As we all know, it's not unusual to get a banner on various pages on the site saying Ancestry is experiencing technical difficulties, or can't display the item we're looking for....try again later or reload. To some extent, this is simply the nature of databases and websites. Technical issues do occur, especially during peak access times. But if you want to know if the service issue you might be experiencing is sitewide and actively being addressed, or simply a momentary blip, head to the Site Availability Status page to see the current status by service. This won't address every possible situation but it's a good place to start. If you see all the services in green, it's likely a short term problem. If you see red alerts, there's a known issue.
On several occasions, I've noticed a specific feature not working as intended. Although users may be discussing the issue widely in various support groups, many of these groups are not "official" and may not be frequented by anyone associated with Ancestry. There's often no way to really know if they're aware of the frustrations users are experiencing. Especially if the status page shows all is well, but a problem lingers for more than a few hours, submitting feedback may be worthwhile. Providing Feedback (even though you won't get a personal response) is a good way to communicate user concerns to the company. There was one time when I was unable to check the boxes or add notes for why a hint was accepted/ignored/undecided. I waited patiently for weeks but the problem persisted. Finally, I started submitting feedback every couple of days and included very detailed specifics on what I was experiencing Eventually, the issue was fixed (but I did have to be patient). I don't know if my feedback helped or not, but it certainly made me feel better knowing it was reported.
If you have an issue, such as membership/renewal concerns or you just want to try to reach support, you can start on the Contact Support page. You'll be directed to start with the virtual assistant chat bot they've named "Leif". If you can't resolve your issue with Leif, you will be provided information on contacting Live Support. I personally have never felt the need to attempt live support, but it does exist...though the actual support experience they provide seems to vary widely based on reports I've seen. Many users express frustration with live support, so you may want to save it for when it's really necessary.
As I do with most links referenced in my posts, I've included these on my Genealogy Toolbox page. If you haven't visited it before, take a moment to stop and check it out. Links are categorized with key features identified.
