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What is Raw DNA Data? (And How to Download It Safely)

Raw DNA Data

What is Raw DNA Data?

Before you pay for another commercial kit, discover the digital blueprint you already own. Learn how to unlock your raw genetic file and travel further on your family history voyage.

💡 The "Digital Passport" Analogy

When you take a commercial DNA test, companies like AncestryDNA or 23andMe don't keep your blood or saliva in a safe. Instead, they scan your biological sample and convert it into a simple digital text file. This is your Raw DNA Data—a highly structured passport containing your unique genetic markers. Because you paid for the test, you own this file completely. You can download it for free and use it as a passport to enter other major databases without paying for a new test kit.

What is Actually Inside the File?

Your raw DNA file is remarkably simple. It is not a complex 3D render of a chromosome, but rather a tabular list of approximately 600,000 to 700,000 specific genetic coordinates (called SNPs). For each coordinate, the file records your genetic letters (A, C, G, or T) inherited from your parents.

Here is what a real snippet of your Raw DNA data actually looks like under the hood:

# rsid chromosome position genotype
rs3094315 1 752566 AA
rs3131972 1 752721 AG
rs11240777 1 798959 GG
rs6681049 1 800007 CC

🆔 RSID (Reference SNP ID)

The universal biological "name" or catalog number of the specific genetic marker being measured.

📍 Chromosome & Position

The exact map coordinates showing which chromosome (1-22, X, Y) and where on that chromosome the marker is located.

🧬 Genotype

The two genetic letters (alleles) you carry at that spot. You inherited one letter from your mother and one from your father.

🛡️ 100% Safe to Download

Your raw file contains no personal names, addresses, or credit cards. It is simply a safe, anonymous string of letters.

How to Download Your Raw DNA

Select your testing company below for simple, step-by-step instructions to download your raw data zip file. Do not unzip the file once downloaded! Most upload databases require the zipped format.

  1. Log in to your Ancestry.com account.
  2. In the top menu, click the DNA tab and select Your DNA Results Summary.
  3. Click the Settings button (gear icon) in the upper right corner.
  4. Scroll down to the bottom right under the "Actions" section and click Download Raw DNA Data.
  5. Enter your Ancestry password and check the box to confirm you understand the terms. Click Confirm.
  6. Check your email inbox for a message from Ancestry with the subject line "Confirm Raw DNA Data Download".
  7. Open the email, click the green Confirm Data Download button, and click Download Raw DNA Data on the page that opens.
💡 Pro Tip: The file will download as a .zip text file. Save it directly to your desktop.
  1. Log in to your 23andMe.com account.
  2. Click on your Profile Name in the top-right corner and select Settings.
  3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the Your Data section.
  4. Under the "Download Raw Data" row, click View or Request Download.
  5. Check the legal disclaimer box and click Submit Request.
  6. You will receive an email from 23andMe within a few minutes. Open the email and click the confirmation link.
  7. Log back into 23andMe when prompted, and click Download Raw Data to save the zip file.
  1. Log in to your MyHeritage.com account.
  2. Hover over the DNA tab in the main navigation menu and select Manage DNA Kits.
  3. On the right side of the DNA kit you want to download, click the Three Dots (...) button.
  4. Select Download Raw DNA Data from the drop-down menu.
  5. Click Continue on the security popup.
  6. Check your email inbox for a verification link. Click the link to authorize the download.
  7. On the web page that opens, enter your password and click the Download button.
  1. Log in to your FamilyTreeDNA.com account.
  2. In the top menu, hover over your name/profile and click My Dashboard.
  3. In the dashboard, scroll down to your Autosomal DNA section (Family Finder) and click Download Raw Data.
  4. On the next page, you will see download links. Select the "Build 37 Raw Data" or the "Concatenated Raw Data" option.
  5. Click the blue download arrow to save the file to your computer.

Now That You Have Your Raw DNA... What's Next?

Downloading your file is only the first half of the strategy. The real power is unleashed when you upload this file to other databases. This is how you unlock millions of new cousins for free.

Learn How DNA Uploads Work 🚀 Open Relationship Calculator
Continue Your Genealogy Research