Hi Reader,

I'm writing this just before I leave for my vacation where I get to do something I've dreamed about for years – walk in the actual footsteps of my 6th great grandfather! London, here I come! I can't wait to share that experience with you soon.

But even when getting ready for vacation, I can't help myself when it comes to genealogy discoveries. Recently I stumbled across an Ancestry feature that got me genuinely excited – their "Recognize Ancestors" facial recognition tool. I'm not sure how long it's been there, but I immediately had to test it out on some of my mystery photos.

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🎬 NEW VIDEO

Ancestry's "Hidden" Photo Feature: What It Actually Does

I'm talking about the "Recognize Ancestors" feature (also called "Search by Face"). This facial recognition tool searches your ancestor's photos against thousands of photos uploaded by other Ancestry users.

In this week's video, I show you:

• Exactly where to find this hidden feature
• Step-by-step tutorial with real examples
• How to use confidence ratings to evaluate results
• What it can (and can't) do for your research

The best part? It might help you connect with other researchers who have photos of the same ancestor.

🎬 Watch: Ancestry's Recognize Ancestors Feature - The Tool Most People Miss​

📖NEW BLOG POST

You Don't Need to Be a Researcher to Preserve Your Family History

The stories are slipping away. Your mom mentions your great-grandmother's name in passing, and you realize you've never heard that story before.

Here's what I want you to know: You're already qualified to preserve your family history.

This isn't about becoming a professional genealogist or tracing your lineage back centuries. It's about capturing the stories sitting at your kitchen table right now – before they fade.

I share 5 simple ways to start this weekend, plus why the most precious family history isn't hiding in some courthouse. It's in the everyday moments that feel ordinary but won't always be there.

📝 Read the blog post: You Don't Need to Be a Researcher to Preserve Your Family History​

💡QUICK WIN OF THE WEEK

Photo Prep for Better Results

Before you use any facial recognition tool (not just Ancestry's), make sure your photos are high quality and well-lit. These tools work best with clear, front-facing images. Blurry or dark photos won't give you reliable matches.

Quick tip: When you do get matches, confidence ratings matter! "Great" matches are worth investigating, but even "good" matches can lead to false positives. Always verify with additional research.

🎁NEW FREEBIE!

It's New! Turn Mystery Photos Into Family Stories

Got boxes of old family photos with no names? Kids and family members who look at them and shrug because they're just "random old pictures"?

My new Family Photo Story Starter Bundle gives you simple tools to turn those forgotten photos into conversations your family will actually want to have – in just 10 minutes a day.

What's included:

• Story Starter Card Templates (fill-in-the-blank conversation pieces)
• Family Photo Detective Checklist (everyone loves playing detective!)
• Conversation Prompt Guide (no more awkward history lectures)
• Quick Start Action Plan (7 days, 10 minutes each)

⭐ FROM THE "ARE YOU MY COUSIN?" ARCHIVES

More Photo Help From the Vault

Since we're talking photos this week, here are some popular past resources to help you tackle those family photo mysteries:

• ​Your Family's Lost Photos Aren't Lost (Here's Where to Look!) -[Video] Discover unexpected places your family photos might be hiding
• ​How to Identify Mystery Faces in Old Family Photographs - My systematic approach to putting names to faces

These pair perfectly with this week's Ancestry.com tool tutorial!

☕WORK WITH ME

Ready To Break Through Your Genealogy Brick Walls?

If you're tired of spinning your wheels in your research, my VIP Genealogy Day might be exactly what you need. We work your genealogy puzzles side by side to break through those stubborn brick walls.

​Learn more about the VIP Genealogy Day. ​

Have you tried Ancestry's facial recognition tool yet? Hit reply and let me know what you discovered – I love hearing about your breakthroughs!

Happy Ancestor Hunting!

Lisa

Lisa Lisson Genealogy Researcher, Author & Speaker