Update: Ancestry obsoleted this new feature on December 5, 2025.
Ancestry recently updated ThruLines and introduced a new pedigree view.
I’m not sure that everyone has the new view yet, so here’s what to expect.
If you do have the new feature, let’s take a look, because there’s new functionality you may not have discovered.
When I signed in and clicked on ThruLines on the DNA tab, the first thing I saw certainly looked different. Needless to say, I was surprised because I wasn’t expecting anything new.
Click on any image to enlarge
This doesn’t look anything like what we’re used to, but Ancestry provides navigation buttons.
One person mentioned that the new view was so small they couldn’t really see clearly, but by rolling your mouse button up or clicking on the little “+” button in the upper right-hand corner, it’s easy to enlarge.
That said, on this and especially on subsequent screens, I would very much like for there to be less white space at the top, or have a “full screen” option.
You can navigate up your tree by clicking on the little up arrows above the ancestors in the top row.
The Tile Display is Still There
But perhaps more importantly for people who prefer the previous display, it’s actually right there.
Click on the little tile button to switch from the pedigree to the traditional tile view.
It’s easy to toggle back and forth.
Take a look at the new ThruLines layout. If you don’t like it, select the tiled version
Why Do I Like the Pedigree View?
I like the pedigree view because it lets me easily see how people connect with each other. While I’m intimately familiar with the more recent generations, I don’t like the more distant ancestors all being smooshed together in the tile view.
In the pedigree view, I can see how many of my matches descend from each ancestor in the tree format.
Clicking on that number opens the dropdown showing the matches and how they descend from that ancestor.
In these expanded tree views, we really do need a full-screen option. It is challenging to see the entire sequence of descent.
My focus right now is on determining if anyone that I match carries the mitochondrial DNA of my paternal grandmother. On other ancestral lines, I have both the Y-DNA and mtDNA from generations back in time, but not my grandmother. I’m hoping to remedy that.
This layout makes it easy to see that there are many potential candidates for generations upstream. If I find the right person, descended from that ancestor through all females to the current generation, which can be male, I’ll be offering them a DNA testing scholarship for a mitochondrial DNA test at FamilyTreeDNA.
Suggestions for Improving the View
Perhaps Ancestry will provide the option of selecting a default view, so we can select our favorite – tile or pedigree – plus a full-screen option for pedigree view.
Another alternative would be for the pedigree view to be horizontal and extend left to right instead of top to bottom, the same as Ancestry’s traditional trees.
Truthfully, I really like the pedigree format and functionality of the new ThruLines pedigree view, but I greatly prefer the layout of this traditional tree. It’s much easier to see and is expandable without running off the top or bottom of the screen. Maybe Ancestry could combine the best features of both.
Update: A sharp-eyed reader caught that the “Evaluate” feature is now gone, which used to allow you to evaluate other people’s trees that suggested the ThruLines connection. This is really important, and I hope that Ancestry restores it. Genealogists must evaluate everything and weigh the evidence when determining if a connection is accurate.
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Thank you, Roberta
Thanks so much for pointing out the need for a full screen option. I have been puzzled and frustrated for years about why Ancestry takes up so much space with useless content at the top of the screen! I just don’t understand it. I need that space to get a more complete view of my own content. Why don’t they give that space to the user?
I had the grid view option for about 5 minutes. Now, that button brings up list view. I hope it’s just a glitch.
I have to admit that without a chromosome browser I find too many mistakes in the Trulines. Other people’s trees. I rarely look at them.
Ancestry’s ThruLines is a double edged sword. As a long time Ancestry user nevertheless, I persevere with it. You can’t fix other members tree errors but atleast you can leave constructive comments to the person with the error. ie Headed: Birth date conflict and provide the alternative record details.
Hopefully it will stop the error compounding through other trees. Twice I’ve contacted Ancestry with ThruLines errors caused by the algorithms which were eventually fixed.
