How to download your 23andMe raw data

A step-by-step guide · Updated June 2026

What is 23andMe raw data?

When 23andMe processes your saliva sample, it reads roughly 600,000+ specific positions in your genome called SNPs (single-nucleotide polymorphisms). The polished reports you see in your account interpret only a curated subset. The raw data is the complete table of every marker they read — a plain text file you can download and analyze yourself.

It is not your whole genome (that's a different, much larger test), but it's more than enough to look up well-studied health, carrier, and trait markers.

How to download your 23andMe raw data, step by step

Raw-data download is done on the 23andMe website, not the mobile app. On a computer:

1. Log in to your account at 23andme.com.
2. Click your profile name in the top-right corner and choose Settings.
3. Scroll to the 23andMe Data section near the bottom of the page and click View.
4. Confirm the profile, then find Download Raw Data. Re-enter your password and complete any security check to verify it's you.
5. Submit the request. 23andMe generates your file and emails you a download link — this can take anywhere from a few minutes to about 24 hours.
6. Open the email, click the link, and save the file. It downloads as a .txt file (sometimes inside a .zip) named something like genome_Your_Name.txt.

What your 23andMe raw data file looks like

Open the file in any text editor and you'll see a header followed by one row per marker:

• rsid — the reference ID for the marker (e.g. rs429358)
• chromosome and position — where it sits in the genome
• genotype — the two letters you inherited at that spot (e.g. AG)

On its own it's unreadable, which is why you need a tool to translate those genotypes into plain-language findings.

What to do with your raw data next

Once you have the file, you can interpret it for health, carrier status, pharmacogenomics, and traits. Common things people look up include MTHFR variants, APOE4 status, and BRCA markers — see our complete guide to analyzing 23andMe raw data for the full picture, or compare the best tools to interpret it. To do that you feed the file into an analysis tool — and this is where the important choice comes in.

Is it safe to upload your raw DNA to third-party sites?

Most 23andMe interpretation tools ask you to upload your raw file to their servers. That means handing your genetic data — the one piece of information you can never change — to another company, subject to its policies, breaches, and whatever happens to it if the company is sold. Genetic data is uniquely sensitive, and uploading it is a one-way decision.

There is a safer path: analyze the file on your own device, so it never leaves your phone.

Frequently asked questions

Is downloading my 23andMe raw data free?

Yes. Downloading your own raw data from your 23andMe account is free. Some third-party tools then charge to interpret it; on-device options like Quanome avoid uploading it at all.

What file format is 23andMe raw data?

It is a tab-separated plain text (.txt) file, sometimes delivered as a .zip. Most analysis tools also accept this same format from Ancestry, MyHeritage, and others.

Can I read 23andMe raw data without a subscription?

Yes. The download itself needs only your 23andMe login. After that you choose how to interpret it.

What can my raw data tell me that the standard reports don't?

The reports cover a curated set of markers. The raw file lets tools check many more well-studied variants across health risk, carrier status, and medication response.