23andMe Shutting Down? How to Download and Use Your DNA Data

If you've been following the news, you already know: 23andMe - once the poster child of consumer genetics - filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2025. The company that convinced over 14 million people to spit in a tube and hand over their most intimate biological data is now in financial freefall, and your DNA data could be caught in the crossfire.

This isn't a drill. Whether 23andMe fully shuts down, gets acquired, or restructures, the time to take control of your genetic data is right now. Here's everything you need to know - what happened, what's at risk, and exactly how to download and protect your data.

What Happened to 23andMe?

The Timeline of Decline

23andMe's troubles didn't start overnight. Here's how we got here:

• October 2023: A massive data breach exposed the personal information of approximately 6.9 million users - nearly half of 23andMe's customer base. Hackers used credential stuffing to access accounts and scrape data through the "DNA Relatives" feature (Franceschi-Bicchierai, 2023).
• January 2024: The company laid off 25% of its workforce as revenue continued declining.
• September 2024: All independent board members resigned, leaving CEO Anne Wojcicki as the sole director - an extraordinary governance red flag.
• November 2024: 23andMe's stock price fell below $1, triggering Nasdaq delisting warnings.
• March 2025: The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, announcing plans to explore a sale of the company - including its database of genetic information.

Why This Matters for Your Data

When a company goes bankrupt, its assets are on the table. And for 23andMe, one of the most valuable assets is its database of genetic information from millions of customers. According to the company's bankruptcy filings, this data is considered a business asset that could be transferred to a buyer.

The California Attorney General and privacy advocates have raised alarms about the potential for customer genetic data to be sold to the highest bidder - whether that's a pharmaceutical company, an insurance firm, a data broker, or a foreign entity (Office of the California Attorney General, 2025).

Under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), your genetic data is protected from discrimination by health insurers and employers (National Human Genome Research Institute, n.d.). But GINA doesn't cover life insurance, disability insurance, or long-term care insurance. And it doesn't prevent your data from being used in ways you never agreed to if it changes hands.

How to Download Your 23andMe Raw Data (Step-by-Step)

Don't wait. Download your data now while you still can. Here's how:

Step 1: Log Into Your 23andMe Account

Go to 23andme.com and sign in. If you've forgotten your password, reset it immediately - you don't want to lose access.

Step 2: Navigate to Settings

Click your name or profile icon in the top-right corner, then select Settings.

Step 3: Find the Data Download Section

Scroll down to the "23andMe Data" section. Click "View" next to "Download Raw Data."

Step 4: Confirm Your Identity

23andMe will ask you to re-enter your password and may send a two-factor authentication code to your email.

Step 5: Request the Download

Click "Submit Request." The download may take a few minutes to prepare. You'll receive an email notification when it's ready.

Step 6: Download and Save the File

Download the .txt file (it will be zipped). Save it in multiple secure locations:

• Your local computer (in an encrypted folder)
• An encrypted USB drive
• A secure cloud storage service you trust

Your raw data file will contain roughly 600,000–700,000 lines, each representing a SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) in your genome. It looks something like this:

# rsid  chromosome  position  genotype
rs4477212  1  82154  AA
rs3094315  1  752566  AG
rs3131972  1  752721  GG

This file is the key to unlocking insights far beyond what 23andMe ever showed you.

Step 7: Consider Deleting Your 23andMe Account

After downloading your data, you may want to delete your 23andMe account entirely. Go to Settings → 23andMe Data → Delete Data and follow the prompts. This requests deletion of your:

• Genetic data from their servers
• Saliva sample (if still stored)
• Account and personal information

Important: Deletion requests may take up to 30 days to process. And in bankruptcy proceedings, it's unclear whether deletion requests will be fully honored. Download first, then delete - not the other way around.

What Can You Do With Your Raw Data?

Having your raw data file is just the beginning. Here's what you can do with it:

Get Comprehensive Health Reports

23andMe's health reports cover a tiny fraction of clinically relevant variants. Third-party tools can analyze hundreds of additional health-related SNPs, including:

• Disease risk variants for conditions like Alzheimer's (APOE), celiac disease, macular degeneration, and more
• Carrier screening for recessive conditions like cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia
• Pharmacogenomics - how your body metabolizes specific medications

With GenomeInsight, you can upload your raw data and get a comprehensive health report in seconds - all processed privately in your browser without uploading your data to any server.

