The 2026 RootsTech Conference begins Thursday, March 5, and runs through Saturday, March 7.
Held in person in Salt Lake City and online at RootsTech.org, notable speakers will include Elder Ronald A. Rasband and Elder 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 global online and in-person family celebration conference hosted by FamilySearch International and is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other leading genealogy organizations. It is the world’s largest genealogy event, featuring keynote speakers, hundreds of classes and new technologies. Last year’s conference drew millions of participants from over 200 countries and territories.
The year’s theme will be “Together,” according to a FamilySearch blog post. The event will feature hundreds of classes, an expo hall, keynote speakers and 10 global emcees.
“For 15 years, RootsTech has provided a place for people to learn, share and make life-changing family discoveries — together," the FamilySearch blog post states. “This year we are continuing to bring the world closer together as we discover our stories and see how we are all connected.”
Jonathan Wing, FamilySearch’s director of events, said in a news release that RootsTech organizers are “committed to providing a world-class experience that will inspire and empower our attendees to make meaningful discoveries.”
Register for the in-person conference on the RootsTech website or register for the free online option. Select content will be available online in multiple languages.
Keynote speakers
RootsTech 2026 will feature seven keynote speakers, three to speak at the in-person event and four to speak virtually.
In-person keynote speakers:
- Steve Young, National Football League Hall of Famer and Super Bowl MVP, on Saturday, March 7
- Marlee Matlin, Academy Award-winning actress and author, on Thursday, March 5
- Tara Roberts, National Geographic explorer in residence, author and historian, on Friday, March 6
Virtual keynote speakers
- Jessica Soho, award-winning Filipina broadcast journalist
- José Hernández, Mexican American engineer and NASA astronaut
- The Gardiner Brothers, award-winning Irish dancers
- Zico, Brazilian football legend
The virtual keynote addresses have been available on demand since Feb. 13 at the RootsTech website.
Last year’s in-person keynote speakers included New York City-based artist and designer Dana Tanamachi; and Olympic and Paralympic gold medalists Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall.
Last year’s prerecorded virtual keynote talks were provided by author Ndaba Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela; Latin American social media family Los Chicaneros; Filipina musician and pediatric nurse Ysabelle Cuevas; and Italian TV personality and entertainer Marco Lui.
Family Discovery Day
RootsTech 2026 will hold its annual Family Discovery Day — a free, family-focused 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. MST about coming unto 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 heritage. The free event will take place in the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. MST. Video will be available for on-demand viewing in Gospel Library and at broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Additionally, Elder Kearon will speak during the Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction, which is a 30-minute recorded training for Latter-day Saints in stake and ward councils and others with callings supporting temple and family history efforts. It will be available on demand starting Thursday, March 5, at 8 a.m. MST for streaming on Gospel Library.
Church leaders who have previously 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 were joined by the late President Jeffrey R. Holland, then the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who made a surprise appearance.
- 2024 — The late President M. Russell Ballard, previously the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in a film that was recorded months before his death on Nov. 12, 2023.
- 2023 — Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Susan Gong.
- 2022 — Elder Ulisses 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.
