ByDr. Brandon ColbyMD, an expert in clinical genomics, genetic testing, and DNAanalysis.
Ancestry does not allow people to upload raw DNA data. The only way to access Ancestry’s information is to purchase a DNA test from them. After a person’s DNA has been tested, their DNA data file can be downloaded from Ancestry to use on other DNA sites such as GEDMatchand Sequencing.com.
About Ancestry’s DNASite
Ancestry.com is a DNA testing company known for family history research to help users complete a family tree, much like 23andMe offers. Ancestry.com’s DNA testing service is calledAncestryDNA.
In addition to being available through Ancestry’s website, they also offer account access through their mobile app available on Apple’s App Store for iOS devices and the Google Play App Store forAndroid.
How AncestryDNA Works
Ancestry prides itself in having advanced autosomal DNA testing technology for genetic genealogy research. The service provides ethnicity estimates along with DNA matches with other people who have taken their test. Since the DNA site does not allow peopleto upload DNA toAncestry, their database for matches is limited to theircustomers.
Ancestry.com users can purchase a DNA test from the website or on Amazon. This DNA kit contains everything needed to collect a DNA sample, which is then sent to the company’slab.
Customers can use their iPad, iPhone, or Android device to register their testing kit. They simply download the Ancestry DNA App, scan the barcode, and provide basic information. Within a few weeks, customers will receive a notification their DNA data has been uploaded to the site and their ancestry report is ready forreview.
Similar toFTDNA’s Family Finder and 23andMe’s DNA Relatives, Ancestry also provides matches of potential family members. For example, it will identify if anyone else who has taken an AncestryDNA test and opted in fortheir matching service is related to you based on yourDNA.
The good news is while AncestryDNA doesn’t allow uploading of a raw data file, theydo allow customers to download theirinformation. With somany free DNA uploadsites available, Ancestry DNA test results can be much more valuable tocustomers.
The disadvantage to choosing Ancestry for DNA testing is that it’s not as comprehensive as other DNA tests, such asSequencing.com’s whole-genome sequencing service. This may not be much of a problem for getting results from Ancestry, but it can be an issue when trying to get the DNA data furtheranalyzed.
For example, Ancestry’s DNA test does not test the mitochondrial chromosome or the Y chromosome. This means that the data from Ancestry’s DNA test will not contain any data from the mitochondrial or Y chromosomes, which are very important for determining maternal and paternallineage.
Despite the limitations on the type of DNA test Ancestry provides, the data can still be used in a chromosome browser, which is offeredby FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA), MyHeritage, and GEDMatch, as wellas Sequencing.com’s Genome Explorer. This makes it possible to dig into the raw DNA data provided by Ancestry, although it likely won’t impact the ability to findunknownrelatives.
The other benefitsof uploading DNA fromAncestry to other DNA sites such as LivingDNA or Sequencing.com is that it’s possible to learn more about oneself, such as disease risk, medication side effects, and other wellness-relatedinformation.
How To Upload DNA fromAncestry
It’s easy to access and use your AncestryDNAdata.
Ancestry.com makes it easy to download your raw DNA data from your AncestryDNA test. Once downloaded, you can then upload your data to Sequencing.com and use it with our wide variety of DNA analysis apps and DNA reports inour marketplace. These apps and reports allow you to use your DNA data for far more than justancestry.
How To Download Your Ancestry DNA Data And Then Upload And Use It WithApps
- Sign in to your Ancestry.comaccount.
- Click on ‘Settings’ on the right near the top of thepage.
- Click the ‘Download your raw DNA data’button.
- Enter your AncestryDNA password and click thecheckbox.
- This will trigger an email that will be sent to your AncestryDNA email address, which will include a link to confirm you want to download the DNAdata.
- Open the email from AncestryDNA and click the ‘Confirm data download’ button in theemail.
- On this download page click the ‘Download Raw DNA Data’button.
- Your Ancestry raw DNA data file will then download to yourcomputer.
- If your AncestryDNA account contains genetic data for two or more people, repeat the steps above to download the raw data for eachperson.
- Please make sure to open the zip file and rename the fileinside.
- Since the filenames are all the same, it is difficult to determine which file belongs to which person unless you rename the file immediately after it is downloaded to yourcomputer.
- This is necessary because all files downloaded from AncestryDNA have the same exactfilename.
- This should be done immediately after downloading each file to your computer so you can identify which person that file belongsto.
- Go tothe Sequencing’s DNA UploadCenter.
- Choose the upload option under ‘Upload from My Computer’ and select the AncestryDNA file that was recently downloaded to yourcomputer.
- Click Upload.
- Your AncestryDNA file will be securely uploaded to your Sequencing.comaccount.
- It may take up to 15 minutes before your file appears in youraccount.
What You Get with the Ancestry DNA GeneticTest
The ancestry report includes genetic information along with ethnicity estimates and information that can be used to identify unknown family members. Test results include genetic data from the maternal and paternal line, which can greatly help those seeking to understand their lineage on both sides of theirfamily.
The website has a database of individuals’ DNA results. This database can be used by members of the site to identify DNA matches. which can then help contribute to a family story. Census records from the United States as well as other documents are stored on the site to be used by members for datacollection.
Ancestry.com, like many other DNA companies suchas MyHeritage and Sequencing.com, uses the field of genomics to bring DNA research directly to theconsumer.
Try FREE DNA UploadSites
Ancestry.com may not allow you to upload your DNA data to its site, but there are many other sites that allow DNA uploads. Just read our articleon Free DNA UploadSites for a complete list of companies you can upload your DNA data file to rightnow.
About The Author
Dr. Brandon ColbyMDis a US physician specializingin the personalized prevention of disease through the use of genomic technologies. He’s an expert in genetic testing, genetic analysis, andprecision medicine. Dr. Colby is alsothe Founder of Sequencing.com and the authorofOutsmart Your Genes.
Dr. Colby holds an MD from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, and a degree in Genetics with Honors from the University of Michigan. He is an Affiliate Specialist of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics(ACMG), an Associate of the American College of Preventive Medicine(ACPM), and a member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors(NSGC).
AncestryDNA is a registered trademark of Ancestry Operations Inc. dba Ancestry. The use of the name and logo are for compatibility information only and do not imply approval or endorsem*nt of Sequencing.com by Ancestry Operations, Inc. dbaAncestry.
