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Practical writing about consumer DNA data: how to get your file, what is actually in it, and what can and cannot be worked out from it.

September 4, 2026

How to download your raw DNA data from 23andMe

A step-by-step guide to exporting your raw genotype file from 23andMe, what the file actually contains, and what the columns mean.
September 4, 2026

23andMe vs AncestryDNA vs MyHeritage — what their raw data files actually contain

The raw genotype files from the major consumer DNA services differ in format, marker count and coverage. Here is what each one gives you and why it matters.