Check Drug-Gene Interactions

One of the most practically valuable uses of your raw data is pharmacogenomics. Variants in genes like CYP2D6, CYP2C19, and CYP3A4 affect how you metabolize hundreds of common medications - from antidepressants to blood thinners to pain medications.

The Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) has published dosing guidelines for over 20 drug-gene pairs (Relling & Klein, 2011). GenomeInsight's Medication Scanner lets you check your specific medications against your genetic profile using these guidelines.

Screen for BRCA and Other Cancer-Related Variants

23andMe only tests for three specific BRCA1/BRCA2 variants - the three Ashkenazi Jewish founder mutations. But there are over 1,000 known pathogenic BRCA variants. While consumer-grade testing has limitations (your raw data won't cover all variants either), you can check which BRCA-related SNPs are present in your data. Learn more in our guide to BRCA testing from raw data.

Explore Ancestry In-Depth

Beyond health, raw data can be uploaded to tools like GEDmatch for deeper ancestry analysis, ancient DNA comparisons, and finding genetic relatives across multiple testing platforms.

The Privacy Lesson: Why Data Sovereignty Matters

The 23andMe situation is a cautionary tale about trusting any single company with your genetic data indefinitely. Here's what we've learned:

Companies Come and Go - Your DNA Doesn't

A company's privacy policy is only as durable as the company itself. When 23andMe was thriving, its privacy commitments seemed solid. In bankruptcy, those promises face legal and financial pressure.

Data Breaches Are Inevitable at Scale

Any service that stores millions of genetic profiles on centralized servers is a high-value target. The 2023 breach proved that even a well-known company with dedicated security teams can be compromised.

The Safest Data Is Data That's Never Uploaded

This is the core principle behind GenomeInsight's design. When your genetic data is processed entirely in your browser - never sent to a server, never stored in a database - it can't be breached, sold, or transferred in a bankruptcy. There's nothing to hack because there's nothing stored.

Read our full comparison of DNA health report privacy practices to understand how different tools handle your data.

What About AncestryDNA and Other Services?

If you've tested with AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, or other services, the same principles apply:

1. Download your raw data from every service you've used
2. Keep local copies in secure, encrypted storage
3. Review privacy settings and consider account deletion if the service no longer serves you
4. Use client-side tools for ongoing analysis to avoid creating new data exposure points

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 23andMe actually shutting down completely?

As of early 2026, 23andMe is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which means it's restructuring - not necessarily shutting down entirely. However, the company is exploring a sale, and the future of its genetic database is uncertain. It's prudent to download your data now regardless of the outcome.

Can I still download my data during bankruptcy?

Yes, as of now the 23andMe website is operational and you can still download your raw data. However, there's no guarantee how long this will remain available. Act quickly.

Will my data be sold to another company?

This is the central concern. 23andMe's genetic database is considered a business asset. Privacy advocates and state attorneys general are working to ensure customer data protections are maintained during any sale, but outcomes are uncertain.

What format is the raw data in?

23andMe provides raw data as a zipped text file (.txt) containing rsID numbers, chromosome positions, and genotypes. This format is compatible with most third-party analysis tools, including GenomeInsight.

Is third-party analysis safe?

It depends entirely on the tool. Services that require you to upload your data carry the same risks that got us into this situation. Tools like GenomeInsight that process data client-side - entirely in your browser - eliminate the upload risk entirely. Try our free demo to see how it works.

Take Control of Your Genetic Data Today

The 23andMe situation is a wake-up call for everyone who's done consumer genetic testing. Your DNA data is uniquely, permanently yours - and no company should be the sole gatekeeper of your access to it.

Here's your action plan:

1. Download your raw data from 23andMe (and any other service) immediately
2. Store it securely in multiple encrypted locations
3. Analyze it privately with a tool that doesn't require uploading your data
4. Consider deleting your 23andMe account after securing your data

Ready to get comprehensive health insights from your raw data without uploading it anywhere? Upload your file to GenomeInsight - everything runs in your browser, and your data never leaves your device.

---

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Consult a healthcare provider for medical decisions and a legal professional for questions about data privacy rights.

---

Related Reading

• what to do with your raw data
• raw data analysis tools