How to Download DNA Raw Data from AncestryDNA
Requirements:
- Be able to login to your Ancestry account
- Know your Ancestry password to verify your request – it will not be automated for you
- Be able to access your email for final download instructions
- Have access to a secure computer with the ability to store and protect the data if you want an archival copy or delete the data after uploading to another drive or test site
Instructions:
Step 1 – Login to Ancestry.com
Step 2 – Select DNA from the header menu
Step 3 -Select Your DNA Results Summary from the DNA menu
Step 4 – In the upper righthand corner of the page, Select Settings
Step 5 – In the Action box that appears, select Download Raw DNA Data
In the upper righthand corner of the page there is an Action box with the option to Download Raw DNA Data to your computer, select Download Raw DNA Data
WARNING: Beneath the option to Download Raw DNA Data is an option to Delete Test Results. Be careful as you select Download Raw DNA Data so you don’t accidentally delete your AncestryDNA test results.
Step 6 – In the pop-up box that appears, Confirm your request
You’ll see a pop-up box and will need to confirm your download request by Typing your Ancestry.com password into the appropriate box and Selecting the box stating you understand and assume all risks of downloading your raw DNA data. Then the Confirm box will turn orange, and you will select Confirm.
Before:
After:
Step 7 – A pop-up box will tell you to check your email
You’ll see a pop-up box telling you to check your email inbox for further instructions
Step 8 – Login to your email service provider
You can Close this Ancestry.com browser window now and Login to your email service provider
Step 9 – Find the email from Ancestry in your email inbox
The email will look something like this:
Step 10 – Select Confirm Data Download
When you Open the email, it should state something like what is in the image below, Select the Confirm Data Download button in the email
Step 11 – Select Download DNA Raw Data
This will automatically Open a new browser window for Ancestry.com. Select Download DNA Raw Data (it says not to click the button more than once and not to close the browser window but I waited 10 minutes and nothing happened, so I clicked a second time, then I waited 30 minutes and nothing happened, so I clicked again, and the third time the site responded)
Step 12 – Find and Rename the raw data download file
When the Ancestry site responds to your request for a download (on a Windows PC or Mac) you will see a download alert box on the bottom of this browser page. Go to the Downloads directory on your computer, find the file and rename it something that will better identify the file. To rename the file, rightclick on the file and select Rename, then Type over the file with a new name of your choosing. You may also want to move the file to a directory other than your Downloads directory. My AncestryDNA Raw Data file looked like this:
Step 13 – Safely archive this raw DNA data OR upload the raw DNA data to another testing site