How to Make a Restored Photo Easier to Find in FamilySearch Memories
By ImgHeal · Updated
A filename alone may not help relatives discover a photograph in FamilySearch Memories. Clear supported text and appropriate person links make the item more useful, while the untouched source protects its historical context.
Prepare the source and viewing versions
Keep the original scan safely outside the platform and give it a stable photo ID. Save the restored version separately with an edit note. Before uploading or changing visibility, review the site's current sharing information and the wishes of any living people involved. Decide whether the item you are describing is the unaltered source or a restored adaptation, and make that distinction clear in its accompanying text.
Write a title people can recognize
Use confirmed names and a supported occasion, place, or date where helpful. FamilySearch's Find guidance describes text searching in memory titles and descriptions, so include useful identifying words there rather than relying only on a local filename. Avoid adding unrelated surnames or speculative names to attract matches. A concise title can still say 'possibly' or 'unidentified' when that is the honest state of the research.
Use the description for evidence and context
Add the photo ID, source owner or repository, caption basis, uncertain readings, and a brief restoration note. Keep the original inscription distinct from your modern description. Where person tags are used, check the intended tree record carefully, especially for relatives with the same name. A person tag links an item to a record; it does not independently prove that the photograph shows that person or that the caption is correct.
Check the saved item as a reader
Review the title, description, image, person links, and visibility using the access available to you. Search behavior and visibility settings affect what other people can find, so do not assume a failed search proves the item was lost. Keep a reference to the saved memory in your own archive note. If an identity or date changes later, update the description and relevant links along with your local restored copy.
Keep the evidence with the photograph
- Use supported names in searchable descriptive text.
- Distinguish the restored adaptation from its source.
- Check person links and visibility before sharing.
Further reading
- FamilySearch: Searching MemoriesOfficial information about searching titles, descriptions, topic tags, and visible memory items.
- FamilySearch: Tagging people in memoriesExplains person tags, their links to tree records, and considerations for living people.
Continue with a related guide
Try a restoration on a copy of your photo
Keep the original scan. Upload a separate digital copy, review ImgHeal’s generated result, and decide whether it suits your needs.
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