I received this information from Calico Pie, the provider of Family Historian genealogy software:
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Family Historian 8 Introduces Smart Folders, an AI Connector, and Integration with FamilySearch User Trees
PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Calico Pie’s most ambitious upgrade yet also adds new mapping tools, a major graphics update for charts and diagrams, and a free phone companion app
London, UK – 26 October 2026 – Calico Pie Limited today officially announced the release of Family Historian 8, the latest version of its desktop genealogy software for Windows, available since 2 October. Version 8 introduces Smart Folders, an AI Connector that lets an AI assistant work directly in a family tree project, integration with FamilySearch user trees, and new mapping tools.
Smart Folders
Smart Folders automatically organise the people, sources, places and other records in a family tree into customisable folders, instantly surfacing the interesting and important information they contain. Calico Pie believes Smart Folders are a genealogy world first.
Smart Folders in Family Historian 8: records grouped automatically by occupation, residence, religion and cause of death.
The AI Connector: AI help, with you in control
The AI Connector lets Claude, or another compatible AI assistant, work inside a Family Historian project, for example by transcribing and recording certificates or tidying records. The user stays in control and uses their own AI account. Access can be read-only or read-write, and changes can be undone when the session is closed.
FamilySearch integration, including user trees
Family Historian 8 adds FamilySearch integration, working with both the global FamilySearch Family Tree and FamilySearch’s new user trees, whose owners control who can access them. Information can be copied in both directions: users can even upload a whole project to a user tree, and import a tree branch, or a whole user tree, into a new or existing project. Each record is shown alongside its FamilySearch match, with differences highlighted so users can spot and resolve them quickly. Auto-matching and FamilySearch hints help users find matches and spot duplicates, and nothing is sent to FamilySearch unless the user chooses to send it.
More in version 8
- New mapping tools: draw shapes and text on maps, add overlays such as historic county boundaries, and save maps for reports and books.
- 64-bit: much larger projects, reports, books and charts, and often better performance.
- Diagrams and books: a rebuilt graphics engine for faster, better-looking diagrams, and new tools for creating scrapbooks and photo books.
- Queries, reports and citations: a redesigned query system with more powerful filters and built-in functions you can add from a list, a new All Relatives Narrative report and customisable source citations.
- Family Historian Mobile: a free companion app for viewing a family tree on a phone (Android in public beta, iPhone in development).
- Free Edition: anyone can view, browse and edit a project, so relatives can make corrections.
Availability and pricing
Family Historian 8 runs on 64-bit Windows 11 or 10 and is available as a download from the Family Historian website, either as a perpetual licence or by monthly or annual subscription. Pricing details are on the website. Subscribers receive free upgrades to future releases. Owners of version 7 can upgrade to a perpetual licence at a 25% discount, and owners of versions 5 and 6 at 10%. Version 8 installs alongside earlier versions, and a snapshot of each project is kept automatically when it is upgraded. A free 30-day trial is available.
“A query is like a torch in a dark room: it lights up only what you point it at. Smart Folders are like switching on the light – suddenly you can see the whole room,” said Simon Orde, founder of Calico Pie. “Then there’s the AI Connector: we’re already hearing extraordinary stories about what people are doing with it and Claude. We want genealogists everywhere to be able to use Family Historian 8 as part of their genealogy toolkit, which is why we’re also offering low-cost monthly subscriptions.”
About Family Historian
Family Historian is award-winning genealogy software for Windows, with tools for charts and diagrams, reports and books, mapping, linking faces in photos to people, and research. It is designed and written by Calico Pie Limited, a UK software house founded by Simon Orde in 1995 and based in London.
Media contact
Simon Orde, Calico Pie Limited
info@family-historian.co.uk
Telephone (UK office hours): +44 20 3637 6694
https://www.family-historian.co.uk
Full details of the new version: https://www.family-historian.co.uk/whats-new-in-8
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Disclosure: I received this notice from Calico Pie in my email this week and thought it would be helpful to genelaogists and family historians. I have received no remuneration for posting this, but have used this software in the past on a trial basis.
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