Family Tree Maker error messages explained
Family Tree Maker's error messages rarely name the real problem. "File may be damaged" often means a settings file rather than your tree, and "another installation is in progress" usually means a stalled task, not a second installer. Find the exact wording you're seeing below, and each one links to the guide that fixes it.
- Applies to
- FTM 2024 · 2019 · 2017 · 2014
- Platform
- Windows & macOS
- Type
- Reference
Opening, crashing and file errors
Match the wording on your screen rather than the closest description. Family Tree Maker uses similar phrasing for different faults.
| Message | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Family Tree Maker cannot open this file | Usually an older edition opening a newer file, sometimes real damage | Check whether it is corrupted |
| The file may be damaged or in use by another program | The file is locked, or the structure is damaged | Close other copies first, then repair the file |
| Family Tree Maker has stopped working | The program closed unexpectedly | Crash troubleshooting |
| File not found | The tree moved, or the shortcut points at an old location | Find the missing file |
| The media item you selected could not be located at its recorded path | The image moved out of the media folder | Relink the media |
Sync and search errors
| Message | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to sync with Ancestry | An expired sign-in, a blocked connection, or a problem in the tree | Sync troubleshooting |
| Your search returned zero matches | Match all terms exactly is ticked, or a known search fault | Restore search results |
| Unable to convert file | The file predates the direct upgrade path, or it is damaged | Use the right converter |
Installation errors
| Message | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Another installation is in progress | The Windows installer is stuck rather than busy | Installation errors |
| Error reading from file | Leftover data from an earlier installation | Installation errors |
| Error -132 | A damaged download or insufficient permissions | Installation errors |
<No Name> appearing where a name should be
Not an error message as such, and unsettling all the same. A person you just created, or one who was fine
yesterday, shows as <No Name> in the index and on charts.
Two situations produce it. The first is timing while you type: adding a child, entering the name, then moving straight to the gender field can leave the name uncommitted, and the record briefly shows as unnamed. Clicking into the person and retyping the name settles it. The second follows a particular sequence across a synced tree, where an alternate name is deleted on one side and the preferred name is then deleted on the other; after the next sync the person is left with no name at all. That one needs the name restoring by hand, and it is a good argument for reading the change log after a sync rather than assuming everything landed as intended.
Reading an error message properly
Three habits make any error far easier to solve, and they apply whether you fix it yourself or ask someone else.
- Copy the exact wording. Paraphrasing loses the detail that identifies the fault. Screenshot it if the text will not select.
- Note what you were doing. The action at the moment of failure narrows the cause faster than the message itself.
- Record your build number. Many errors are fixed defects, and the build decides whether a fix already exists for you.
An error that is not listed here is still worth reporting with those three details attached.
Frequently asked questions
What does "Family Tree Maker cannot open this file" mean?
Most often an older edition is trying to open a file saved by a newer one, because the format upgrades and never downgrades. It sometimes indicates genuine damage, so check which edition created the file first.
What does "the file may be damaged or in use by another program" mean?
Either another copy of Family Tree Maker has the file open, or the file structure is damaged. Close every other copy and try again before assuming damage.
What causes "another installation is in progress"?
The Windows installer service is stuck rather than genuinely busy. Ending the stuck installer tasks and restarting clears it.
Why does my search return zero matches?
Match all terms exactly is usually ticked, which requires every term to match perfectly at once. There is also a known fault that empties results and the category list together.
Should I write down the exact error text?
Yes. The precise wording identifies the fault, and paraphrasing loses the detail that distinguishes one error from a similar one. Screenshot it if the text will not select.
My error message is not on this page. What now?
Note the exact wording, what you were doing when it appeared, and your build number. Those three details are enough to identify almost any fault.
Error not listed here?
Send us the exact wording and what you were doing. We tell you what it means.