Download your file step by step
The download is free. 23andMe changes its menus from time to time: if a label differs, search its help pages for "download raw data".
- Sign in on the 23andMe website (a computer is easiest).
- Open the menu under your name, then Settings.
- Scroll to 23andMe Data and open it.
- Request the raw data download and confirm it (23andMe may ask for your password or an extra verification).
- When the file is ready you receive an e-mail: download the .zip. Depending on demand this takes from a few minutes to several days.
What is inside the file
A .zip containing one .txt file. After a few comment lines starting with #, each line holds four tab-separated columns: the rs number, the chromosome, the position and your genotype as two letters together (for example AG). Files in our sample listed about 630,000 positions; older kits read different lists.
What our analysis can read in a 23andMe file
We checked 25 23andMe files with our reader, counting only which variants were present and keeping no personal data. The typical file (the median) contained 99 of the 118 variants our nutrition reports read, or 84%. The range was 47 to 117: older and newer chip versions read different lists.
| Variant | What it is about | Present in |
|---|---|---|
| MTHFR C677T (rs1801133) | folate use | 24 of 25 files |
| CYP1A2 (rs762551) | caffeine clearance | 24 of 25 files |
| MCM6 / LCT (rs4988235) | lactose digestion in adults | 25 of 25 files |
| FTO (rs9939609) | appetite and weight tendency | 24 of 25 files |
| GC (rs2282679) | vitamin D transport | 23 of 25 files |
| VDR (rs1544410) | vitamin D receptor | 25 of 25 files |
| HFE C282Y (rs1800562) | iron absorption | 23 of 25 files |
| ACTN3 R577X (rs1815739) | muscle power (Sport report) | 24 of 25 files |
All eight variants in the table were present in almost every 23andMe file; the few gaps came from older chip versions.
When a variant is missing from your file, the report says so instead of guessing.
Keep it private
In 2023 attackers used passwords reused from other sites to get into millions of 23andMe accounts, and in 2025 the company went through bankruptcy before its assets were bought by a non-profit research institute. Download your raw file first, then decide whether to keep or delete your data at 23andMe from the same Settings page.
Wherever you use your file, keep your own copy in an encrypted folder, do not send it by e-mail and delete copies you no longer need. Our free test reads the file in your browser without sending it to us; for paid reports the file is used to build the report and then deleted, as described in our privacy policy.
What to do next
- Start free: the food-intolerance test runs in your browser and shows how many of the full report's variants your file contains.
- Go further: the reports turn each notable variant into concrete actions, with the references behind them. Compare the reports.
- Understand the basics: our raw DNA data guide covers formats and limits for every provider.