23andMe is shutting down — what to do with your DNA now
23andMe filed for bankruptcy, and the company that once held the world's largest consumer DNA database has an uncertain future. When a genetics company is sold or wound down, your genome can change hands with it. The good news: you are still in control, and it only takes a few minutes to secure your data. Here is exactly what to do — and how to actually read your DNA afterwards without handing it to another company.
1. Download your raw data today
This is the one thing that matters most. While 23andMe's site is still up, you can export your raw DNA file — a plain text file of your genotype at hundreds of thousands of positions. Once it is on your own device, it is yours forever, no matter what happens to the company. Download access can disappear without warning if the platform is acquired or taken offline, so do not wait.
In 23andMe: Settings → 23andMe Data → Download → Raw data (Genotype). You will receive a .zip containing a .txt file. Save it somewhere safe and back it up. Full walkthrough: how to download your 23andMe raw data.
Used a different service? The same logic applies — AncestryDNA and MyHeritage both let you export your file.
2. Delete your account — if you want it gone
Downloading your file does not remove your data from 23andMe. If you want your genome off their servers, you have to delete it explicitly. This is worth doing precisely because the company's ownership is in flux — a DNA database can be transferred to a buyer as an asset. Step-by-step: how to delete your 23andMe data.
Download first, then delete. Once you have your raw file, deletion costs you nothing — the data still lives on your own device.
3. Read your DNA without uploading it anywhere
Here is the trap most people fall into next: they download their file, then immediately upload it to another cloud service to "read" it — recreating the exact problem they just escaped. You do not have to.
Quanome's free DNA explorer parses your raw file entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, nothing is stored on a server, nothing leaves your device — you can open your Network tab and watch: there are no upload requests. Drop in the .txt file you just downloaded and look up traits and health-relevant variants instantly, privately, for free.
4. What your raw data can actually tell you
Your file is more than ancestry. It contains variants that influence health, nutrition, and how your body processes things you consume every day. A few worth looking up in our curated, plain-language gene library:
- BRCA1/BRCA2 — hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risk (and the limits of what 23andMe tests).
- Factor V Leiden — a common clotting variant.
- APOE4 — the most studied Alzheimer's-risk variant.
- MTHFR — folate metabolism.
- CYP1A2 — whether you are a fast or slow caffeine metabolizer.
New to reading a raw file? Start with the 23andMe raw data guide and our roundup of the best tools to interpret 23andMe raw data.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still download my 23andMe data?
As long as the site is online, yes — via Settings → 23andMe Data → Download. Because access could be cut off during a sale or wind-down, the safe move is to download it now rather than assume it will be there later.
Is my DNA data safe now that 23andMe is in bankruptcy?
Your data remains on 23andMe's servers until you delete it, and in bankruptcy a customer database can be sold as an asset. Downloading your own copy and then deleting your account is the way to stay in control.
Where should I upload my raw data to read it?
Ideally, nowhere. Prefer a tool that reads the file on your own device instead of uploading it to another company's cloud. Quanome's DNA explorer does exactly that, in your browser.
What is in the raw data file?
A tab-separated list: an rsID for each tested position, its chromosome and location, and your genotype (your two letters). It is not your whole genome sequence, but it covers hundreds of thousands of the most informative variants.
Keep your DNA — and your labs — on your device
Quanome reads your raw DNA and lab reports on your phone, charts every marker over time, and adds an AI coach that explains what is changing. Nothing uploaded. Try the free iOS beta.
Try the iOS beta →Free TestFlight beta for iPhone. Not on iOS? Leave your email and we'll keep you posted (and ping you when Android lands).
Educational information only, not medical advice. Genetic variants indicate probabilities, not diagnoses — discuss anything concerning with a qualified clinician.