Personal Ancestral File (PAF) is a genealogy software program that was developed by FamilySearch in 1984. It helped bridge from the completely paper world of genealogy to the modern online, collaborative world of FamilySearch.org,
It was widely used for many years to help people organize family history data and create pedigree charts and family group sheets. PAF was known for its simplicity and ease of use, making it a favorite among amateur genealogists and Church members. However, it was officially discontinued in 2013, and FamilySearch no longer supports or updates it.
However, if you already have PAF installed on your computer, you can continue using it, especially if you have large databases and prefer its simplicity. People also like to use it to maintain information about living family members, since you can’t see information about living people on FamilySearch unless you added the information yourself. You can export data from PAF using GEDCOM files to share or migrate to other platforms.
If you’re considering alternatives, you can transfer your data to newer programs like Ancestral Quest, RootsMagic, or Legacy Family Tree, which offer modern features and integration with online databases.