DNAtestWhat to Do With Your Raw DNA Data: 6 Useful (and Safe) Options
Your 23andMe, AncestryDNA or MyHeritage results are built from a raw data file you can download for free. That file can do a lot more than the report you already saw. Here are six worthwhile things to do with it, and the privacy trade-off of each.
Quick answer
- Want more insight right now, privately? Open it in a tool that runs in your browser, like our free analyzer. Nothing is uploaded.
- Want more relatives? Upload it to a company that accepts transfers, like MyHeritage or FamilyTreeDNA.
- Want to protect it? Keep a copy somewhere safe, then decide whether to delete it from the testing company.
Don't have your file yet? Follow our step-by-step download guide for every major company first.
1. Explore your traits, privately
Your file contains hundreds of thousands of genetic markers, and many are linked to everyday traits: whether cilantro tastes like soap to you, how you process caffeine, whether you're likely lactose tolerant, your earwax type and more.
Most online tools ask you to upload your file to their servers. Ours doesn't. The DNAtest360 analyzer reads your file inside your own browser, so your DNA never leaves your device. It gives you a free trait snapshot, a summary of your file and a chromosome chart in about a minute.
Works with 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA and Living DNA files, including .zip files.
Open my file in the free analyzer2. Find more relatives by uploading to other databases
Each company only matches you against people who tested with that same company. You can reach more cousins without buying another kit by uploading your raw file to companies that accept transfers:
- MyHeritage accepts uploads and has a strong database outside the US, especially in Europe. Some matching tools need a subscription.
- FamilyTreeDNA accepts uploads and is popular with serious genealogists and surname projects. Upload your file to FamilyTreeDNA.
- Living DNA accepts uploads and is strongest for British and Irish family lines.
AncestryDNA and 23andMe don't accept uploads. To be in their databases, you need to test with them directly.
The trade-off: every upload puts a copy of your DNA with another company. Read each one's privacy policy, and check whether law enforcement matching or research use is turned on by default.
3. Trace your deep maternal and paternal lines
Your raw file includes markers from your mitochondrial DNA, passed down your direct maternal line, and, for people with a Y chromosome, your direct paternal line. These place you on the human family tree as a haplogroup: a branch you share with people whose ancestors split off thousands of years ago.
23andMe shows haplogroups in its reports. For the most detail, FamilyTreeDNA sells dedicated Y-DNA and mtDNA tests that go much deeper than a standard kit.
4. Look into health information, carefully
Some third-party tools will scan your raw file for health-related variants. Be careful here:
- Consumer DNA chips can misread rare variants. Research has found that many rare "risk" results from raw data turn out to be false when checked in a clinical lab.
- A clean result doesn't mean zero risk. These tests check a small fraction of your genome.
- Anything worrying should be confirmed with a clinical test ordered by a doctor or genetic counselor.
If health reports matter to you, a test with regulated health reports, such as 23andMe's Health + Ancestry tier, is a better starting point than a raw data scan.
If you'd still like health and wellness reports from the file you already have, SelfDecode accepts raw data from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage and most other companies, so you don't need a new kit. It's a paid service, about $319 when we checked in October 2026, and it means uploading your file to their servers. The cautions above still apply: treat the reports as information, not a diagnosis.
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5. Keep a secure copy
Your raw file is the one part of your results you truly own. Keep a copy in a safe place, like an encrypted drive or a password-protected folder. If a company changes owners, changes its policies or shuts down, you still have your data. That's more than a theory: in 2025, 23andMe went through bankruptcy and was sold, customer DNA data included.
6. Decide whether to delete it from the testing company
Once you have your copy, you can ask most companies to delete your data and destroy your saliva sample. The trade-off is that you lose new relative matches and future report updates. Some people keep their account for matching, others delete it once they've downloaded everything. Either choice is reasonable, as long as you make it on purpose.
Haven't tested yet?
If you're choosing a test so you can do all of this, pick one that gives you a free raw data download. All the major companies do. Here's where to start, depending on your goal:
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Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to upload my raw DNA to websites?
It depends on the site. Every upload creates another copy of your genetic data, governed by that company's privacy policy. The safest option is a tool that processes your file on your own device without uploading it.
Can I get health results from my AncestryDNA raw data?
Your AncestryDNA file contains markers that third-party tools can interpret, but the results aren't medical tests and rare findings are often wrong. Confirm anything important with a clinical test.
What file format is raw DNA data?
It's a plain text file, usually delivered as a .zip. 23andMe and AncestryDNA use .txt files, and MyHeritage uses .csv. Most tools, including ours, accept the .zip as-is.
Does raw DNA data expire or change?
No. Your DNA doesn't change, so your file stays valid. What does improve over time is the science used to interpret it.