The purpose of this program is to be very simple: to not require too much information, to help you get started, and to give you a nice-looking display of your family lineage. There are far more advanced programs you can get if you are ready for them — but this one is here just to help you begin, without feeling overwhelmed.
Build your family tree how you think it is. You can always perfect the details later.
Click the People tab. In the box at the top, type a first and middle name (the only thing you really need). If you know it, add a last name and a suffix like Jr. or II, birth/death years, and sex (M or F helps place mothers and fathers correctly). Click Add person. Add yourself, parents, siblings, grandparents — just the names for now.
Don't worry about getting everything perfect. A name by itself is enough to start.
A "couple" is two people who had children together. Click the Group sheet tab, click + New couple, pick the two people, and click Create couple.
With the couple open on the Group sheet tab, pick a child from the list and click Add as child. Add each person first (Step 1), then attach them to their parents here.
Try the Family tree tab (boxes branching down), the Fan chart tab (a circle with a couple in the middle, ancestors fanning out, children in the center), and click any name to jump to that person.
Everything is stored in this browser's own database, on your device — never sent anywhere, so your family information stays private. Each browser keeps its own separate database, so to move your work, use the Save / Load tab: Download backup saves a file you can keep or move; Restore from backup loads it back.
A good habit: click Download backup when you finish for the day. It's your safety net.
Tick "Show more detail" (on the People or Group sheet tab) to reveal optional fields: birthplace, place of death, baptism/christening, and marriage date & place. All optional — add them only if your purpose needs them. When you're ready for the bigger tools, the Save / Load tab exports a GEDCOM file for FamilySearch, RootsMagic, and others.
Email [email protected] and we'll take a look. Thank you for helping make My Fan Chart better.