What to Do With Your 23andMe Raw Data

What is 23andMe raw data?

Your raw data file is the list of markers from your 23andMe test. It is not the report you see in the app. The report is one reading of that list. The file is the list itself.

When the download is ready, you get a zip file. Unzip it and you get a text file. The name starts with "genome". Lines at the top start with #. Those lines describe the file. After that, each line is one marker. A line has four parts:

• an ID, such as an rs number
• a chromosome
• a position on that chromosome
• two letters, called the genotype

You do not have to read the file. It is just text. The five lines below are a sample made for this page. They are not from a real person.

The chip version changes which markers are in the file. The chip is the tool the lab used to read selected spots. An older chip reads a different set of spots than a newer one. 23andMe lists the chip version in the Personal Information section of Account Settings. See how to find your chip version.

Your DNA does not change. An older file can still be uploaded. Some reports may cover fewer topics. The older chip may not include a marker that a newer report looks for.

Can I still download my 23andMe raw data in 2026?

Yes. As of 13 Oct 2026, 23andMe still lets you download your raw data. The steps below follow 23andMe's help page, Accessing Your Raw Genetic Data.

In 2025, TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit led by Anne Wojcicki, bought 23andMe's consumer testing business out of bankruptcy. In a June 2025 SEC filing, TTAM said it would honor the existing policies that let people delete their account and genetic data, and opt out of research. Read the filing.

Here is the short version:

1. Sign in at 23andme.com.
2. Click your profile name at the top right. Then choose Resources, then Browse Raw Genotyping Data, then Download. You can also go to Settings, then 23andMe Data, then View. Or open you.23andme.com/tools/data/ directly.
3. Confirm the date of birth for that profile. Read the notes, tick the box, and submit the request.
4. Wait for the email. 23andMe says this usually takes about a week. It can take up to 30 days.
5. Download the zip file and unzip it. Keep the text file whose name starts with genome. Store that copy somewhere private.

For every click, use the step-by-step: download and upload your 23andMe file. Tested with AncestryDNA instead?

What can you do with your raw data?

The file can go to a few kinds of reading. Each one answers a different question. None of them is a medical test. Pick the job you actually want done.

Get a plain-English traits report (nutrition, fitness, everyday traits)

A traits report turns markers into everyday language. Nutrition, fitness, and other day-to-day traits are the usual topics. You already have the file. You do not buy a new kit.

My Gene Story's DNA Story is this kind of report. It costs $24.99, one time. It was $40. The story is educational. It describes a likelihood, not a fixed result. Your DNA Story is delivered within 3 working days after we receive your file.

Explore ancestry context

The same file can add ancestry context. That means regions and family history, read from the markers in the file. It is not a legal record. It is not a citizenship record. Read it as context. It is not the whole story of a family.

Find relatives (GEDmatch, a genealogy-only use)

GEDmatch is for genealogy. You can upload a file to look for relatives who tested at other companies. You can also use it while you work on a family tree. The GEDmatch homepage says this matching is free. An official GEDmatch upload guide lists extra tools at $10 a month. Those tools are still about family research. They are not a traits report. Read the privacy choices on that site before you upload.

Browse individual markers yourself (Promethease/SNPedia-style, do-it-yourself tools)

Some sites do not write a story. They let you look up markers.

Promethease connects your file to notes in SNPedia. Its site says most reports cost $25. An extra file in the same report costs $4 more. The result reads like a research list. It is for people who want to browse. It is not a short plain-English story.

Genetic Genie says its tools are free. It asks for donations so it can stay free. It is a marker browser. It is not a story report.

Where to upload 23andMe raw data: options compared

Use this table to match a service to a goal. That goal might be traits, genealogy, or looking up markers yourself.

Prices as of 13 Oct 2026.

Nebula Genomics, sold as DNA Complete, offers whole-genome kits from $245. That is a new test. It is not an upload of your 23andMe file.

Price pages read on 13 Oct 2026: Promethease, Genomelink, Genetic Genie, Genetic Genie donations, GEDmatch, GEDmatch upload guide, Sequencing.com kit, Sequencing.com upload, and Nebula Genomics shop.

What your raw data can't tell you

A 23andMe file comes from a chip. The chip reads selected markers. It does not read every letter of your genome. A whole genome is a different kind of test.

23andMe says this on its help page:

The raw data provided by 23andMe has undergone a general quality review, however, only a subset of markers have been individually validated for accuracy. The data from 23andMe's Browse Raw Data feature is suitable only for informational use and not for medical, diagnostic, or other use.

A report may talk about a likelihood. Read a likelihood like a weather forecast. A 70% chance of rain does not mean it will rain. A genetic tendency does not mean a trait is fixed. Sleep, food, activity, and the world around you all play a part.

This file cannot tell you whether you will get a disease. It is not a diagnosis. If a question could change a medical decision, talk with a clinician or a genetic counselor. MedlinePlus explains what consumer genetic tests can and cannot tell you.

Is it safe to upload your 23andMe data?

Any upload is a choice. Use a short checklist first:

• Read the privacy policy.
• Check whether the service sells genetic data.
• Check whether you can delete your data later.
• Download the file on a personal device.
• Do not email the file around.

23andMe says that once you download the file, that copy is outside their protection. Keep it in a private folder. Delete extra copies you do not need.

At My Gene Story, we don't sell your genetic data. After you purchase, your order email includes a private link to upload your file. That link stops working 30 days after the email. Details are in our privacy policy.

How My Gene Story reads your file

A DNA Story is a plain-English reading of the file you already have. It covers everyday traits, such as nutrition and fitness. It is for learning and curiosity. It is not medical advice.

Sample from a DNA Story (nutrition section): Response to Protein

According to your genotype, your Protein Response is typical. People with such a genotype tend to show a typical benefit with increased protein ingestion in terms of maintaining lost body weight.

Protein is an essential macronutrient required by the body for growth and maintenance. It acts as a building block for all the cells in the body and can also serve as a fuel source. …

The price is $24.99, one time. It was $40. You do not buy a new kit. Your DNA Story is delivered within 3 working days after we receive your file.

You can get a plain-English second opinion on your 23andMe file.

To see how to read a likelihood, use the pillar guide on reading results.