Are you asking yourself, how you can conduct an Ancestry DNA raw data analysis after you get your Ancestry.com test results back? If so, learn how to analyze it with apps and websites to learn more about your DNA. 

About Ancestry DNA

AncestryDNA is a new DNA testing service from Ancestry.com that utilizes some of the latest autosomal testing technology to revolutionize the way you discover your family history. This service combines advanced DNA science with the world’s largest online family history resource to predict your genetic ethnicity and help you find new family connections. It maps ethnicity going back multiple generations and provides insight into such possibilities as: what region of Europe are my ancestors from, or am I likely to have East Asian heritage? AncestryDNA can also help identify relationships with unknown relatives through a dynamic list of possible DNA member matches.

Your AncestryDNA results include information about your genetic ethnicity estimates and identifies potential DNA matches, linking you to others who have taken the AncestryDNA test. Your results are a great starting point for more family history research, 202aand it can also be a way to dig even deeper into the research you’ve already done.

While these tests are a start, there is more that can be done with your Ancestry DNA raw data. However, most people don’t know where to turn next. If you are one of those consumers, keep reading!

Download Your Ancestry DNA Raw Data

You can download your raw data for free, regardless of whether or not you have a subscription.

Raw DNA data is the lab-generated information from a DNA sample that can be downloaded in a .txt (text file) format. The file you download is a .zip file since they need to compress it due to size.  

  1. Sign in to your Ancestry account.
  2. From any page on Ancestry, click the DNA tab and select Your DNA Results Summary.
  3. On your DNA homepage, click Settings on the right side of the page.
  4. In the panel on the right side, click Download Raw DNA Data.
  5. In the box that pops up, enter your password. Check the box saying that you understand that your downloaded copy of DNA data will not be protected by Ancestry’s security measures after you download it and click Confirm.
  6. This will trigger an email containing a link to confirm the download. It may take up to 24 hours for the email to arrive. The link in the email will expire after seven days. Make sure you’re checking the email address associated with your Ancestry account by clicking your name or username in the top-right corner of Ancestry and selecting Your Account from the drop-down menu. The email address associated with your Ancestry account will be listed in the Your Account section of that page. If you’re in the right email account, check your junk folder. If you don’t receive the email within 24 hours, please give us a call by clicking Contact Us to the right of this article.
  7. When you receive the email from AncestryDNA®, open it and click Confirm Data Download.
  8. On the Download DNA Raw Data page on Ancestry, click Download DNA Raw Data.
  9. The link from the email should bring you to a page that says Download DNA Raw Data at the top. If instead, you’re prompted to sign into your Ancestry account, sign in to your account and you’ll be brought to the right page. If you’re brought to a page that contains a DNA ad rather than a sign in page, you may be in someone else’s account; click the name or username in the top-right corner to sign out, then sign in to your account.
  10. The file will be downloaded to your computer.
  11. The filename will be AncestryDNA.txt. If you can’t find it, check your downloads folder or your desktop. You can also search for the filename (if you have a PC) by clicking the Windows key on your keyboard and entering the filename in the Search bar that appears, or (if you have a Mac) by clicking the Spotlight icon in the top-right corner of your screen and entering the file name in the search field that appears

To read more about the process of downloading your Ancestry DNA raw data, click here.

Now, Conduct an Ancestry DNA Raw Data Analysis

After you have downloaded your Ancestry DNA raw data to your computer, the next step is to upload it to other analysis services. Below are two you can choose from.

WeGene

WeGene is a platform providing personal genetic testing and analysis services. Its report consists of ancestry analysis, genetic disease and health risk information, nutritional genomics, athletic and drug responses analysis, etc. The ancestry tests offer ancestry composition, paternal haplogroup, and maternal haplogroup reports.

DNA.Land

DNA.Land is a place where you can learn more about your genome while enabling scientists to make new genetic discoveries for the benefit of humanity. Our goal is to help members to interpret their data and to enable their contribution to research. It compares your DNA with reference data from different populations to see where in the world your ancestors might have lived.

Recommended Video

At TEDx Scranton 2020, I gave a talk titled Are DNA Tests Safe? If you are interested in the topic of consumer DNA tests, you will find it relevant.