How to Upload AncestryDNA Raw Data (Step-by-Step)

Why upload AncestryDNA data somewhere else?

AncestryDNA is built around family history: ethnicity estimates, DNA matches, and family trees. That's a great use of your data, but it's not the only one. The same raw file holds markers associated with everyday traits, and plenty of people want those explained without buying a second test.

Uploading your file elsewhere doesn't change or remove anything in your Ancestry account. Your matches, trees, and estimates stay exactly where they are. You're simply giving a copy of the file to another service for a different kind of reading. Since your DNA doesn't change over your lifetime, a file from years ago works just as well as a new one.

Before you start

• Your Ancestry sign-in, plus access to the email address on the account.
• A personal computer. Ancestry notes that once you download your DNA data, that copy is no longer protected by Ancestry's security measures.
• The right test selected, if your account manages tests for more than one person.

Step 1: Open your DNA Settings

1. Sign in at ancestry.com.
2. Click your name or username in the top-right corner and choose Account Settings.
3. Open the DNA tab (DNA Settings), and select the test you want to download.

Step 2: Request the download

1. Scroll to the Download or Delete section and select Download DNA data.
2. Tick the box to confirm you understand, then click Continue.
3. Verify it's you, either by entering your current password or by choosing Send code via email and typing in the code.

Menus can shift over time. If something's moved, search Ancestry's help center for "downloading DNA data."

Step 3: Use the email link (within a week)

Ancestry sends an email with a Download DNA Data button. The file isn't attached to the email; the button takes you to it. Per Ancestry's help pages:

• The email can take up to 24 hours to arrive. Check spam or junk.
• A link works once and expires after a week.
• If you requested more than once, only the newest email's link is valid.

If your link has expired, start again at Step 1.

Step 4: Download and unzip AncestryDNA.txt

1. Click Download DNA Data on the page the email opens.
2. A .zip file downloads (typically named with "dna-data" and a date).
3. Unzip it. Mac: double-click. Windows: right-click → Extract All.
4. Inside is AncestryDNA.txt. That's the file you'll upload.

What's inside: plain text. A few header lines start with #; then each line is one marker: an rsID, chromosome, position, and two allele columns. No need to read it, but good to know it's just text.

Step 5: Upload to My Gene Story

1. Go to [mygenestory.com/upload](/upload).
2. Drag AncestryDNA.txt onto the upload box, or tap to browse.
3. Your browser checks the format first and should label it as an AncestryDNA file.
4. You'll see a confirmation and a receipt number. Hang on to it.

Leave your email on the upload page and we'll let you know when stories open. No fixed turnaround promise yet; we'll tell you when they're actually ready.

What you can get from an AncestryDNA file

Your AncestryDNA results app focuses on ethnicity estimates and family matches. A second look focuses on something different: everyday traits in plain English.

• DNA Story ($24.99): a readable narrative of traits like nutrition, fitness, and more.
• Trait reports (about $9.99 each, optional): more detail on a single topic. Browse reports.
• Ancestry Insights ($19.99, optional add-on): heritage context next to your DNA Story, built from the same file. You don't need it to upload or get your story, and it isn't a citizenship or legal record.

Troubleshooting

"Unsupported file format." You likely uploaded the .zip. Unzip and upload AncestryDNA.txt.

"Invalid link" from Ancestry. You're probably using an older email. Only the most recent request's link works, and each link works once.

No email after 24 hours. Check the email address listed in your Ancestry Account Settings, look in junk, and add Ancestry to your safe senders.

I edited or re-saved the file in a spreadsheet. Download a fresh copy; re-saving can change the format.

I see a separate "NGS" or VCF download option. Some Ancestry accounts offer an additional sequencing data file. For a DNA Story, upload the standard AncestryDNA.txt raw data file.

Is it safe to upload AncestryDNA raw data?

Keep the downloaded file on a personal device, delete extra copies, and only upload to services whose privacy terms you've read. My Gene Story doesn't sell your genetic data, and in this early version your file stays on your device. Details: privacy policy.

How to read your results

Think weather forecast, not verdict. A genetic likelihood describes a tendency; sleep, food, activity, and environment all play a part. The pillar guide goes deeper, and the FAQ covers formats, pricing, and privacy.

Also tested with 23andMe?

See How to Download and Upload 23andMe Raw Data for a Traits Report.