Here's an FAQ on the return to green sync status that we hope will answer your questions:

Q: Do we still need to back up before syncing?

A: YES! You should always do a manual backup before each sync. 

Q: Will we still see some orange and red weather?

A:  Yes, the connection still isn't perfect yet, so you may see red and orange status appearing from time to time.

Q: Is syncing safe now?

A: All our tests say yes, but you should still always be cautious and backup before syncing. 

Q: Why do we always see orange weather after red?

A: The system works like this: At the first interruption in connection with Ancestry, we put up the red status and block new syncs from starting for five minutes. If there are no more interruptions during the five minutes, we go to orange status for one hour. If no interruptions during the hour, we return to green status.

Q: What should I do before starting to sync again?

A: Make full manual backups of all your trees, and if you haven't already done so, we strongly recommend updating to version 23.2 of FTM 2017 (build 540). You can get the updater by going to support.familytreemaker and enter "23.2" in the search field.

Q: Will it be a problem if everyone starts syncing all at once?

A: No. Ancestry has plenty of syncing bandwidth.

Q: Will my first sync go slowly?

A: Yes.  If you have made many changes and not synced them yet, the first time back syncing can take a very, very long time.  Be patient.  The next sync after that will go like lightning.

Q: What should I do if the weather changes to red while I am syncing?

A: If the sync was completed without errors, you are all set.  But if you get an error during sync, first attempt to sync again.  Then if you get another error, in most cases restoring a backup made right before syncing is the right thing to do, but it’s best to check with Live Chat if you are not sure.

Q: Does this mean that everything is back to normal?

A: Not quite yet, but all testing indicates syncing is safe when the weather is green. 

Q: What should I do if I have more sync questions:

A: Visit our Live Chat service. It's open 24/7. Just go to support.familytreemaker.com and search for "Live Chat".
