these backups other than yourself, so all of your information will be private, and nothing will be shared.

How Does Legacy Compare To The Competition?

Legacy Family Tree is more affordable compared to MyHeritage family tree builder or Family Tree by Ancestory, as they only require a one-time fee and no extra monthly fees.

Their customer support is also very impressive, and this makes them stand out from their competition. You can submit a support ticket or reach out on Instagram, Facebook, or via email, and their response time is very quick.

The only downside is that it is not compatible with Mac. However, this is in process, and their standard features are much better than the standard features on other software. Legacy also offers the software in various international versions, while other programs do not.

Legacy family tree software also lets you make use of DNA charting, anniversary and birthday reminders, and Family Tree BINGO cards. Legacy also offers loads of online webinars to help you understand the program and better use it.

Unfortunately, the chart quality is not as good as it is of Legacy's competitors. However, Legacy does offer a lot more chart options, such as DNA records and much more.

Legacy 9.0 Family Tree: Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose between Legacy Family Tree Standard vs. Deluxe?

The free Standard edition of Legacy 9.0 Family Tree is an excellent way to test it out if you are looking for the basic functions.

The Standard edition has some restrictions on the charts and data that you can view and create. Still, it is relatively affordable to upgrade, especially compared to various other family tree programs.

Upgrading gives you access to loads of advanced features. The Deluxe edition may be your best bet if you are very serious about building family trees, as it comes with all you may need and more.

Does Legacy Family Tree work with Mac?

Unfortunately not, it is only compatible with Windows computers at the moment. However, Legacy is currently working on a version that will be compatible with a Mac. Mac users can use the Legacy software with the help of a Windows emulator program.

Does legacy sync with MyHeritage?

Currently, no, but Legacy 10 will be able to sync with MyHeritage directly. This will make working with all of your DNA matches much easier and more efficient. Legacy also offers a Hands-On with MyHeritage DNA webinar that can help you; the webinar is free.

How does Legacy Family Tree work?

All common genealogical reports are included in Legacy, along with research logs, calendars, questionnaires, timelines, and various other blank forms. Legacy family tree also lets you print out an entire book about your family history.

The relationship between each member of your Family File and a particular person can be determined through Legacy.

The Bottom Line

If you are in need of a program that can build your family tree, then Legacy is highly recommended! You can date back to past generations from years ago and formulate an extensive family tree using accurate information from a massive database.

There is a standard or a deluxe version, and both are excellent. It all comes down to serious you are about building a family tree. The features included in the program are fantastic and will be of great help when making your family tree.

You can be as detailed as you like, you honestly cannot go wrong with Legacy 9.0, and when the update comes out, you can easily upgrade your version and benefit from the new tweaks and changes!

Neil Edwards

Neil Edwards

Genealogist and family-tree research specialist

Neil was born in Shropshire, England surrounded by centuries of living history. His interest in the past has been a lifelong passion leading to undergraduate degrees in both Economic History & Geography and History & Politics.

This interest in history quickly translated to family history when he moved to the U.S. in 2010. It was here that he began working on his own family tree as well as that of his American wife. That research allowed him to gain a wealth of experience working with both U.S. and European genealogical documents and studying their best uses in researching family history.

Following 9 years of honing his genealogical research skills, Neil was proud to have earned a certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University in late 2019. Neil also took part in the research process for a Duke University study into the families of 19th Century UK Members of Parliament.

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