Extract text from family tree archives (GDZ)
To convert GDZ archives to another format, you need FamilySearch or other Compressed software.
To convert other file formats to the "Genealogy Archive Bundle" file type, you need software like FamilySearch or a similar tool.
A .GDZ file is a GEDZip compressed archive used to store and transfer genealogical data. Introduced in 2021 as part of the GEDCOM 7.0 specification by FamilySearch, this format was designed to solve a decades-old problem in family history research: keeping photos and source documents linked to family trees. A .GDZ file bundles a core GED text file (containing names, dates, and relationships) together with all referenced multimedia files (like portraits and scanned certificates) into one package. It is typically created and opened by modern genealogy software like My Family Tree or Family Historian.
Despite its usefulness, the .GDZ format poses significant compatibility challenges. Because it is a relatively new standard, most legacy genealogy applications - which still rely on the 1999 GEDCOM 5.5.1 standard - cannot read or import it. Users are often left with a file they cannot open, leading to frustration when trying to share family history with relatives who don't have the latest specialized software installed. Operating systems also do not natively recognize the extension, treating it as an unknown proprietary data blob.
To work around these limits, the best conversion target is a standard ZIP file. By renaming or converting the archive, you can strip away the niche extension and easily extract the embedded GED file along with standard JPG and PNG media. You can then import the raw text data into almost any older genealogy program, though you may have to manually re-link the photos.
Standard online converters usually fail to process .GDZ files because they do not map this rare extension to its underlying compression format. Our analysis safely detects the embedded files, making it simple to bypass software restrictions and access your family data.
Convert.Guru analyzes your GDZ file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
If you want to convert GDZ file to ZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR, GZ, BZ2, XZ, LZMA, CAB, ACE, ARJ or LHA, you can use FamilySearch or similar software from the "Genealogy Data Archive" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert XXE, 7Z, Z, PAK, LHA, DEB, UUE, TAR, LZH, ZIP, PKG or RAR files to GDZ, try FamilySearch or another comparable tool in the "Genealogy Data Archive" 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 GDZ converter.