RootsTech 2025 Roundup
After months of preparation, a whirlwind trip to Salt Lake City, and 3 incredible days filled with inspiring connections, we’re back from RootsTech 2025. This year’s event was a true celebration of family history, and we were thrilled to meet with fellow genealogists, connect with MyHeritage users, and showcase some of our most exciting recent innovations.
From AI-powered tools to groundbreaking genealogy features, RootsTech gave us the perfect opportunity to share how MyHeritage continues to transform family history research.
One of the best parts of RootsTech is getting to meet MyHeritage users from all over the world, and this year was no exception. From longtime users to those just starting their journey, we loved hearing your stories, discoveries, and personal experiences using MyHeritage.
A booth full of excitement
The MyHeritage booth was the place to be, with attendees stopping by to try out our newest features, speak with MyHeritage experts, and get hands-on experience with our tools.
Our team was on hand to assist users. It was especially meaningful to hear just how much users appreciate how friendly and approachable MyHeritage is. Many attendees shared that they find MyHeritage intuitive, engaging, and welcoming — whether they are building their first family tree, analyzing DNA results, or uncovering records in our historical collections. Knowing that MyHeritage makes family history more accessible and enjoyable for so many people is something we are truly proud of.
To celebrate the recent launch of Ancient Origins, we invited visitors to dress up as figures from ancient civilizations and take photos. This interactive activity was a huge hit — it was such a fun and engaging way to bring history to life!
@MyHeritage #AncientOrigins allowed Queen @ShamrockGen to meet my Ancient Roman Gladiator self at @RootsTechConf at their time machine Photo booth! #Rootstech2025 pic.twitter.com/BJ3gjl81l0
— David Allen Lambert (@DLGenealogist) March 8, 2025
Members of the MyHeritage team, having some fun.
This year at RootsTech, we introduced a special space at our booth dedicated to MyStories, our new storytelling service that helps users turn life experiences into a beautifully crafted keepsake book. This cozy corner was designed to encourage attendees to share their personal stories and reflect on the moments that shaped their families.
VP of Product Innovation at MyHeritage, Shahar Bitton, in the MyStories nook.
Our tote bags and other fun swag quickly became some of the most sought-after items at the conference.
Several of our speakers led informative sessions right at the MyHeritage booth, giving attendees an up-close look at how to make the most of our newest features.
Alexander Findlay, a DNA specialist from our Support team, helped attendees understand their DNA segments and how to use them for genealogy research.
Tal Erlichman, VP of Product Management spoke at the MyHeritage booth about using AI tools on your family photos.
MyHeritage experts also took the stage at official RootsTech sessions, sharing insights into the latest genealogy tools and research techniques.
Gal Zrihen, the Product Manager responsible for MyHeritage DNA products, shared expert insights on advanced DNA research tools.
Uri Gonen, MyHeritage’s Senior VP of Product, took the stage at the innovation forum to present our new feature, Cousin Finder™.
Major MyHeritage innovations highlighted at RootsTech
At this year’s conference, Aaron Godfrey, VP of Marketing at MyHeritage, took the stage to present some of our latest advancements in genealogy and DNA. He spoke about recent innovations, detailing how each new feature is helping users deepen their family history research and make meaningful discoveries about their ancestors.
Watch Aaron’s full keynote presentation here:
The exciting features that have recently been introduced on MyHeritage are already making an impact:
LiveMemory™ – A new AI-powered tool that animates old family photos, giving new life to historical images and helping users connect with the past in a powerful way.
MyStories – A new storytelling service that helps users turn life experiences into a beautifully crafted keepsake book, preserving memories for future generations.
Cousin Finder™ – A major new genealogy feature that identifies other MyHeritage members who share common ancestors with you — your cousins — based on family tree data. Unlike DNA Matches, Cousin Finder™ works without a DNA test, making it easier than ever to grow your tree and connect with relatives.
Historical Records Added to MyHeritage – MyHeritage has added 14 billion new records since last RootsTech, bringing the total to 34 billion. This includes major NYC and U.S. state vital records, exclusive French collections, and 230 million historical newspaper pages. Additionally, OldNews.com now features 329 million newspaper pages from around the world, offering an even richer archive for researchers.
Advancements in DNA Research – The launch of Ethnicity Estimate v2.5 expanded MyHeritage’s ethnicity coverage from 42 to 79 groups. Ancient Origins, a groundbreaking feature, now allows users to trace their heritage back 10,000 years, revealing connections to civilizations such as the Romans, Vikings, and Phoenicians.
Enhancements in Family Tree Research – MyHeritage partnered with FamilyTreeDNA, enabling users to transfer their family trees seamlessly. The acquisition of MesAieux.com has further strengthened genealogy resources, particularly for French-speaking researchers.
Gilad Japhet’s much-anticipated talk
As with every year, one of the most anticipated moments of RootsTech for MyHeritage fans was the talk by MyHeritage Founder and CEO, Gilad Japhet.
Gilad’s sessions are always a highlight of the conference, offering deep insights into his latest genealogy discoveries, behind-the-scenes innovations at MyHeritage, and a sneak peek at what’s coming next.
We’ll be posting the full video and a detailed recap in a separate blog post very soon, so stay tuned!
For those who couldn’t make it to RootsTech or want to revisit the highlights, Daniel Horowitz, genealogy expert at MyHeritage, hosted a webinar covering all the major MyHeritage announcements and sharing insights from the conference. Watch the full webinar here.
RootsTech remains one of the most exciting events of the year, and RootsTech 2025 was no exception. We’re already looking forward to next year, but in the meantime, there are more family history innovations to be made!
