The 2026 RootsTech Conference begins Thursday, March 5th and runs through Saturday, March 7th.
Held in person in Salt Lake City and online at RootsTech.org, notable speakers include Elders Ronald A. Rasband and Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, National Football League Hall of Famer and Super Bowl MVP Steve Young, and Academy Award-winning actress and author Marlee Matlin.
RootsTech is a three-day online and in-person global family celebration conference hosted by FamilySearch International and sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other leading genealogy organizations. It’s the world’s largest genealogy event, featuring keynote speakers, hundreds of classes, and new technology. Last year’s conference attracted millions of participants from more than 200 countries and territories.
This year’s theme is “Together,” according to a FamilySearch blog post. The event will feature hundreds of classes, an exhibit hall, keynote speakers, and 10 world-class moderators.
“For 15 years, RootsTech has provided a place for people to learn, share, and make life-changing discoveries together as a family,” a FamilySearch blog post states. “This year, we will continue to bring the world even closer as we discover our stories and see how we are all connected.”
Jonathan Wing, FamilySearch event director, said in a news release that RootsTech organizers are “committed to providing a world-class experience that inspires and empowers participants to make meaningful discoveries.”
Register for the in-person conference or for the free online option on the RootsTech website. Some content is available online in multiple languages.
keynote speaker
RootsTech 2026 will feature seven keynote speakers, three of whom will speak at the in-person event and four who will speak virtually.
Direct keynote speakers:
National Football League Hall of Famer and Super Bowl MVP Steve Young spoke on Saturday, March 7th, Academy Award-winning actress and author Marlee Matlin spoke on Thursday, March 5th, and National Geographic explorer-in-residence, author and historian Tara Roberts spoke on Friday, March 6th.
virtual keynote speaker
The virtual keynote is now available on-demand on the RootsTech website starting February 13th.
Last year’s in-person keynote speakers included New York City-based artist and designer Dana Tanamachi; Olympic and Paralympic gold medalists Tara Davis Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall.
Last year’s pre-recorded virtual keynote address was delivered by author Ndaba Mandela, Nelson Mandela’s grandson. Los Chicaneros, a Latin American social media family. Isabel Cuevas is a Filipino musician and pediatric nurse. Marco Rui is an Italian television personality and entertainer.
family discovery day
Roots Tech 2026 will host its annual Family Discovery Day, a free family-friendly event with activities and games, on Saturday, March 7, featuring Elder Rasband and his wife, Sister Melanie Rasband. Elder and Sister Rasband will speak at 1:30 p.m. ET on coming to Christ by uniting families for eternity.
Family Discovery Day is a one-day event during RootsTech designed to help Latter-day Saints discover and celebrate their family traditions. This free event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. MST at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. The video will be available on demand at the Gospel Library and broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
In addition, Elder Kearon will speak during the Temple and Family History Leadership Leadership Conference. This instruction is a 30-minute recorded training for Latter-day Saints in stake and ward councils and others with callings to support temple and family history efforts. It will be available to stream on-demand on Gospel Library starting Thursday, March 5th at 8am MST.
Previous Church leaders who have spoken at Family Discovery Day include:
2025 — Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Kathy Andersen. They also made a surprise appearance by the late President Jeffrey R. Holland, then acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. 2024 — The late President M. Russell Ballard, former acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, appears in a film recorded several months before his death on November 12, 2023. 2023 — Quorum Elder Gerrit W. Gong 2022 — Elder Ulises Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Rosana Soares. 2021 — The late President Jeffrey R. Holland, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and his wife, the late Sister Patricia Holland.
