How to download your AncestryDNA raw data
AncestryDNA is built around family trees and ethnicity estimates — but the test also measures hundreds of thousands of genetic markers it never shows you. Those live in your raw data file, a free download you can take elsewhere to explore health, carrier, and trait markers. Here's exactly how to get it, what's inside, and how to read it without handing your genome to a stranger.
What is AncestryDNA raw data?
When AncestryDNA processes your saliva sample, it reads roughly 700,000 specific positions in your genome called SNPs (single-nucleotide polymorphisms). The ethnicity estimate and DNA Matches you see use only part of that. The raw data is the complete table of markers AncestryDNA measured — a plain text file you can download and analyze yourself, or import into other tools.
It's the same kind of file you'd get from 23andMe or MyHeritage, just formatted slightly differently — which means tools built to read 23andMe data can almost always read AncestryDNA data too.
How to download your AncestryDNA raw data, step by step
The raw-data download is done on the Ancestry website, not the mobile app. On a computer:
- Log in to your account at ancestry.com.
- Click the DNA tab and open Your DNA Results Summary.
- Click Settings (top-right of the DNA results page).
- Under Download your raw DNA data, click Download.
- Enter your password to confirm, then check the box and submit. Ancestry emails you a confirmation link — you must click it to start the download (a security step).
- Follow the link from the email and click Download DNA Data. It saves as a
.zipcontaining a tab-separated.txtfile.
Ancestry occasionally redesigns its account pages, so exact wording may shift. Look for "Settings" on your DNA results page, then "Download your raw DNA data." The email-confirmation step is required — the download won't start until you click the link they send.
What your AncestryDNA raw data file looks like
Unzip the file and open it in any text editor. After some header lines you'll see one row per marker, with columns for:
- rsid — the reference ID for the marker (e.g.
rs429358) - chromosome and position — where it sits in the genome
- allele1 and allele2 — the two letters you inherited at that spot
AncestryDNA splits the genotype into two columns (allele1/allele2) and separates fields with tabs, much like 23andMe. Good analysis tools handle the format differences automatically.
What to do with your raw data next
On its own the file is unreadable, so you feed it into an analysis tool to translate those genotypes into plain-language findings — health risk, carrier status, pharmacogenomics, and traits. The same tools that interpret 23andMe raw data generally accept AncestryDNA files, and our complete guide to analyzing raw DNA data applies here too. (Have a different test? See our guides for 23andMe and MyHeritage.)
This is where the important choice comes in.
Want a look right now? Try our free DNA raw data explorer — drop your file and it's parsed instantly in your browser, with nothing uploaded. A quick taste of the on-device approach.
Is it safe to upload your raw DNA to third-party sites?
Most interpretation tools ask you to upload your raw file to their servers — handing your genetic data, the one piece of information you can never change, to another company subject to its policies, breaches, and whatever happens if it's sold. As the collapse of consumer-genomics companies has shown, uploading is a one-way decision with permanent data.
There is a safer path: analyze the file on your own device, so it never leaves your phone. Quanome reads your AncestryDNA, 23andMe, or MyHeritage raw file locally, alongside your labs and Apple Health data, and never uploads it. For more on owning your genetic data, browse the rest of the Quanome blog.
Read your AncestryDNA raw data privately, on your device
Quanome imports your AncestryDNA, 23andMe, or MyHeritage raw data and analyzes it on your device — never uploaded. Learn more about Quanome →
Frequently asked questions
Is downloading my AncestryDNA raw data free?
Yes. Downloading your own raw DNA data from your AncestryDNA 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 AncestryDNA raw data?
AncestryDNA delivers raw data as a tab-separated text file inside a .zip, listing RSID, chromosome, position, and your two alleles. Most analysis tools accept this format alongside 23andMe and MyHeritage files.
How long does the AncestryDNA download take?
After you request it and confirm by email, AncestryDNA prepares the file and sends a download link. This usually takes a few minutes but can take up to 24 hours.
Can I use my AncestryDNA raw data for health insights?
Yes. AncestryDNA focuses on ethnicity and family matching, but the raw file contains health-relevant markers you can explore with other tools. The most private option is an on-device app like Quanome that reads the file locally instead of uploading it.
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