How to Download and Use Your AncestryDNA Raw Data

How to download your raw data from AncestryDNA

1. Log in to your Ancestry account at ancestry.com.
2. Click the DNA tab in the main navigation.
3. Click Settings (or go to DNA Settings directly).
4. Scroll down to "Download Raw DNA Data" and click the button.
5. Confirm your identity — Ancestry will ask you to re-enter your password and may send a verification email.
6. Once confirmed, Ancestry will prepare your download. You'll receive an email when the file is ready.
7. Click the download link and save the zip file to your computer.

The downloaded zip contains a text file with your raw genotype data. It follows a format similar to 23andMe — tab-separated rows with rsID, chromosome, position, and your two-letter genotype at each position.

What AncestryDNA's file contains

AncestryDNA tests roughly 700,000 SNP positions using an Illumina genotyping array. This is comparable to (and in some cases slightly larger than) 23andMe's panel. The raw data file contains:

• rsID identifiers for each tested position
• Chromosome and position coordinates
• Your genotype at each position (two alleles)

Many of the health-relevant SNPs tested by 23andMe are also on the AncestryDNA chip, which means your Ancestry raw data can be used for health analysis even though Ancestry itself doesn't offer health reports.

What AncestryDNA gives you vs. what it doesn't

What you get from AncestryDNA

• Ethnicity estimate — detailed breakdown of your geographic ancestry
• DNA matches — connections to other Ancestry users you share DNA with, with relationship predictions
• ThruLines — algorithmic connections between your DNA matches and family tree records
• Genetic communities — groups of people who share recent ancestral origins

What AncestryDNA does NOT give you

Unlike 23andMe, AncestryDNA provides no health reports at all. This means your raw data is sitting on a wealth of health information that Ancestry simply doesn't analyze:

• No pharmacogenomics — your CYP enzyme variants (CYP2D6, CYP2C19, CYP2C9) that control drug metabolism are in the file but unreported
• No disease risk — no screening against ClinVar's 341,000+ classified variants
• No carrier status — no information about whether you carry recessive disease variants
• No methylation data — MTHFR, COMT, and related gene variants are in your data but unanalyzed
• No nutrition insights — genes affecting vitamin D metabolism, omega-3 conversion, B12 absorption, lactose tolerance, iron overload risk — all in your file, all unanalyzed
• No cardiovascular genetics — Factor V Leiden, clotting genes, blood pressure genes — in the data but not reported

In short, AncestryDNA is leaving the most actionable information in your raw data completely untouched. Downloading and uploading it elsewhere is the only way to access it.

Step-by-step: from Ancestry to health reports

1. Download your raw data using the steps above.
2. Keep a backup. Store the file safely. Your DNA doesn't change, so this file works indefinitely.
3. Upload to a health interpretation service. Your DNA Unlocked accepts AncestryDNA raw data files and produces comprehensive health reports — the same analysis available to 23andMe users.
4. Review pharmacogenomics first. Drug metabolism results are the most immediately useful. Knowing how you metabolize common medications can prevent side effects and improve drug effectiveness.
5. Check disease risk. Your data can be screened against ClinVar for pathogenic variants, carrier status, and risk factors. See the pathogenic vs risk variant guide for how to interpret results.
6. Review nutrition and lifestyle results. Check what your genes say about vitamin D, B12, folate, omega-3, lactose, caffeine, and other nutrients. Get blood work to confirm before making changes.

AncestryDNA vs. 23andMe raw data: any differences?

Both companies use Illumina genotyping arrays, but they test slightly different sets of SNPs. In practice:

• Most health-relevant SNPs (MTHFR, CYP enzymes, common ClinVar variants, nutrition genes) are covered by both chips.
• Some specific variants may be on one chip but not the other. This means you might get results for slightly different sets of genes depending on which test you took.
• The overall health analysis coverage is very similar. Neither file is significantly "better" than the other for health interpretation.

Privacy considerations

AncestryDNA's raw data carries the same privacy considerations as any genetic data:

• It's permanent. Your DNA doesn't change. Once shared, the information exists forever.
• It's partially shared. Your biological relatives share portions of your genetic data. A sibling shares ~50%, a first cousin ~12.5%.
• Check privacy policies carefully before uploading to any third-party service. Look for clear data retention and deletion policies.
• GINA protections apply in the US — employers and health insurers can't discriminate based on genetic information. Life insurance, disability, and long-term care insurance are NOT covered by GINA.

Frequently asked questions

Does Ancestry still allow raw data downloads?

As of early 2026, yes. However, Ancestry has occasionally adjusted data access policies. If you have an AncestryDNA test, it's a good idea to download your raw data now rather than assuming it'll always be available.

My Ancestry test is several years old. Does the data still work?

Yes. Older AncestryDNA tests may have used different chip versions with slightly different SNP coverage, but the data is still valid for health analysis.

Can I get the same health insights as someone who used 23andMe?

Very similar. AncestryDNA's chip covers most of the same health-relevant SNPs. You may see slightly different coverage for some specific variants, but the overall analysis is comparable.

Why doesn't Ancestry just offer health reports?

Ancestry has chosen to focus on genealogy and family connections. They briefly offered a health product (AncestryHealth) but discontinued it. Their business model centers on subscriptions for family tree research, not health interpretation.

Is my raw data file the same as what Ancestry uses for ethnicity?

The raw data file contains the same underlying genotype readings that Ancestry uses for ethnicity and matching. The raw file gives you the complete data — Ancestry's website only shows you the genealogy portion of the analysis.