How to Correct a Photo Linked to the Wrong Person in FamilySearch
By ImgHeal · Updated
A valuable photograph can be linked to the wrong family-tree person. Correct the association carefully while preserving the image's source and the reasoning behind the change.
Explore this topic: Research family photos
Establish which association is wrong
Open the memory and record its reference, contributor, and current tagged person or tree record. Compare the source scan with supporting evidence before concluding that the association is mistaken. A similar name, a generated facial resemblance, or a mismatch in an online tree alone should not settle the identity. Distinguish an incorrectly positioned face box from a tag attached to the wrong person record. Keep the correction scoped to the actual problem rather than rewriting unrelated family information.
Use the supported tag correction path
Follow FamilySearch's current guidance for the memory and the access you have. The available choice can differ depending on who uploaded and tagged the item: deleting your tag and detaching another contributor's association are not identical operations. Read the confirmation carefully and provide a useful reason when requested. Do not delete the entire historical photograph simply to remove one incorrect link. If the interface does not offer the documented action, consult the current help rather than guessing at an unrelated record control.
Verify the corrected record and its explanation
Check the memory's people list and the affected person's page after the correction. Add a new association only when the evidence supports it, using the intended record ID to distinguish same-name relatives. Preserve the source caption and the reason for any continuing uncertainty. Update your own archive note so it does not retain the now-rejected tree link. When relatives previously relied on the wrong association, give them the memory reference and a concise correction rather than assuming a platform change updates their saved copies.
Example: two people with one name
A portrait is attached to Thomas born in 1840, but documented studio dates exclude him and point toward another Thomas. Remove the unsupported association first. A plausible second candidate still needs evidence before you create a new tag claiming the portrait shows him.
Check before sharing this record
- Record the memory and person references.
- Distinguish detaching a tag from deleting the image.
- Verify the correction and preserve its reason.
Sources and further reading
- FamilySearch: Correct a memory linked to the wrong personExplains when an incorrect person tag can be deleted or detached and how a corrected link is made.
Questions about this restoration task
Should I attach the photo to the next most likely relative immediately?
Only if the evidence supports that identity. Correcting an established error does not automatically establish another candidate, so an unidentified memory can be the honest result.
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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