23andMe Workarounds

If you have DNA at 23andMe, you know that since the incident in which scammers obtained access to some accounts, resources and features have been very limited for all of us.

In a nutshell, the scammers found login information for another site (23andMe has provided no details, but I speculate that the username/password data obtained in the MyHeritage hack several years ago may have been used) and they started trying all those combinations at other DNA companies, and in some cases, where people used the same username or email address and password, the scammers were able to get into those accounts and download information about all the shared matches for that account.

In response, 23andMe shut down shared matching. Users can’t even see the shared matches, much less download the information. When we click on the name of a DNA match, we can no longer see the breakdown by chromosome. It’s very frustrating.

How can we work around this?

First, you can make things easier for your matches by adding a bio, if you don’t have one. To do that, head to Settings/Personal Information/Enhanced Personal Information. Your bio is under “Introduce Yourself.” This is a good place to mention if you have DNA at another website, and be sure to include the name your kit is under. If your name is Apple Dumpling, and that’s how your matches see you on 23andMe, but on Ancestry your username is AppleOfGrandmasEye and on MyHeritage you’re A.D. DNA, and on FamilyTreeDNA, you’re listed by your married name of Apple Crisp, you can see how that would make it tough for your matches to find you elsewhere.

Under Personal Information, you can also update your family history with birthplaces of your grandparents, surnames from your family tree, and a link to a family tree. Remember, if you are linking to a tree on Ancestry, make sure your tree is public, but even then, anyone without a paid membership cannot see it. I recommend linking to your WikiTree tree or to a FamilySearch tree that starts with a deceased individual.

Both WikiTree and FamilySearch Family Tree are what they call Universal Trees or Collaborative Trees. The goal is to have one profile for every person that ever lived. If my great-grandfather is your great-great grandfather, instead of each of us having a separate tree and a unique profile for the same person, we share the profile. Yes, there are errors, but if good genealogists correct the sites and make good notes, hopefully we can clean up the mistakes.

If you don’t have a WikiTree tree, you can upload a GEDcom file, which you can download from your Ancestry tree, or create one using offline software. It’s always worth searching for a deceased parent or grandparent or great-grandparent before you start. If someone else has already added them to WikiTree, you can just follow the descendancy and update if necessary, rather than upload a file that will create duplicate profiles.

With FamilySearch, create your profile, then add your parents, including as much information as possible. When you reach deceased ancestors, as long as you enter full name and complete birth/death info, the software will suggest existing profiles that may be a match. If your ancestor is there, just approve the match, and your family tree will populate based on research that’s already been done.

While 23andMe is limited, you can also consider uploading your DNA to another site for free. As I write this, 23andMe has disabled the Raw DNA download feature; the page says to contact customer service. That’s what I suggest doing – contact customer service, tell them you want your Raw DNA and ask them what they need to confirm your identity*, so you can get it.

I created a separate folder on my hard drive for the Raw DNA of every kit I manage. You don’t open the file at all. Just save it, then create an account on one or more of the websites that allow free uploads, and upload the file. FamilyTreeDNA and MyHeritage are testing companies that allow you to transfer your DNA for free to see your shared matches in their database. Living DNA allows it as well, but their interface is still pretty basic, and their database is not huge. GEDmatch is not a testing company, but they have a database that includes DNA matches who have tested at a variety of other places, including obscure or defunct labs.

Note: FamilyTreeDNA and GEDmatch both cooperate with law enforcement investigations into murder, rape, and unidentified human remains. FTDNA lets you opt out during the registration process. GEDmatch automatically opts you out, and lets you choose to opt in if you want to participate.

Once your DNA has transferred, it may take a day or so for the new company to process the kit, but when the processing is complete, you’ll be able to see your match list, and – vitally – you’ll be able to see your shared matches for each person on the list. For example, when I see a new DNA match, I always want to look first at their tree, but when they don’t have a tree, I look at the shared matches. If I see that the new match also matches my mom, I know it’s on her side of the family. If my dad’s brother shows up, I know it’s a paternal match. This kind of information is crucial when you’re trying to sort your matches and figure out how you’re related to everyone.

FamilyTreeDNA and MyHeritage have other tools for analyzing your matches, when you pay a small fee. It’s still cheaper than testing again. GEDmatch has several tools available for free, but other tools are only available by subscription.

Like I said, I’ve been frustrated by the lack of functionality at 23andMe, and it must be even more so for new users. If you’ve found this article during the security issues, I hope it helps you take action to make the most of your results at 23andMe and beyond. Even once functionality is restored, there are benefits to having DNA on multiple sites, so you can find more DNA matches.

*UPDATE: I’m told by someone going through the process that you’ll have to scan or photograph your identification and provide specific information about your initial purchase.