How to download your AncestryDNA raw data file
AncestryDNA lets you download your full raw data file, but it adds an email confirmation step along the way. Here is the complete path, what the file looks like, and how to get it into a format other tools expect.
Downloading your file
- Sign in to your Ancestry account on a desktop browser.
- Open the DNA menu and go to Your DNA Results Summary.
- Click Settings in the top corner of the results page.
- Under the Actions panel, choose Download DNA Data.
- Confirm your password and request the download. Ancestry emails you a confirmation link.
- Open the email and click Confirm Data Download, then return to download the zipped file.
What is inside
The download is a .zip containing a single tab-separated text file. Its data has five columns: the marker ID, the chromosome, the position, and then two allele columns rather than one combined genotype. AncestryDNA also numbers the sex chromosomes (23 for X, 24 for Y) instead of using letters.
Getting it into a standard format
Those small differences mean some tools built around the 23andMe layout will not read an AncestryDNA file directly. The fix is a quick conversion:
- Convert your file to 23andMe-compatible format — it joins the two allele columns and relabels the chromosomes for you, in the browser.
- Then explore what it covers or merge it with another file.
You never have to unzip it first — the tools here read the .zip directly.
Frequently asked
Why does AncestryDNA email me before downloading?
It is a security step. AncestryDNA sends a confirmation email so that only someone with access to your inbox can trigger the raw data download. Click the link in that email to continue.
What format is the AncestryDNA file?
A tab-separated text file inside a .zip. It has five columns — rsID, chromosome, position, and two separate allele columns — which is slightly different from 23andMe’s single genotype column.
Can I convert it to 23andMe format?
Yes. The free convert tool on this site turns an AncestryDNA file into 23andMe-compatible format in your browser, without uploading anything.