Appearance
How to Make a Genogram in Word
Microsoft Word works for a basic genogram using its built-in Shapes tool; you can place family members, connect them with lines, and add labels directly in the document.
Before You Start
A few things worth knowing before you begin drawing:
- Have your family information ready before opening Word. If you haven't gathered it yet, see How to Make a Genogram first on the information you need.
- Word has no genogram-specific templates; so every element you need has to be placed manually.
- Word is manageable for a simple diagram, but if you're building a complex family, it becomes tedious quickly.
For standard genogram symbols, relationship line logic, and a complex diagram you can draw easily, and edit without redrawing from scratch, How to Make a Genogram Online covers a purpose-built alternative using the EasyGenogram tool.
How to Make a Genogram in Word: Step by Step
These are eight steps on making a genogram in Microsoft Word.
Step 1: Set Up the Document
Go to Layout > Orientation > Landscape. Portrait cuts off most genograms horizontally.
After that, go to Layout > Margins > Narrow. This gives you the most horizontal space before you start placing shapes.
Changing orientation after you've started drawing shifts everything around, so do this first.
Step 2: Place the 1st Generation
Before drawing any lines, place all shapes first.
In Word, lines don't follow shapes when you move them, so if you reposition a shape after connecting it, the line stays behind. That’s why you need to get the layout right first.
For this walkthrough, we’ll be creating a simple 3-generation family genogram of paternal grandparents, parents and children.
- Go to Insert > Shapes > Rectangle for grandfather (male). Hold Shift while dragging to get a perfect square.
- Next, go to Insert > Shapes > Oval for grandmother (female). Hold Shift for a perfect circle.
- Double-click on their shapes and use the Shape Fill tool to change colors from the default to blue (for males) and pink (for females).
- Place them in the top third of the page, with enough horizontal space below for their children.
- Go to Insert > Add text box to label Grandfather’s shape, duplicate it and edit for Grandmother, and so on.
- Right-click the text box and select Outline > No Outline to remove the box outline.
- For a deceased grandparent: draw two diagonal lines over the shape using Insert > Shapes > Line to form an X. Change the color from the default color to black so it can be visible against the shape.
Step 3: Add the Second Generation
Place the second generation on the same horizontal level below the first. Leave room on either side for partners.
To keep sizes consistent: select a shape, then Ctrl+D (or Cmd+D) to duplicate it. Use duplicates for every shape from here on.
In this case, Father goes on the left, mother to his right.
Step 4: Add the Third Generation
Place the third generation below the second at the same horizontal level, in the birth order, i.e., from oldest on the left, to the youngest on the right.
Duplicate shapes with Ctrl+D and label each one.
To mark the primary person: right-click their shape > Format Shape > Line > increase width to 5pt.
Step 5: Draw Structural Lines
Ensure that all shapes are placed in the right generation level. Now connect them.
- Go to Insert > Shapes > Line. Hold Shift while drawing to keep lines perfectly horizontal or vertical, this prevents crooked connections.
- Adjust the shape and line positions for better alignment.
- Add horizontal lines between each couple (to signify marriage).
- Vertical line down from the midpoint of each couple's line to their biological children.
- Horizontal sibling bar connecting all children of the same parents.
- Vertical line down from the sibling bar to each child.
For relationship types:
- Married couple: solid line (default).
- Divorced couple: click the marriage line, then draw two short diagonal slashes crossing it manually with the Line tool. You can also change the color to red.
Step 6: Add Emotional Relationship Lines
Draw emotional lines after the structure is complete.
Word's line styles are limited, so this requires a workaround.
After drawing a line between two people, right-click it > Format Shape > Line > change the color and dash type to match the relationship type.
Red and dashed works for conflict, for example.
For the full list of emotional relationship line types, see Genogram Symbols.
Step 7: Add a Legend
Word has no built-in genogram key, so add one manually.
Go to Insert > Text Box > Draw a Text Box and place it in a corner of the document.
Keep it short:
Step 8: Review and Export
Before exporting, run through this checklist to avoid the common mistakes in making a genogram:
- All shapes are the same size.
- Male left, female right in every couple pair.
- Children in birth order, from the oldest on the left to the youngest on the right.
- Each generation is on the same horizontal level.
- Deceased persons are marked with an X.
- The primary person has a thicker border.
- Emotional relationship lines are correct.
- Legend is included.
On what to include, the level of detail depends on what the genogram is for:
- For a class assignment: names and ages near each shape are enough. Add marriage and divorce years on the relationship lines only if the assignment asks for dates.
- For a therapy or social work genogram: add health conditions, occupations, and significant events as text near each shape. Word doesn't support medical markers on shapes directly, so a small text box beside the shape is the workaround.
To export: Go to File > Export > PDF.
PDF is the most reliable format for sharing.
For a PNG, take a screenshot of the diagram section.
Building a genogram in Word works, but everything in this guide; the manual shape placement, the line workarounds, the separate legend, the limited line styles, all exist because Word wasn't built specifically for this.
The diagram below is the same family, built using the EasyGenogram tool.
Simple 3-Generation Genogram Example
Notice how the symbols are already there, the lines attach to shapes, the legend generates automatically, and the layout rules are built in.
If you're going to build more than one genogram, work with a complex family structure, share it with someone else, or come back to edit it later, EasyGenogram is the faster and easier option.
Simple 3-Generation Genogram Example
Explore this genogram and adapt it to your needs.
FAQ
Does Microsoft have a genogram template?
No. Word doesn't include genogram templates in its template library. Some third-party templates are shared online, but these are usually just basic shapes without proper genogram notation or symbol conventions.
What program can I use to create a genogram?
Word, Google Docs, and Canva can all produce a basic genogram using their shape tools, but none of them have genogram-specific symbols or relationship line types built in.
Can I use Microsoft Word to create a diagram?
Yes. Word's Insert > Shapes tool lets you draw squares, circles, lines, and connectors directly in the document. It works for basic diagrams like simple genograms, org charts, or flowcharts. For anything that needs specialized symbols or auto-connecting lines, a dedicated genogram tool like EasyGenogram will be easier.
How do you make a simple genogram?
Place shapes for each family member (squares for males, circles for females) in horizontal rows by generation, oldest generation at the top. Connect couples with a horizontal line and their children with vertical lines below. Add names and a legend. A three-generation genogram with one couple per level takes about 30 to 60 minutes in Word once you have the family information ready.
Is there a free version of Word I can use to make a genogram?
Yes. Word for the web is free at word.cloud.microsoft.com with a Microsoft account. It includes the full Shapes tool used in this guide. The interface looks slightly different from the desktop app, but all the steps here apply to both versions.
Sources
- Genograms: Assessment and Treatment (4th ed.)
- Genograms for Psychotherapy
- Focused Genograms: Intergenerational Assessment of Individuals, Couples, and Families (2nd ed.)
Related
How to Make a Genogram in Google Docs