What is a raw DNA file — and what can you do with it?
If you have taken a consumer DNA test you already own more data than the results page shows. The export file is the key — and you do not need a new test.
It is a plain text file
When you download "raw data" from MyHeritage, 23andMe, AncestryDNA or FamilyTreeDNA you do not get a mysterious binary format — it is a text file (.txt or .csv, usually inside a .zip). Each row is a genetic marker: an ID, a position, and your two letters there. Roughly 600,000–700,000 rows depending on the provider.
What it contains — and what it does not
The file contains your genotypes at the positions the provider's chip measured — nothing else. It is not your whole genome, it contains no interpretations and nothing that identifies you directly (but it is still sensitive — it describes your genetics). Which markers are included differs between providers, which is one reason results can differ between services.
What you can do with it
- Analyze it with other services — the file is yours; you can use it wherever you want.
- Genealogy — compare with relatives or use family-research tools.
- Analyze locally in DNAHelper — the entire analysis runs in your browser with no upload (the optional DNA Chat feature is a separate consent exception). Read exactly what happens to your file.
How to get yours
Every provider hides the export in their settings — our step-by-step guides show the way: MyHeritage, 23andMe, AncestryDNA, FamilyTreeDNA. Waiting times differ — expect minutes to a few days.
Treat it like the passport it is
Your raw data file is your most sensitive digital file — it cannot be replaced like a password. Only upload it to services you trust, or choose local analysis where the file is never uploaded.
Also: Check your file — free tool · What happens to your DNA file? · Build 37 vs 38 · Local vs cloud analysis · rsID lookup · English overview