Extract text from Family Tree Maker files (FTW)
To convert FTW family tree files to another format, you need Family Tree Maker or other Database software.
To convert other file formats to the "Genealogy Data File" file type, you need software like Family Tree Maker or a similar tool.
The .FTW file format is a proprietary genealogy database primarily created by Family Tree Maker. It stores family lineages, dates, relationships, multimedia links, and biographical metadata. Originally developed for Windows, it relies heavily on the Microsoft Compound file structure, acting like a mini file system within a single file.
You can natively open these files using Family Tree Maker, which is currently developed by Software MacKiev (historically owned by Ancestry.com). About 1% of .FTW files belong to a completely different application: they are project files for FontTwister by Neuber Software, used to save 3D text effects.
The main disadvantage of the .FTW format is its closed, proprietary nature. You cannot open it in a standard text editor or web browser, which means your family history is locked behind a paid software license. Older files created in the 1990s or early 2000s are notoriously difficult to open today, as modern software versions often break backward compatibility. Standard online converters fail to process it because the data structure is undocumented and heavily encrypted.
The most essential conversion target for this file is the universal GED (GEDCOM) format. GEDCOM is the standard for genealogy data and is supported by virtually all modern family history tools. Exporting to PDF or CSV is also useful for sharing reports with family members who do not use specialized software. Note that converting to GED may result in the loss of proprietary scrapbooks, formatting, or specific media attachments.
Because this file format is difficult to open or convert without the original software, your options are limited. Our analysis can inspect the file and show text or internal content. If our tool detects a supported underlying or embedded format, viewing or extracting your ancestral data may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your FTW file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted FBK, FBC, FTM, GEDCOM, GED, FTMB, FAMILYX, FTZ, LOG, EXE, DS2, TFW and PDF files.
If you want to convert FTW file to GEDCOM, CSV, JSON, XML, YAML, YML, TOML, INI, CFG, CONF, DAT or DB, you can use Family Tree Maker or similar software from the "Genealogy Database Storage" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert DBF, XML, SQLITE, XLSX, SQL, TSV, ACCDB, YAML, MDB, CSV, ODS or JSON files to FTW, try Family Tree Maker or another comparable tool in the "Genealogy Database Storage" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our FTW converter.