How to download or delete your raw DNA data from 23andMe

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Published: Thursday, 12 December 2024 at 14:30 PM

The troubled DNA company 23andMe is going through a tumultuous period at the moment with the recent mass resignation of its board members. Many customers of 23andMe are now concerned about what might happen to their DNA data if the company folded.

If you are concerned about your DNA data at 23andMe, it is easy to download it, along with all of your health reports. You can then choose to upload your DNA to alternative websites that offer matching possibilities, such as FamilyTreeDNA, MyHeritage or GEDmatch. Unfortunately you cannot upload your 23andMe DNA test to Ancestry. Only customers who have bought an Ancestry DNA test can access matches held on their database.

To delete your raw data altogether from 23andMe, you need to go to Account Settings and then ’23andMe Data’. If you select ‘Permanently Delete Data’ all profiles associated with that account will be deleted. After submitting the request you will receive an email to the address linked to you account detailing the company’s deletion policy. You need to confirm the request within this email for your data to be deleted. As soon as you have confirmed you will no longer have access to the account. This process is not reversible, so consider whether you would like to download your data first.

Before downloading your raw data though, a word of caution. Keep in mind that your DNA data is sensitive information. Are you confident that you will be able to store it safely on your home system? If you decide to upload it to another third-party company, are you confident that they will host your data with sufficient security?

How to download your raw DNA data from 23andMe in three easy steps

  1. To download your raw DNA data, log into your account on 23andMe and then go to https://you.23andme.com/tools/data and select the ‘Download’ tab at the top.
  2. This will take you to a security page where you will be asked to fill in your date of birth.
  3. The next page runs through a list of important warnings. Once you have read and considered the warnings, if you still wish to proceed, you need to click a box to say that you understand the limitations and risks associated with uploading your information to third party sites and then click ‘Submit request’.

You should then be notified that your download request is in progress and may take a few days. Keep an eye on your inbox for confirmation when it has been done.

You will receive a text file that will consist of lines of your genotype data (A’s, T’s, C’s and G’s). It can be opened using any text editor but won’t make any sense on its own. To make any use of it, you will have to upload it to a third-party site such as FamilyTreeDNA, GEDmatch or MyHeritage. Check the terms and conditions for the third-party site as some charge for uploads or for full functionality of their website.