You Downloaded Your Raw Data. Now What?
Millions of people have taken a 23andMe test, received their ancestry breakdown and health reports, and then forgotten about the raw data file sitting in their downloads folder. That file contains your genotype data at hundreds of thousands of positions across your genome — and there is far more you can do with it than what 23andMe shows you in their app.
Whether you are curious about your drug metabolism genes, want to explore trait genetics beyond what 23andMe reports, or want to feed your data into research-grade analysis tools, this guide walks through seven practical things you can do with your raw data in 2026.
What Is in Your Raw Data File
Your 23andMe raw data file is a plain text file with a .txt extension. It starts with comment lines (prefixed with #) containing metadata about the chip version and export date. The actual data is tab-separated with four columns: rsid (the SNP identifier), chromosome (1–22, X, Y, or MT), position (the coordinate on the GRCh37 reference genome), and genotype (your two alleles, like AA, AG, or CC).
# rsid chromosome position genotype
rs3094315 1 752566 AG
rs12562034 1 768448 AA
rs3934834 1 1005806 CC
rs9442372 1 1018704 AGA typical file contains 600,000 to 700,000 SNP entries depending on your chip version. That is a small fraction of the roughly three billion base pairs in your genome, but it covers the most informative and well-studied variant positions.
7 Things to Do with Your Raw Data
1. Look Up Specific SNPs
The simplest starting point is looking up individual SNPs by their rsid to see what they are associated with. Search for rs4988235 to check your lactose tolerance genetics, or rs1805007 to see if you carry a red hair variant. SciRouter's free SNP Lookup tool lets you paste any rsid and get a plain-English explanation of what it does, which studies have linked it to traits, and what your genotype means.
2. Check Your Drug Metabolism Genes
Pharmacogenomics is one of the most immediately useful applications of raw genotype data. Genes like CYP2D6, CYP2C19, and CYP3A4 encode enzymes that metabolize common medications including antidepressants, blood thinners, and pain relievers. Variants in these genes can make you a poor metabolizer, normal metabolizer, or ultra-rapid metabolizer — which directly affects whether standard drug doses work for you.
Try the free Pharmacogenomics Checker to scan your raw data for clinically actionable drug metabolism variants.
3. Explore Your Trait Genetics
Beyond ancestry and health, your raw data contains variants linked to hundreds of traits: bitter taste perception (TAS2R38), cilantro aversion (OR6A2), earwax type (ABCC11), caffeine metabolism speed (CYP1A2), and asparagus smell detection (OR2M7). These are fun to explore and help illustrate how genetics influences everyday experiences.
4. Check Health-Related Variants
Several well-studied genetic variants have important health implications. APOE (rs429358, rs7412) influences Alzheimer's risk. MTHFR (rs1801133) affects folate metabolism. Factor V Leiden (rs6025) relates to blood clotting risk. You can look these up individually using the SNP Lookup tool or use the Variant Effect Prediction endpoint for a more detailed functional assessment.
5. Discover Your Neanderthal DNA
Most people of non-African descent carry 1–4% Neanderthal DNA from ancient interbreeding events roughly 50,000 years ago. Your raw data contains many of the SNPs used to estimate Neanderthal ancestry. These archaic variants influence traits like pain sensitivity, immune response, skin and hair characteristics, and even sleep patterns. Explore your Neanderthal heritage in the Genomics section.
6. Build a Personal Genomics Dashboard
Rather than looking up SNPs one at a time, you can upload your entire raw data file to get a comprehensive analysis. SciRouter's Genomics Upload parses your file directly in the browser — your data never leaves your device — and generates a personal dashboard covering pharmacogenomics, trait analysis, ancestry markers, and health-related variants in one view.
7. Use the Data via API for Research
If you are a developer or researcher, you can programmatically analyze raw genotype data through SciRouter's genomics API. The AlphaGenome endpoint predicts regulatory effects of your variants, and the Variant Effect Prediction tool provides pathogenicity scores — all accessible with a single API key.
Privacy Considerations
Your genetic data is uniquely identifying and cannot be changed like a password. Before uploading it anywhere, consider these precautions:
- Prefer tools that process data locally in your browser rather than uploading to a server
- Check whether the service stores your data and what their deletion policy is
- Be cautious about sharing raw data files via email or cloud storage
- Remember that genetic data reveals information about your biological relatives too
- SciRouter's genomics tools use browser-side parsing — your raw file is never transmitted to our servers
How to Download Your Raw Data
From 23andMe
Log into your 23andMe account, navigate to Settings, then scroll to the “23andMe Data” section. Click “Download Raw Data,” confirm your identity, and the file will be emailed to you or available for direct download. The file is a zipped text file.
From AncestryDNA
Log into AncestryDNA, go to Settings > DNA Settings, and select “Download Raw DNA Data.” Confirm your password and the download link will be sent to your email. The format is similar to 23andMe and compatible with the same analysis tools.
Parsing Your File with Python
If you want to work with the data programmatically, here is a simple Python script to parse a 23andMe raw data file:
import csv
snps = []
with open("genome_data.txt", "r") as f:
for line in f:
if line.startswith("#") or not line.strip():
continue
parts = line.strip().split("\t")
if len(parts) == 4:
rsid, chrom, pos, genotype = parts
snps.append({
"rsid": rsid,
"chromosome": chrom,
"position": int(pos),
"genotype": genotype
})
print(f"Loaded {len(snps):,} SNPs")
print(f"Chromosomes: {sorted(set(s['chromosome'] for s in snps))}")
# Look up a specific SNP
target = "rs4988235" # Lactose tolerance
match = [s for s in snps if s["rsid"] == target]
if match:
print(f"{target}: {match[0]['genotype']}")Getting Started
The easiest way to explore your raw data is to start with the free tools: try the SNP Lookup for individual variants or the Pharmacogenomics Checker for drug metabolism insights. When you are ready for a comprehensive analysis, upload your file to the Genomics Dashboard for a full breakdown.
Have questions about a specific variant? Sign up for a free SciRouter account to access the full genomics API with 5,000 free calls per month.