Convert PAF files online for free
The converter easily converts your PAF file to various formats - free and online. No Excel or extra software needed.
The converter also works in reverse, so you can convert other Data formats to PAF with high quality output.
The .paf extension is primarily associated with Personal Ancestral File, a discontinued genealogy software developed by FamilySearch. These files function as proprietary databases storing family lineages, birth records, and genealogical notes.
Because FamilySearch officially retired PAF support in 2013, accessing these files on modern operating systems (Windows 10/11 or macOS) is a significant challenge. The format is a closed binary standard, meaning you cannot simply open it in a text editor or a web browser to view your family tree. Users often find themselves with decades of research locked inside a format that current software - like Family Tree Maker or Gramps - cannot natively read without conversion.
To preserve your data, the critical first step is converting the .paf file into the industry-standard GEDCOM (.GED) format. This allows for seamless migration to modern platforms like RootsMagic or Ancestral Quest, which maintain varying degrees of backward compatibility. For sharing or archiving without needing specialized software, converting the data to PDF charts or HTML reports is highly recommended.
Note: A minority of .paf files may be Panasonic RAW images or Enfocus PitStop license files. Using a tool like convert.guru helps identify the specific file signature before attempting conversion.
Use Convert.Guru to open and convert your PAF file.
Users also converted PDF, ZIP, EXE, BAK, JPG, RMGC, RMGB, RMG, BAM, GEDCOM and BED files.
If you want to convert PAF file to BAM, GEDCOM, BED, PDF, CSV, JSON, XML, YAML, YML, TOML, INI or CFG, you can use Personal Ancestral File or similar software from the "Genealogy Data 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 PAF, try Personal Ancestral File or another comparable tool in the "Genealogy Data 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 PAF converter.