Using FamilySearch Full-Text Search for Newspapers & Periodicals

The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is November 2025)

Want an ad-free experience plus several special genealogy resources? Check out the Platinum, Gold, and Silver Premium Programs at Premium

FamilySearch’s new Full-Text Search is one of the most quietly powerful features they’ve released in years — and easily overlooked because it’s still labeled “Beta” and buried under the Search menu. Most genealogists assume FamilySearch has no newspapers… but this tool breaks that assumption by indexing millions of pages of digitized periodicals, journals, and yes — newspapers.

This Quicksheet explains how this new feature actually works, where the hidden clues are, what limitations to expect, and how to turn its unique strengths into real research breakthroughs.

Download the Quicksheet PDF

To obtain a seven page Quicksheet PDF of this information, download it by clicking on the Download button below: 

For all the previously published Quick Reference Guides, click on QuickSheets

Genealogy QuickSheets – Frequently Asked Questions

Quicksheets are also known as Quick Reference Guides. They are generally a one or two page PDF that is downloadable. A few QuickSheets are as large as a five page PDF.
Every QuickSheet is in a specific post on The Ancestor Hunt website. Just bring up the post, and at the bottom of the page is a big brown Download button that allows you to view and/or download the PDF when clicked.
Yes! You can view or download as many as you wish.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *