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How do I find family files on my computer?

Author: Reference Number: AA-00901 Views: 50749 Created: 2014-07-10 01:10 PM Last Updated: 2017-02-06 07:05 AM 0 Rating/ Voters

How do I find family files on my computer?

Legacy files that contain family data come in two types:

  • Legacy family files with the extension .FDB (as in family database).  These files are the primary data file for your genealogical information.
  • Legacy family file backups with the extension .ZIP (a “zipped” or compressed archive file).

When you “lose” a family file on your computer, there are three possibilities:

  • Legacy has lost track of where the .FDB file is located, but it is still in its original location on your hard drive.
  • Your .FDB file was renamed or moved to another location and Legacy no longer knows how to find it.
  • Your .FDB file was inadvertently deleted and may be in your system Recycle Bin.

Legacy: Here are the things to try when searching for your lost family file if you have Legacy :

  • Click on the  blue circle or the word system in the upper left corner of Legacy and select your file from the list of Recent Family Files. See I lost my family file - Legacy for more information.
  • By default Legacy stores family files in your Documents folder within the Legacy Family Tree\Data sub-folder.  Browse to it and open it.
  • Cick on File and select Open File. The Open File dialog box will open.  Click on Have Legacy create a list of files to choose from. Legacy will collect and display a list of all the appropriate files from all the drives on your computer. This is recommended if you don't know where or how to find your family file. See I lost my family file - Legacy for more information.

Legacy 7.5 or earlier: Here are the things to try when searching for your lost family file if you have Legacy 7.5 or earlier:

  • Click on File and look at the bottom of the pull-down menu below Exit.  Legacy will show the last four family files opened.  Clicking on a family file listed here will open it  (so long has it has not been moved, renamed or deleted).
  • Click on File and select Open Family File from the pull-down menu.
  • If you have Legacy 7.5, use the Legacy Charting program's Chart Creation Wizard to find genealogy files on your computer. Examine the results in the genealogy file list and if your Legacy family file is listed, make note of its location (path) and close the Legacy Charting.  Next, in the Legacy Family Tree program click on File > Open Family File and browse to the folder where the family file resides.  Highlight the file and open it.



  • By default Legacy 7.5 and earlier store family files in the C:\Legacy\Data folder.  Use Windows Explorer to browse to it.

Search your computer.

  • Use the Windows Search feature to find your family file with a wildcard search.  First close Legacy. The screen screen below is an example of a wildcard search for a family file on a Windows 7 computer. Click the round Start button. Next enter *.fdb in the Windows search field. To find additional files click on See more results and in the next screen click Computer to search all available drives (the search field is now in the upper right corner). Consult your Window's Help and Support feature for the exact steps for your version of Windows.



    If Windows finds your lost family file, double click on it in the results screen and your Legacy program will start up with the family file in it.
  • If none of the above steps finds your family file, open your system Recycle Bin and manually scan the list of deleted files.  If you find your family file, highlight it and restore it to its original location. (Make a note of the path since you will have to find it again using step 2 above.)
  • Check external drives, CDs, flash drives and other computers you may own.
  • Do you backup to the cloud (internet backup and file sharing services)? Check the cloud.

If you cannot locate your family file using the any methods listed above, restore your family file from your most recent backup copy.

If you have lost your backup family file, use the Window’s Search feature to find your family file with a wildcard search.  Enter *.zip in the Windows search field. If Windows finds your lost backup file, make note of its location; then open in your Legacy program and click on File > Restore Family File, browse to the file and follow the prompts.  For additional help please visit:

You can select a preferred family file to open whenever Legacy is started. See How do I set Legacy to always start with my preferred family file? for the steps.

By the way, we sometimes get calls from desperate users asking if we have copies of their family files stored on our servers.  The answer is no. Sorry.