About This App

• Category

  Lifestyle

• Installs

  10K+

• Content Rating

  Everyone

• Developer Email

  +18016748972

• Privacy Policy

  https://www.familysearch.org/privacy

Screenshots

Editor Reviews

RootsTech, developed by FamilySearch International, is a fascinating and unique entry in the mobile app space. It's not your typical game; it's more accurately described as a companion app for the world's largest family history conference and a gateway into the world of genealogy. As a pure mobile experience, you can download it for free from both the Google Play Store for Android devices and the App Store for iOS. The app itself is free to install and use, with no in-app purchases or disruptive ads, which is a huge plus. It serves as your pocket guide to the massive RootsTech conference, which first launched as an in-person event over a decade ago and has since expanded into a global online phenomenon. The app gives you access to this vast library of content, from keynote speeches to how-to workshops, all focused on helping you discover your family story. While it doesn't have a traditional "install count" like a game, its value comes from connecting you to a live, evolving event and a massive educational resource.

The best way to use the RootsTech app is as your personal discovery engine. My favorite part is diving into the on-demand session library. You can search for talks on specific topics—like how to decipher old handwriting or use DNA results—and watch them anytime, anywhere. It turns waiting time into learning time. The app also provides schedules, maps (for the in-person event years), and notifications for live sessions, making you feel connected to a global community of family historians. The best part is the sense of momentum it creates; watching a short talk often gives me the perfect tip or motivation to go and research a specific ancestor on the FamilySearch website or in my own records. It's less about "playing" and more about empowering your personal research journey in bite-sized, manageable chunks.

Compared to other history or educational apps, RootsTech stands out because of its direct link to expert, curated content and a live community. While you might watch history documentaries on other platforms, RootsTech is interactive and purpose-driven. It's not a passive experience like scrolling through a generic learning app. For someone interested in genealogy, it's more focused and practical than, say, a broad platform like YouTube, where you have to sift through content quality yourself. I recommend this app over just browsing the web because it aggregates high-quality, conference-level presentations in one organized place. As a real user, it has become my go-to for quick inspiration and learning new research skills without feeling overwhelmed. It complements the hands-on work of building a family tree perfectly.

Features

• On-Demand Conference Library 🎥: This is the core feature. You get instant, free access to thousands of video sessions from past RootsTech events. It's like having a genealogy university in your pocket, covering topics from beginner basics to advanced DNA analysis.
• Live Event Companion 📅: During the annual global RootsTech event (usually online now), the app becomes your central hub. It provides the full schedule, allows you to bookmark sessions, sends reminders, and facilitates interaction with speakers and other attendees.
• Personalized Discovery Path 🔍: The app helps you find content relevant to your interests and skill level. You can search by topic, speaker, or keyword, creating a custom learning plan that directly fuels your family history research projects.

Pros

• Unbeatable Content Access 📚: Unlike generic video apps, every session is from a vetted speaker at a major conference. The quality and depth of information, especially compared to fragmented blog posts or unverified YouTube tutorials, are consistently high and reliable.
• Truly Free & Uninterrupted 🆓: In a world where many learning platforms have subscriptions or ads, RootsTech is completely free with no strings attached. This sets it apart from many educational apps that gatekeep advanced content behind paywalls.
• Community Connection Feature 🌐: The app facilitates a real-time connection to a global community. During live events, the interactive features make you feel part of something bigger, which is a strength most static genealogy software programs or websites lack.

Cons

• Niche Focus Limitation 🎯: Because it's a companion to a specific genealogy conference, its utility is limited if you have zero interest in family history. It won't entertain you like a game or provide general knowledge like broader educational apps such as Khan Academy.
• Passive Experience Design 🛋️: The app is primarily for consuming video content. It lacks interactive tools for actually building or editing your family tree within the app itself, which is a feature central to apps like Ancestry's mobile app.
• Event-Dependent Updates 📆: Outside of the main annual event period, the app can feel static. New content is primarily added once a year after the conference, unlike constantly updated platforms like Spotify or news apps that offer fresh material daily.

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