About Family History Assistant 101
Making family history discovery simple, fun, and accessible to everyone.
What is Family History Assistant 101?
Family History Assistant 101 is a companion guide powered by our Virtual Aide for FamilySearch.org, the world's largest free genealogy website. We help people of all ages and technical skill levels explore their family history without feeling overwhelmed.
Whether you're a kid going on a treasure hunt through your family tree, an adult curious about your roots, or someone who needs a little extra help with technology, we guide you step-by-step through the process of discovering your ancestors.
The Problem We're Solving
"Where do I even start?"
Too many options lead to paralysis. We give you ONE clear next step.
"It feels like homework"
We make it feel like a quest with progress tracking and celebrations.
"I'll mess something up"
We reassure you that nothing is permanent and mistakes are fixable.
"I'm alone in this"
Your Virtual Aide is always there to help and celebrate your discoveries.
How It Works
Choose Your Experience
Pick the experience that fits you - family activity with kids, standard guide, or extra help mode.
Follow the Guide
We show you exactly what to click on FamilySearch with visual guides and clear instructions.
Ask for Help
Stuck? Your Virtual Aide can answer questions and provide personalized guidance.
Discover Your Family
Watch your family tree grow as you uncover ancestors you never knew you had.
How Goals Work
Family History Assistant 101 lets you set personal goals for each quest so your experience is tailored to what YOU want to accomplish. Goals are completely optional — you can explore freely without setting one.
Pick a Quest
Choose any quest from the Progress Hub — they're all available from the start. There are no prerequisites.
Set a Goal (Optional)
When you start a quest, you'll be asked if you have a specific goal. Type something like "Find uncle Henry and his wife" or just click "Just Exploring" to skip.
Track Your Progress
If you set a goal, a progress bar appears at the top of every page showing how far along you are in each quest's guided steps.
Get Personalized Help
Your Virtual Aide knows your goals and will tailor its guidance to help you achieve them. Ask it anything!
A note about "4 Generations": This is a popular goal for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but it's just one of many quests available. Everyone is welcome to work on any quest in any order.
Ready to Start?
Your family story is waiting to be discovered.
Get Started Free
