# Adding the first person **URL:** \ **Category:** Help\ **Created:** [September 28, 2021, 9:41am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/adding-the-first-person/1862 "2021-09-28T09:41:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dicire](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/dicire/32/1322_2.png) [@Dicire](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/Dicire)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2021, 9:41am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/adding-the-first-person/1862/1 "2021-09-28T09:41:36Z")
AIO64-5.1.4-1 Windows 10 I installed Gramps and am unable to add a person as there is no + button that I can see. Can anyone help? Kind regards, Eric ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/gramps/original/2X/0/0789dc871c24e86d740196b82af345400947e52e.png) ---
**Author:** ![Patsyblefebre](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/patsyblefebre/32/1315_2.png) [@Patsyblefebre](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/Patsyblefebre)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2021, 10:11am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/adding-the-first-person/1862/2 "2021-09-28T10:11:35Z")
Welcome, To begin you need to create a family tree so you can add people. > If Gramps is started without a family tree selected, the initial screen will have little functionality. Most operations will not be available. To load a family tree (also referred to as _database_ ), select in the menu **Family Trees-\>Manage Family Trees** to open the family tree manager, or click the ![Charts](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/gramps/original/2X/1/1d3ee566d28e45ffe9b080371a660f0e73112402.png "Charts")Family Tree icon in the toolbar. Gramps keeps track of your recently opened Family Trees, and these can be selected by clicking on the arrow next to the Family Tree button and choosing from the drop down menu. From the [Getting started section](https://gramps-project.org/wiki/index.php/Gramps_5.1_Wiki_Manual_-_Getting_started#Choosing_a_Family_Tree) of user manual. ---
**Author:** ![Dicire](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/dicire/32/1322_2.png) [@Dicire](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/Dicire)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2021, 10:11pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/adding-the-first-person/1862/3 "2021-09-28T22:11:47Z")
Thank you, I had a family tree created, but the trick to open the tree is to open “manage family trees” and double click on the new tree there, **then** it opens. ---
**Author:** ![DaveSch](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/davesch/32/40_2.png) [@DaveSch](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/DaveSch)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2021, 11:03pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/adding-the-first-person/1862/4 "2021-09-28T23:03:23Z")
There is an **Automatically load last family tree** checkbox on the [Family Tree tab in Preferences](https://gramps-project.org/wiki/index.php/Gramps_5.1_Wiki_Manual_-_Settings#Family_Tree). ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2021, 11:13pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/adding-the-first-person/1862/5 "2021-09-28T23:13:56Z")
That Preferences item doesn’t do anything for the 1st time user. This is that first hurdle Gramps puts in front of new users… the concept of a creating _then loading_ a new Tree before you can do _anything_. People are too used to tools like Word or Excel that have prominent (or automated) New Document feature that has you name that new shell at the end of the first session instead of the beginning. Even GIMP (which confusingly doesn’t offer a blank document upon opening the App) does not require naming from the beginning. ---
**Author:** ![Dicire](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/dicire/32/1322_2.png) [@Dicire](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/Dicire)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 12:38am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/adding-the-first-person/1862/6 "2021-09-29T00:38:30Z")
Thanks, yes. I spent at least an hour reading the manual and trying to figure out how to add a person before going to the forums. I had created a family tree because you are forced to do that on first opening Gramps. The interface is based on buttons and single click selections, and no right click options, so initially it is not intuitive to double click an item to open it. Looking back I now see the “Load Family Tree” button, but only having one tree and with it selected the additional step of having to load it is not obvious. It is now. Thanks for your help. Kind regards, Eric. ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 1:06am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/adding-the-first-person/1862/7 "2021-09-29T01:06:52Z")
Save yourself some struggle climbing the learning curve. Watch the [Tutorial videos](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/tutorial-videos/126). Start with # 3 since you’re already past the 1st two. And you might find [Roughing in a Tree with the Pedigree chart & Gramplets](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/roughing-in-a-tree-with-the-pedigree-chart-gramplets/1332) interesting. There are lots of free add-ons (like the Data Entry Gramplet) that speed up roughing in your Tree. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/gramps/original/1X/2ac1e712b7adf612e31ca08a55419f4cf37c0158.png) [@system](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 1:07am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/adding-the-first-person/1862/8 "2021-10-29T01:07:45Z")
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