How to download your raw DNA data from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA and LivingDNA (2026)

Every ancient-DNA analysis, every upload site and every free lab tool starts with one file: the raw genotype export the testing company lets you download. The five vendors below all provide it, all for free, and all through a slightly different door. The steps here were checked against each vendor's own help page on 2026-09-15 (the pages are listed under Sources), and the file facts are limited to what those pages state, with "around" figures marked as such. If you want to know where the file can go afterwards, where to upload your raw DNA data is the companion guide.

Two things are true of every vendor. Only the account that owns or manages the test can download it. And the download link is a one-time or short-lived thing, so save the file somewhere you will find it again rather than relying on the email.

23andMe#

23andMe's help centre describes three ways to reach the download, and a waiting period after you ask.

1. Sign in and go directly to you.23andme.com/tools/data/, or click your profile name at the top right, choose Resources, then Browse Raw Genotyping Data, then Download at the top of the page. A third route is Account Settings, then View under 23andMe Data.
2. Confirm the date of birth associated with the profile you are downloading.
3. Read the notes on the page, tick the box at the bottom and select Submit request.
4. Wait for the "Your 23andMe raw data download is ready" email. Their page says this usually takes about one week and can take up to thirty days.
5. Follow the link in the email, verify the profile birthdate again and download.

The file. A zipped text file whose name begins with the word genome; unzip it to get the .txt. Each line is one marker with its rsID, chromosome, position and your genotype. Marker count and file size are not stated on the help page; a current 23andMe file is around 600,000 to 700,000 lines and around 15 to 25 MB unzipped. Their page also states that the data has had a general quality review but that only a subset of markers is individually validated, and that it is for informational use.

AncestryDNA#

Ancestry's help article (dated 30 September 2022 on the page) walks through it from DNA Settings.

1. Go to DNA Settings and select the test you want to download.
2. Scroll to the Download or Delete section and select Download DNA data.
3. Tick the box to confirm you understand and click Continue.
4. Verify your account either by entering your current password or by requesting a code by email and entering it.
5. Check your inbox for the download email. Their page says it can take up to 24 hours.
6. In the email select Download DNA Data; the file is not attached to the email. The link works once and expires after a week, and only the most recent request's link is valid.
7. Click Download DNA Data on the page that opens.
8. Find dna-data-(date).zip in your Downloads folder and unzip it.

The file. A .txt inside the zip, with columns rsID, chromosome, position and two alleles, reported on the forward strand of the GRCh37 reference genome, with I and D for insertions and deletions. Ancestry also states that DNA data from other websites cannot be uploaded to Ancestry, and that match lists cannot be exported. Marker count and size are not stated on the page; a current file is around 650,000 to 700,000 lines and around 15 to 20 MB unzipped.

MyHeritage#

MyHeritage's help centre (article updated the week of 2026-09-15) lists a few conditions first: the Download action appears only once results are published, only the kit's manager can download, downloads work on a computer or an Android device but not on an iPhone or iPad, and kits that were uploaded to MyHeritage from other services cannot be downloaded at all.

1. Hover over the DNA tab and go to Manage DNA kits.
2. On the right of the kit, click the three dots and choose Download.
3. Read the information window and click Continue.
4. Accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and click Continue.
5. Wait for the email with instructions at your registered address.
6. Click the download link in the email. It is valid for 24 hours; if it expires, repeat the steps to generate a new one.
7. Enter your password on the MyHeritage page that opens and click Download.

The file. Their page says the file is available in one format and does not name it, and adds that compatibility with other platforms cannot be guaranteed. Marker count and size are not stated; a current MyHeritage file is around 600,000 to 700,000 lines and around 15 to 20 MB unzipped. The file check identifies the format on sight.

FamilyTreeDNA#

FamilyTreeDNA's help centre offers the Family Finder data download from the dashboard or the navigation bar. Note their caveat that autosomal transfer data (a file you uploaded from another company) is not available for download; only tested kits export.

1. Sign in to your kit.
2. From the dashboard, find the Autosomal DNA Results and Tools widget, click See More and select Data Download; or from the navigation bar go to Results and Tools, then Autosomal DNA, then Download Raw Data.
3. Choose the Build 37 Concatenated Raw Data file, which their page describes as all autosomal SNPs including those on the X chromosome, with positions on the GRCh37 build. Genetic males also see a separate Y-SNP raw data file.
4. Download and extract. Their page states the files are comma-separated (CSV) compressed as GZ, and that the built-in Windows and Mac extract utilities do not open GZIP files, so you may need a free extraction program.

