How To Make a Family Tree in Microsoft PowerPoint

Have you ever wanted to piece together your family tree? Or maybe, have you ever wanted to go into an in-depth study about certain fictional or real-life families? We get it. Sometimes, learning about families can get confusing because of the many names you must remember.

This is the exact reason why family trees are made. These handy diagrams provide a visual chart of which family members descend or ascend from who. If you want to create one, too, you might wonder where to start.

Well, that’s the exact reason why we’re here, too. Learn more about making family trees in PowerPoint by reading this step-by-step guide.

How To Make a Basic Family Tree in Microsoft PowerPoint

Without further ado, here’s how you’d be able to make a basic family tree with the help of PowerPoint. This tutorial hinges on the SmartArt feature, available across other Microsoft apps like Word. This tool lets you create diagrams, charts, and, of course, family trees.

Follow the steps below to get started:

Step 1: Open a Template

There are two main ways to access family tree templates in PowerPoint:

• From the navigation bar. Click Insert in the top menu. Second, click SmartArt. Then, choose Hierarchy from the left panel. Select a layout that resembles a family tree (e.g., Organization Chart)

• When creating a new slide. You’ll see icons for various elements; then click the SmartArt icon. Then, look for the Hierarchy layout again.

Step 2: Edit Text

Edit your text or data for the family tree. To edit the text in your family tree:

• Click on the text placeholders in the SmartArt graphic, or use the SmartArt Text pane.
• Type in the names of the family members.

Step 3: Add or Remove Shapes

To ensure that your family tree fits your family members, you can add or remove shapes.

Add a Shape

Add shapes to your family tree to add more members. There are four ways to add shapes to your family tree:

• From Insert > Shape. Click Insert in the top menu. Select Shapes. Then, choose the shape you want to add.

• Through the SmartArt Text pane. Activate the text pane, and use the “+” icon to add shapes. Use tab to indent or add “descendants” to your family tree.

• From SmartArt Design > Add Shape. You can also click Add Shape from the SmartArt Design tab. This is a one-click way to add new shapes to your diagram.

• Copy and paste. Right-click on an existing shape, then copy and paste to add the same shape.

Remove a Shape

To remove shapes that you don’t like, just press Delete on your keyboard after selecting one. Or, just use the “-” icon in the SmartArt Text pane.

Step 4: Change Style

Lastly, here are several ways to change the style of your family tree:

Option 1: Format Menu

Select the shape in your family tree that you want to customize. Go to Format. Use options like Shape Fill, Shape Outline, and Effects to customize.

Option 2: One-Click Change

Select your family tree. Then, go to SmartArt Design. Click different layouts in the Layouts gallery. You can also use the Change Colors pane to edit all the colors.

How To Make a Professional Family Tree in Microsoft PowerPoint

After learning how to make a basic family tree in PowerPoint, you should take it to the next level. If you’re a genealogist or someone who takes family trees very seriously, here are some steps you can follow to improve family tree-making in PowerPoint.

Step 1:

Open PowerPoint and create a new blank presentation.

Step 2:

Go to Insert > SmartArt > Hierarchy and choose your layout again.

Step 3:

Once inserted, click on the graphic to reveal the text pane. Enter your family names, starting with the oldest generation at the top.

Step 4:

To add more generations or family members more easily, place your cursor at the end of a name in the text pane and press Enter. Alternatively, you can use the “+” symbol in the SmartArt Text pane. Use the Tab key to indent and create sub-levels.

Step 5:

Adjust the overall size of your family tree by clicking and dragging the corner handles. This will allow you to accommodate more family members without compromising visual quality.

Step 6:

To customize individual shapes, just click on a box. Then, go to the Format panel > Advanced Effects, and use the available effects like Shadow, Reflection, Glow, Soft Edges, 3-D Format, and 3-D Rotation.

Step 7:

Go to SmartArt Tools > Design > Change Colors for a professional look. Choose a color scheme that uses subtle, complementary colors.

Step 8:

To add photos, click a shape first. Then, go to Insert > Pictures to add your family member’s images to the shape.

Step 9:

To create a legend, go to Insert > Shapes. Add rectangles and use different colors to represent different family lines. Add a Text Box next to each to explain the color coding.

