# GedView — Family Tree Viewer / Editor

> Mobile family tree viewer and editor for genealogy research. (iPhone/iPad app by David Knight.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gedview/id314845375 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [David Knight](https://appshunter.io/developer/314845378)
- Category: Lifestyle, Productivity
- Price: $4.99
- Rating: 3.70/5 from 29 App Store ratings · 165 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 12.0 · 21 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2009-05-07
- Data updated: 2026-08-27
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gedview/id314845375/reviews.md

## What is GedView?

Family tree research is becoming an ever more popular past time.  Normally all of your genealogy information is locked away on your computer at home which isn't much use when you are out and about researching local records, or visiting locations such as graveyards, ancestral homes, or family reunions.

This is where GedView comes in.  Carry around your entire family tree on your iPhone, iPod, or iPad and have all the data about your ancestors and even current descendants at your fingertips.

You can quickly check up on family relationships, dates / locations of events, and record new information.  Despite the name GedView is not just a viewing tool.  This includes taking photos, or video anywhere and anytime you like without needing to worry about a potentially costly internet connection.   If using an iPhone, or a cellular enabled iPad you can even record your current location to add to any event.

If your tree contains lots of images you can even use GedView as a slideshow, showing all the pictures related to a given event, person, source, family.  You can also play back any home movies you have in your tree.  Media support is not limited to photos/video.  Support is also included for any other file type your iPhone, iPod, or iPad is capable of opening.  This may be PDFs, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, mp3 files.  If you have an app installed that supports a specific document type and have a document of that type in your tree you will be able to view it via GedView.

Do you have some separate branches in your tree that you haven't connected yet?  GedView allows you to store multiple trees so you can easily switch to view distinct branches.

Unlike other apps no specific computer application is required, nor is a subscription to any website.  Instead standard GEDCOM files can be imported,  These can be encoded as ASCII, ANSI, ANSEL, UTF-8, or UTF-16 and can be added to GedView via WiFi, downloading from a website, via iTunes, or even opened from other apps such as Mail, Safari, Dropbox etc.

While GedView is targeted towards GEDCOM 5.5.1 it will read in any version, and will also support many custom extensions used by other genealogy applications, and because GEDCOM hasn't been added as an after thought imports are fast and efficient.

You can even export GEDCOM files for sharing with family members or other researchers, or to transfer new information to your main computer.

A sample family tree containing the British monarchy is included.

If you have any problems, or suggestions please get in touch via the support email address.

## Key features

- Carry entire family tree on mobile
- Check relationships, dates, and locations
- Record new information, photos, and videos
- Supports multiple family trees
- View various document types (PDF, Word, etc.)
- Import and export GEDCOM files

## What do users think of GedView?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Awesome genealogy app
- 🚀 No unnecessary bells and whistles
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Professionally done and very easy to use
- 👍 Excellent way to carry family history information
- 👍 Imports GEDCOM files easily
- 👍 Handles large databases well
- 👍 Great tech support

**Cons**

- 🐛 Buggy on iPad version
- 🐛 Input not intuitive and unforgiving of mistakes
- 🐛 Reports don't work, crash the app
- 🐛 Drops name fields without warning
- 🐛 Cannot view GEDCOM files
- 🐛 Unable to import GEDCOM
- 🐛 Size limitation on GEDCOM files
- 🐛 Cannot print pedigree or descendant charts

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Drops name fields without warning
- Cannot view GEDCOM files
- Unable to import GEDCOM
- Size limitation on GEDCOM files
- Cannot print pedigree or descendant charts
- Crashes when going to tree view

**Most requested features**

- Relationship calculator
- Ability to search by events
- List births, deaths, and marriages by date
- Tree view
- Ability to add photos
- Sync between devices
- Ability to create family trees from scratch

## Recent user reviews (10 of 165)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gedview/id314845375/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Great app and support

*2026-05-07, version 4.3.10*

This app allows me to keep all my exported ancestry.com tree info without a monthly fee.  Also, couldn’t figure something out, and support helped me solve my issue overnight.

### 4/5 — It will hold all my lineage research …

*2026-03-31*

… but moving around is slow and cumbersome, and so is looking for individuals with common names. There is no going back to a previous screen - the complete search must be resubmitted if moving beyond two generations of the same family. Moving among families who used the same first names (such as my Holley who used James, John, Richard, and Sion) and seldom middle names can be a couple of screens depending on font. The good part is they are all there and the family connections were kept from the GED file, as were the sources and Notes from my Legacy file. That is a great help. For iPhones, this is a help.

