How to Delete a Family Tree on Ancestry

Deleting a family tree on Ancestry is a permanent action. Unlike a computer’s “Recycle Bin,” there is no “Undo” button here. Once you confirm the deletion, all the people, facts, and attached records in that specific tree are gone forever.

Because of this, we strongly recommend that you download a GEDCOM file (a backup copy) of your tree before proceeding, just in case you ever want to view that data again.

If you are sure you want to wipe the slate clean, here is how to do it safely.

Table of Contents

Option 1: Deleting a Tree You Created

This process removes the tree entirely from your account.

Go to Your Trees: Log in to Ancestry and click the Trees tab in the main navigation bar. Select the tree you want to delete.
Open Settings: Click the name of your tree in the top-left corner (next to the home icon) and select Tree Settingsfrom the dropdown menu.
Find the Delete Button: On the settings page, look for the “Delete your tree” link. It is usually located on the right side of the page or at the very bottom, separated from the other options to prevent accidental clicks.
Confirm Password: Ancestry will ask you to enter your password to confirm you really want to do this.
Final Warning: Click the button to permanently delete the tree.

Alternative: If you are deleting the tree because of privacy concerns, you don’t have to destroy your work. You can simply change your privacy settings to “Private” so that nobody else can see it.

Option 2: Removing a Tree Shared With You

If a friend or relative shared their tree with you, you cannot “delete” it (since you don’t own it). However, you can removeit from your list so it no longer clutters your dashboard.

Go to Tree Management: Click the Trees tab and select Create & Manage Trees.
Select “Shared with Me”: Click the tab labeled “Trees shared with me” (usually next to “My Trees”).
Remove: Find the tree you want to leave. Click the “Remove from list” link on the right side.
Confirm: Click OK.
- Note: This does not notify the owner. It simply removes your access to their research.

What Happens to My Media and DNA?

Before you hit delete, you need to understand what stays and what goes.

Photos & Stories: If you uploaded photos to a public tree and other users saved them to their trees, those copies will remain on Ancestry. Your deletion only removes the copy in your specific file. For more on how media sharing works, see our guide on uploading photos and documents.
DNA Results: Deleting a tree does not delete your DNA results. Your ethnicity estimate and DNA matches are stored separately. However, deleting the tree will break the link between your DNA and your pedigree, meaning features like ThruLines will stop working until you link your test to a new tree.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a deleted tree?

No. Once you confirm the deletion, Ancestry purges the data. Customer support cannot restore it. This is why downloading a backup (GEDCOM) file first is critical.

Does deleting a tree cancel my subscription?

No. Your tree data and your billing are separate. If you want to stop paying, you must manually cancel your subscription in your account settings.

I just want to remove one person, not the whole tree

If you only need to fix a mistake (like deleting an ex-spouse or an incorrect duplicate), do not delete the whole tree. You can simply delete the specific person or merge duplicates to clean up the error.

Conclusion

Deleting a tree is a drastic step best reserved for starting over completely. If your goal is simply to hide your research or fix a few bad branches, try using the privacy or editing tools first. But if you are ready to let it go, the steps above will ensure it is removed securely and permanently.