Step 10:

For additional visual interest, go to Insert > Icons. Add relevant icons like hearts for marriages or stars for siblings. You can also use Shapes for this purpose.

Step 11: Add a title to your slide

Use WordArt for a decorative touch: Insert > WordArt, then choose a style that complements your family tree. Alternatively, you can use or locate suitable fonts from the internet and add them to your system’s font selection to use them in PowerPoint.

How to Make a Family Tree With Edraw.AI

In the previous sections, you’ve learned how to make family trees with PowerPoint. If you found it difficult to do or feel limited by the options provided in the program, then maybe it’s time to try a new tool.

Understandably, PowerPoint is mainly a presentation tool. That’s why you should use tools like Edraw.AI, with powerful AI features and unlimited customization options to level up your family trees.

Method 1. Generate a Family Tree with AI Family Tree Maker

First off, here are the steps to use Edraw.AI’s AI-powered diagram generator to create your family tree.

Step 1:

Go to Edraw.AI’s official website. Log in or sign up with a Wondershare, Facebook, Google, X, or Apple account.

Step 2:

On the homepage, click Home > Show All > AI Diagram.

Step 3:

On the next page, click AI Selection under Select Diagram Type. Then, type in your prompt in the text box and click Start. Once the family tree has been generated, click Edit in Canvas.

After generating the family tree, check the next section for some steps to learn how to edit generated diagrams/templates.

Method 2: Create Family Trees With Edraw.AI Templates

Another way to create family trees is by using Edraw.AI’s templates. It has a library full of family tree templates that you can simply edit to get a jumpstart on your work.

Step 1:

Go to the Templates section. Type in your search in the search bar. In this case, use the keyword “family tree.”

Step 2:

Click any template that you like.

Step 3:

Click Create with template to begin editing the templates.

Step 4:

Double-click text elements to add your data/personalize your family tree.

Step 5: Customize the family tree

Add new shapes from the Symbols tab on the left panel. Then, to customize what they look like, use customization options like Style, Fill, or Line on the toolbar after selecting them. To remove unwanted shapes or elements, just click them and press Delete on your keyboard.

How To Export Edraw.AI Family Trees To PowerPoint

After making your family trees with Edraw.AI, you can still add them to PowerPoint, so you’ll also have the option to present them. To do this, you only have to follow two basic steps:

Step 1:

On Edraw.AI, click Export, then choose a file type (ideally Image).

Step 2:

In PowerPoint, go to Insert > Pictures > Picture From File… to add your family tree from Edraw.AI.

Overall, making a family tree shouldn’t have to be hard once you’ve mastered the tools you use. For example, making family trees in PowerPoint more beautiful or informative involves constant practice and learning the ins and outs of the SmartArt feature.

On the other hand, you can make your life easier by using dedicated AI tools like Edraw.AI. The tool allows you to focus on what matters: the content of your family tree. Leave the design or initial generation to Edraw.AI’s templates and AI generator.

Tips for Making a More Visually Appealing and Effective Family Tree

Of course, learning how to make anything in a greater manner is not achieved by following simple steps. You have to follow some best practices so that your work will be on par with other people who are great at creating family trees. So, here are some tips that you can follow for building family trees in PowerPoint:

• Use the Alt key for precise positioning. Hold Alt while dragging shapes for perfect alignment.
• Create custom shapes. Combine basic shapes (Insert > Shapes > Merge Shapes) to create unique family member icons.
• Use Format Painter (Home tab). Use this tool to apply consistent styling across multiple shapes quickly.
• Use Slide Master (View > Slide Master). Use this to consistently add recurring elements like watermarks or logos across all slides.
• Make use of the Smart Guides. Enable them in Grid and Guides settings for easy, precise alignment of elements.
• Use Zoom (Insert > Zoom). Use this to create interactive, non-linear navigation within your family tree presentation.
• Employ Morph transitions. Adding this effect between slides to create smooth animations between different parts of your family tree.
• Use the Eyedropper tool. This is a color picker that matches colors exactly from imported photos or logos.
• Use PowerPoint’s built-in Accessibility Checker (Review > Check Accessibility). This will ensure your family tree is inclusive and readable for all audiences.

These tips can significantly enhance your PowerPoint family tree’s visual appeal and functionality, making it more engaging and professional.