How to Download Your Raw DNA Data (23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage & More)

By the DNAtest360 team · Updated September 22, 2026

Your DNA test result is more than the ancestry report the company shows you. Every major testing company will give you the underlying raw data file for free. Here's how to get yours, and what you can do with it.

What is a raw DNA file?

Consumer DNA tests don't read your whole genome. They check roughly 600,000 to 700,000 specific positions, called SNPs (pronounced "snips"), where people commonly differ. Your raw data file is a plain text list of those positions and the two letters (A, C, G or T) you carry at each one.

It looks like this:

Each company's report is built from this file. Downloading it means you own a copy, so you can explore it with other tools, upload it to other matching databases, or keep it if you ever delete your account.

23andMe

1. Sign in at 23andMe and open Settings from your profile menu.
2. Scroll to the 23andMe Data section and click View.
3. Choose Download raw data and confirm your request.
4. 23andMe emails you when the file is ready, which is usually within a few hours. Follow the link to download a .zip file.

AncestryDNA

1. Sign in at Ancestry and go to the DNA tab, then Settings (top right of your DNA results page).
2. Under Actions, choose Download DNA Data.
3. Enter your password and confirm.
4. Ancestry emails you a download link. The file arrives as a .zip containing a .txt file.

MyHeritage

1. Sign in, open the DNA menu and choose Manage DNA kits.
2. Click the three-dot menu next to your kit and select Download.
3. Confirm through the email MyHeritage sends. You'll get a .zip containing a .csv file.

FamilyTreeDNA

1. Sign in and open your Family Finder results.
2. Choose Download Raw Data.
3. Pick the Build 37 raw data file. It's the format other tools expect.

Living DNA

1. Sign in and go to Settings.
2. Choose Download my data, then Download raw data.

Testing companies redesign their menus from time to time. If a step doesn't match what you see, search your account's help center for "download raw data."

What can you do with your raw data?

• Explore your traits. Our free analyzer reads your file inside your browser and shows traits like eye color, caffeine metabolism, lactose tolerance and the "cilantro tastes like soap" gene.
• Find more relatives. Some companies, including MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA and Living DNA, let you upload a file from another company and match against their database. That can reveal relatives who tested somewhere else.
• Keep a backup. If a company changes its policies or you decide to delete your account, you'll still have your data.

Keep your file private

Your raw DNA file is sensitive. It can identify you and your relatives, and you can't change it the way you'd change a password. A few simple rules:

• Store it somewhere private, and don't email it or post it in public forums.
• Before uploading it to any website, read what they do with it and whether you can delete it.
• Prefer tools that analyze your file on your own device. DNAtest360's analyzer never uploads your file; here's how that works.

Frequently asked questions

Is downloading my raw data free?

Yes. All the major companies let you download your raw data at no charge.

Should I unzip the file?

You don't need to for our analyzer. It opens the .zip directly. Some other tools require the unzipped .txt or .csv.

Can I download data for someone else's kit?

Only if you manage that kit in your account and have their permission. Genetic data is personal, and it also reveals information about relatives.