The file. A CSV inside a .gz, positions on Build 37. Marker count and size are not stated; a current Family Finder file is around 600,000 to 720,000 lines and around 15 to 25 MB extracted.

Living DNA#

Living DNA's support article explains that a tested kit can download autosomal, mtDNA and Y-DNA data for free, and that for other sites you want the autosomal (family ancestry) file.

1. Log in at my.livingdna.com.
2. Click your name at the top right and select Profiles from the menu.
3. Select the profile you want to download data for from the list on the left.
4. Click the Download button beside the profile name.
5. Read the information, tick the consent box, then choose which data to download. Pick the autosomal (family ancestry) file for uploads elsewhere.

The file. Format, marker count and size are not stated on the support article; a current Living DNA autosomal file is around 600,000 to 700,000 lines and under 25 MB. Their upload page accepts TXT, CSV, ZIP and GZ from other vendors, which is a fair guide to what their own export looks like to other sites.

What is inside the file, and what is not#

All five files are the same kind of object: a table of a few hundred thousand positions where humans commonly differ, with your two letters at each. They are not a sequence of your genome. A whole-genome VCF from a sequencing service holds tens of millions of positions and is a different animal, which is why analysis sites treat it separately (Ancestrify accepts one up to 1 GB for a 10 EUR add-on and converts it to the panel's markers at upload). The chip generation matters more than the vendor: a 2013 file and a 2025 file from the same company can overlap an ancient reference panel by different amounts, and the file check reports that overlap directly.

What to do with the file#

Run the free file check first. It reads the file in the browser, names the vendor and chip generation, counts the usable markers per chromosome and states whether the kit is fit for an ancient-DNA analysis before you spend anything. The Clade Finder then walks your paternal line down the Y haplotree as far as the chip's positions allow, and the mtDNA finder does the maternal line, both free with an account and with the file discarded after the run. The paid analyses start from the same upload: a hand-checked qpAdm model from 29.99 EUR, published with its p-value, standard errors and z-scores; the Global25 analysis at 29.99 EUR, on the official coordinate row obtained for you or pasted; and Ancient Matches at 29.99 EUR, the ancient individuals you share stretches of DNA with. Each is a one-time payment, the file is hosted in the EU and you can delete it from your settings at any time.

Frequently asked questions#

How long does it take to download raw DNA data?#

It depends on the vendor's queue, not on the file. 23andMe says about a week and up to thirty days from request to email; AncestryDNA up to 24 hours; MyHeritage sends the email and the link is valid for 24 hours; FamilyTreeDNA and Living DNA serve the file directly from the account page.

Is the raw DNA file the same as my genome sequence?#

No. It is a list of around 600,000 to 700,000 genotyped positions, chosen by the chip manufacturer, with your two alleles at each. A genome sequence covers around three billion positions. The file is enough for relative matching, haplogroup calls and ancient-DNA modelling on array panels, which is why every site in this guide accepts it.

Can I download raw data for a kit I uploaded to another site?#

Usually not. FamilyTreeDNA states that transferred autosomal data cannot be downloaded, and MyHeritage states that uploaded kits cannot be downloaded. Go back to the original vendor, or to the copy you saved when you first downloaded it.

Which file format do analysis sites want?#

The vendor export as it comes: the zipped or unzipped text or CSV. Do not open and re-save it in a spreadsheet, which can change the encoding and the layout. If a site rejects the file, the free file check will usually say why.

Sources and further reading#

• 23andMe, "Accessing Your Raw Genetic Data": https://support.23andme.org/hc/en-us/articles/42965156401687-Accessing-Your-Raw-Genetic-Data
• Ancestry, "Downloading DNA Data": https://support.ancestry.com/s/article/Downloading-DNA-Data
• MyHeritage, "How do I download my raw DNA data file from MyHeritage?": https://www.myheritage.com/help/en/articles/12851869-how-do-i-download-my-raw-dna-data-file-from-myheritage
• FamilyTreeDNA, "Downloading Your Family Finder Data": https://help.familytreedna.com/hc/en-us/articles/14860944283407-Downloading-Your-Family-Finder-Data
• Living DNA, "How do I download my raw data?": https://support.livingdna.com/hc/en-us/articles/360011384960-How-do-I-download-my-raw-data
• Living DNA, "Free DNA upload" (accepted formats): https://livingdna.com/free-dna-upload

Terms used here are defined in the glossary.