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Roberta,
Have you tried Ancestry’s new Pro Tools? After using it for some time I could add around another 500 verified DNA matches to my tree but the sands of time are running out for me. Am concentrating on correcting the tree data errors. Only use the enhanced shared matches when answering Ancestry members messages. Receive a constant stream as the activity tool shows I average 20 – 30 viewers over a rolling 7 day week.
https://support.ancestry.com.au/s/article/Ancestry-Pro-Tools-Membership
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Once again, thank you for your informative blogs and replies.
I do have ProTools. My focus is on breaking down stubborn brick walls. For that I need trees and segments, both. Plus sometimes Y and mtDNA. Different people use the tools differently.
I hear you. Sands through the hourglass. Do what brings you joy.
Thanks for sharing! Appreciate this and all your new information with diagrams and examples. Also I really liked the display showing the relationships of my DNA matches!
A sharp-eyed reader caught that the “Evaluate” feature is now gone, which used to allow you to evaluate other people’s trees that suggested the ThruLines connection. This is really important, and I hope that Ancestry restores it. Genealogists must evaluate everything and weigh the evidence when determining if a connection is accurate.
Is it gone, though? I navigated to a line where I don’t have a lot of information in my tree yet and examined a line suggested by ThruLines. It had some suggested relatives descending from my common ancestor with a “plus” sign on the suggested relative. When I click on the plus I get a sidebar for that person showing what Ancestry thinks they know about that person, a lot of source info (both trees and documents) that I can easily click on, and an option to “Review and add to tree”. Seems to me that this is pretty similar functionality to what used to be “Evaluate”. I wasn’t deeply attached to the old layout, and I’m finding this new one to be pretty usable (but agree with you that the Full Screen would be nice).
The “Evaluate” feature is what I liked about ThruLines. Without it I find ThruLines all but worthless. I only used ThruLines when I was looking at a match which shows we shared a common ancestor. Clicking on the little box says Grid View, but I only see one person.
It is one of the MOST important features of ThruLines. With the new version we cannot even see which trees Ancestry has associated with each match. It is one tree only and that doesn’t even hyperlink to the tree. I truly do not understand what Ancestry is trying to do with this. It surely won’t lead to more correct trees as now people are saying in the Facebook groups how it is so much easier to connect matches to their tree. Is that because there is no need to “evaluate,” I wonder. That it is easy is not necessarily a good thing. I have been an enthusiastic ThruLines user for years. I use them in conjunction with the fabulous ProTools SMOM now and had been happily solving big and little mysteries in my tree. All I can say is that I am really, really glad I’ve already solved the big mysteries. With this layout and the constant toggling, expanding, etc. *and* no easy way to print any particular ThruLine, I would have given up and left the site. If Ancestry wanted to actually improve ThruLines, I see nothing here that will even address, let alone solve those issues. Incorrect relationship paths – no help here. Totally incorrect trees used to create those paths – no help.
Thanks, though, for your tips, Roberta. I feel quite dejected as I have embraced every other new Ancestry DNA tool but how this one is supposed to help is completely lost on me. My review = it’s a hot mess!
I have an all Access Family Plan but don’t see this new feature. Do I need a different plan for this?
I don’t know. I do know not everyone has it yet. Do you have ProTools?
No, I don’t have Pro Tools. Perhaps that is where they have started the introduction. Fingers crossed it filters down to others.
The “Evaluate” feature is what I liked about ThruLines. Without it I find ThruLines all but worthless. I only used ThruLines when I was looking at a match which show we shared a common ancestor. Clicking on the little box says Grid View, but I only see one person
I don’t have Pro Tools not this feature—yet. But thanks for the heads up!
Thanks — this display is interesting and a lot easier than the previous “matrix” where you had to guess if there was any connection. Congratulations on having so many matches at the great-grandparent level and beyond!
I find Pro Tools to be very helpful. It does cost an additional $10 per month, but it can be turned off and on.
Plese note that Ancestry has revered to the old version of ThruLines and obsoleted the new version on December 5, 2025. At this time, everyone should have the original version now.