What the checker looks at
- Character set: UTF-8, ANSEL, ANSI (Windows) or UTF-16, a header that names the wrong one, and garbled characters such as é instead of é.
- Header and end: 0 HEAD at the top, 0 TRLR at the bottom, and the GEDCOM version (5.5, 5.5.1, 5.5.5 or 7.0).
- Line structure: levels that skip a step, CONC and CONT lines in the wrong place, lines longer than 255 characters, empty and indented lines, mixed line endings.
- Links: duplicate IDs, links to records that do not exist, and one-sided links where a person and a family do not point at each other.
- People: missing names, death before birth, children born before a parent or after their mother's death, people older than 120, and loops where someone is their own ancestor.
- Dates written in a form programs cannot read, such as 31.12.1850.
What the repair does, and what it never does
The repaired file is UTF-8 with a CHAR UTF-8 header, one kind of line ending, no empty lines or indentation, and HEAD and TRLR in place. That is the form most genealogy programs expect.
It never changes names, dates, places, notes or links. A death before a birth or a broken link is a question only you can answer, so the checker shows you where it is and leaves the content alone. The one exception is garbled characters: those are repaired only if you tick the box, and only where the original letter can be worked out exactly.
Why GEDCOM files break
GEDCOM is a plain text format from the 1980s that every genealogy program reads and writes a little differently. Older files often use ANSEL, a character set few current programs handle well, and a file that moves between programs can end up with accents turned into odd characters.
Links break when people or families are deleted in one program and the file is exported anyway. Most problems are small, but one wrong header or a missing end marker can make an import fail completely.
Questions people ask
How do I fix a GEDCOM file with strange characters like é or ü?
Those characters mean the file was once read with the wrong character set and saved again. Choose the file above: the checker finds the affected lines, shows what they should say, and repairs them in the downloaded copy if you tick the box. It only changes text it can convert back exactly.
Why does my genealogy program reject my GEDCOM file?
The usual reasons are a missing header or end marker, a wrong character set, broken links between people and families, or lines that are not valid GEDCOM. The checker lists each of these with the line number, so you can find them.
Does the checker change my family tree?
No. The repaired file only changes the form: the character set, the header, line endings, empty lines and indentation. Names, dates, places and links stay exactly the same. Problems in the content, such as a death before a birth, are listed for you to correct in your own program.
Is my GEDCOM file uploaded?
No. The file is read inside your browser and never leaves your computer or phone. There is no account and nothing is stored.
Which GEDCOM versions and character sets does it read?
GEDCOM 5.5, 5.5.1, 5.5.5 and 7.0, in UTF-8, ANSEL, ANSI (Windows) or UTF-16. The version and character set are shown at the top of the result.
What is ANSEL and should I convert it?
ANSEL is the character set older GEDCOM files use for accented letters. Many current programs read it badly, so converting to UTF-8 is safer. The checker reads ANSEL itself and the repaired file is UTF-8.
How big can the file be?
Up to 100 MB. Large files are read in the background, so the page keeps responding while it works.
Is it free?
Yes, free and without an account, as often as you like.
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