Does 23andMe, Ancestry.com & MyHeritage test my entire genome?
No, their DNA tests do not sequence your genome.
No. Tests from 23andMe, Ancestry.com, MyHeritage, and similar services do not sequence your whole genome.
Why These Tests Don’t Cover Your Entire Genome
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These companies use genotyping microarrays (also called SNP chips).
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These test detect specific genetic variants (SNPs) at preselected locations, less than 0.1% of your genome.
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They do not read every base pair, they do not detect structural variants, and they do not cover non targeted regions.
What Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) Does
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WGS reads nearly 100% of your genome (all 3 billion base pairs).
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It detects all variant types: SNPs, insertions/deletions, structural variants, mitochondrial variants, and more.
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That’s why WGS is a fundamentally different technology than genotyping microarrays.
Important Note: You Can’t Turn Genotyping Data Into WGS
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Genotyping data lacks the raw sequence reads and information required to reconstruct the full genome.
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You cannot upgrade or convert your 23andMe, Ancestry.com, or MyHeritage data into full WGS.
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The only way to get complete genome coverage is by using actual whole genome sequencing technology.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I upload my 23andMe or Ancestry file, will Sequencing fill in missing data?
No. You can upload your genotyping data and use it for what it covers (e.g. variant checks), but Sequencing cannot expand it to whole genome level. The gaps will remain.
Why do companies use genotyping instead of WGS?
Genotyping is less expensive and faster, which is why many consumer DNA tests use it. But it comes with significant limitations in coverage.
Which is better for health insights, genotyping or WGS?
WGS is far more comprehensive, it captures information that genotyping misses entirely. For deep medical, ancestry, and trait insights, WGS is the superior option.
Will I lose anything if I already have genotyping data?
No. Your genotyping file still contains valid information for the positions it covers. You just must understand its limitations compared to full sequencing.