### 5/5 — Awesome genealogy app!

*2025-06-02, version 4.3.10*

I have been wanting a way to view my genealogy info from my iPhone, but most apps are overkill or are for online services. GedView is exactly what I was looking for! I export GEDCom files from Ancestral Quest (with photos embedded) and open them in GedView and it works beautifully! I can also download GEDCom files from Ancestry.com and use them in GedView. Perfect for my needs!

### 5/5 — No it isn’t buggy, it’s Perfect.

*2025-05-02, version 4.3.9*

Not quite sure why previous reviewer has criticised it for being buggy…if you are unsure and don’t know how to use it, read the manual first before criticising it. This is simple perfection. You can enter as much or as little as you like, no unnecessary boxes, bells or whistles. No it doesn’t automatically fill everything for you, you have to do the work, no automatic source generators here 😂 .. learn genealogy correctly from the start and this little gem, that packs an  awesome punch will see you right every time.

### 1/5 — Loads of bugs

*2025-02-11, version 4.3.9*

I am very disappointed in this app. Full of bugs on the iPad version. Input is not intuitive and unforgiving if you make a mistake. For example if you link the wrong parent to a child by mistake (easily done if the same family name repeats) you cannot delete the wrong name and add the right one. You create a second mother or father! Names disappear. Reports don’t work - pedigree reports continually close the app when you try to run them. Save yourself a fiver. This is a total waste of money.

### 5/5 — Wonderful

*2024-03-17*

I like the app even tho it cost money I have fun doing that thank you for creating it

### 5/5 — GED view

*2023-12-13, version 4.3.6*

I have used this app for years, it is something my whole family and members of my tree download so they can see the new changes and deletions of their ancestors.  Once a week I send a ged file so it can update.  I use it when out and about for my notes and when I visit old graves.  Instructions are easy to understand and use.  It is a wonderful app, I would even pay for it.

### 3/5 — Disappointed

*2023-10-25, version 4.3.6*

Followed the instructions on exporting , it just hangs.

### 5/5 — Super app

*2023-08-04, version 4.3.5*

This is money well spent on a very good family tree app. Very pleased with it.

### 5/5 — Awesome

*2023-04-06*

My old viewer died and I needed a new viewer on my iPhone for my GEDCOM file. Uploading the GEDCOM file is easy. The author will respond to your question(s) very timely.  BTW, my GEDCOM file is 13 years old and an older format. This app read the file with no problems.

## Frequently asked questions about GedView

### What does GedView do?

GedView allows you to carry your entire family tree on your mobile device, providing access to all data about your ancestors and descendants. You can quickly check family relationships, event dates and locations, and record new information, photos, or videos.

### What are the key features of GedView?

Key features include carrying your family tree on your device, checking relationships and event details, recording new information and media, supporting multiple trees, viewing various document types (like PDFs and Word docs), and importing/exporting GEDCOM files.

### How much does GedView cost?

Based on the provided information, GedView is a paid application. It does not have in-app purchases or ads, and does not require a subscription to any website.

### What devices is GedView compatible with?

GedView is designed for Apple devices, specifically mentioning iPhone, iPod, and iPad. It supports various file types that these devices are capable of opening.

### How can I use GedView for my genealogy research?

You can use GedView to access your family tree data while researching local records, visiting ancestral locations, or attending family reunions. It enables you to quickly verify information, add new discoveries, and even use media features like slideshows or video playback directly from your device.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.3.10 — 2025-06-01

Fixes problems with large media items contained inline in GEDCOM files when importing (BLOB)

Added support for Ancestral Quest's BLOB format.  ("Encode scrapbook items" when exporting from AQ)

### 4.3.9 — 2024-04-01

Fixes potential problem when exporting where a loop exists within family groups.
Fixes performance regression with importing large trees.

### 4.3.8 — 2024-03-13

Fixes crash adding non-photo media items on iPad

### 4.3.7 — 2024-02-11

Fix problem with place definitions from the likes of Legacy where a place could be duplicated if events at that location didn't match the latitude / longitude of the place definition.

Source citations attached to names are added to the person when importing rather than being lost.
Place definition abbreviations are no longer set if they match the full name of the place.

### 4.3.6 — 2023-09-13

Fixes import / export of notes connected to places.  
Fixes issue with surname prefixes and the people index.
Fixes issue with Trees view causing app to exit.
Fixes potential issue in about view for a tree.
Bonjour entries will appear again when importing/exporting files via the built in web server.
Workaround broken _SHAR that incorrectly escape @ symbols.

When importing and a surname prefix has been provided this value will be stripped from the start of the surname field to avoid duplication.
Added a setting to allow notes on places to be added against the event/fact instead (avoids event specific notes appearing on the place record)

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## Related topics

[gedcom viewer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/gedcom-viewer)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-27.*