23andMe Upload Data Tool

By Dr. Brandon Colby MD, a genetic testing expert specializing in advanced genetic analysis and clinical genomics.

23andMe became one of the best known consumer DNA companies, popular for ethnicity estimates, DNA matching, and basic health and trait reports. Many people bought it as their first DNA test, while others who had already tested elsewhere wanted to use 23andMe's tools with the data they already had. That second group is often surprised to learn what 23andMe does and does not allow when it comes to uploading data.

About 23andMe

23andMe uses a genotyping test to provide reports across a few areas. On ancestry, it estimates where your DNA originated and can connect you with relatives who share segments of your DNA. On traits, it explains how genetics influences characteristics like freckles, hair color, and height. It also offers health related reports, since genetics can influence predisposition to conditions such as diabetes, certain cancers, and heart disease, information some people use to inform their health and lifestyle decisions.

23andMe and uploading data

Many people would like to use 23andMe's tools with a DNA file from another company. Unfortunately, 23andMe does not offer DNA upload. You can only access its reports if you use its own DNA test.

There is nothing wrong with buying a second test, but most people would rather not pay for and wait on another one. This is where free upload sites come in: they let you get more from the data you already have without retesting. Even though 23andMe does not accept uploads, the topic comes up often, so it is worth explaining clearly.

While 23andMe does not let you upload data to its site, it does let you download your own 23andMe data. You can take that file and analyze it with other companies that do accept uploads, such as those in our Free DNA Upload Sites guide. One thing to keep in mind: 23andMe's genotyping test reads less than 0.1% of the genome, so any analysis built on that file, wherever you upload it, will be limited by how much DNA was tested in the first place.

2026 update on 23andMe

23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2025. Following a court supervised sale, substantially all of its assets were acquired by the TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit founded by 23andMe co-founder Anne Wojcicki, in July 2025. If you are a 23andMe customer, it is worth reviewing the current privacy terms under the new ownership, and you can still download or manage your data through your account.

How Sequencing is different

Sequencing is different from 23andMe because it does let you upload DNA data from any genetic test or genome sequencing service. The goal is to help you get as much value as possible from the information your DNA holds.

Once your data is uploaded, you can run any of the apps and reports in the Partner Marketplace, which span categories including health, ancestry, and nutrition, along with rare disease screening. Many apps are free, while more in depth ones carry a charge, and prices are kept low so more people can use them. New apps are added regularly.

As with any analysis tool, 23andMe data uploaded to Sequencing can produce reports with gaps, because the comprehensive apps analyze more of the genome than 23andMe tests. That is a limitation of the original test, not the analysis.

The most complete option: whole genome sequencing

For the most complete data, Sequencing offers clinical grade whole genome sequencing, which reads 100% of your genome, including both coding and noncoding DNA and all of your over 30,000 genes. Because it reads the entire genome, it can identify variation anywhere, rather than the small fraction a genotyping test covers.

To put it together: if you already took a DNA test and hoped to upload it to 23andMe, you cannot, because 23andMe does not allow uploads. The only way to use its tools is to buy its test. The alternative is to upload your data file to Sequencing and analyze it in the Partner Marketplace.

If you have not tested yet and do not have a raw data file, you can start with one of Sequencing's tests, which read more of the genome than tests from companies like Living DNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage, and Ancestry.

About the author

Dr. Brandon Colby MD is a US physician specializing in the personalized prevention of disease through genomic technologies. He is an expert in genetic testing, genetic analysis, and precision medicine, the founder of Sequencing, and the author of Outsmart 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).