Manual method
- On Ancestry’s website open DNA Settings and choose a test you own or manage.
- In Download or Delete choose Download DNA data. Accept the notice, then verify with your password or an emailed code.
- Open the latest download email and select Download DNA Data, then the download button on the website. Keep the delivered ZIP and its text file.
- Record the kit owner, provider and export date privately; check the text file in a text editor without editing it.
Coverage and limitations: A genotype export is not your match list, complete family tree or a clinical diagnosis. Verify whose kit it is before storing it with other family records.
Size and time to allow
Illustrative planning size: 0.02 GB; scenario range 0.005–0.1 GB. This is a storage-planning example, not a measured average. Your archive may be smaller or larger. One genotype text file plus small account metadata; this is not whole-genome sequencing.
Preparation and hands-on time: The email can take up to 24 hours. Only the latest requested link works; it is single-use and expires after one week.
For the 0.02 GB example, network transfer alone is approximately:
| Connection download speed | Transfer estimate |
|---|---|
| 10 Mbit/s | 23 sec |
| 50 Mbit/s | 5 sec |
| 100 Mbit/s | 3 sec |
These calculations use decimal GB and 70% of the advertised speed. Tiny transfers can take longer because of startup overhead. Local exports do not need an internet download; use these numbers only for a network transfer. Preparation, retries, extraction, checking and a cloud upload are additional; use upload speed for the latter.
Where and how to keep it
An encrypted USB key can hold this example, but keep another independent copy on an external drive or in private encrypted cloud storage. A USB key alone is easily lost and is not a complete preservation plan. Genetic files can also reveal information about relatives; keep access limited and store the recovery key separately.
Create a dated ancestry_dna/YYYY-MM-DD/ folder. Keep received originals unchanged, use a separate working copy, and note the account/profile, selected dates, formats and known gaps in a private README. Compare file sizes, check any supplied checksums, and open sample files from the backup before considering the task finished. Repeat after meaningful additions. Follow the storage, archive-checking and large-file guide.
Sources and review
Public documentation was reviewed on 27 October 2026. No signed-in export or restoration was performed. Account options and availability can change; follow the current provider instructions.