You can usually delete your account and have your genetic data removed from a company's live systems, and in some places the law backs you up. What deletion typically cannot reach: records a company must keep for legal reasons, de-identified research data already used, short-lived backups, copies held by relatives or partners, and anything you saved or uploaded elsewhere.
Download your own copy first, then delete, then keep proof.
What deletion usually removes
The two best-documented consumer examples show a similar pattern. Ancestry's privacy statement says that after a DNA data deletion request it removes genetic information from its production, development, analytics and research systems within 30 days. Deleting an Ancestry account is described as permanent, covering trees, records, photos and DNA data.
For 23andMe, the process described in its help material runs through account settings: open Settings, find the 23andMe Data section, choose to permanently delete data, then confirm through an email link. You can download a copy of your data before you do it.
What can remain afterwards
Read the exceptions in the privacy policy, because they are where the real limits sit.
- Legal and regulatory retention. 23andMe's privacy policy says it will retain genetic information, date of birth and sex as required to comply with applicable legal obligations, plus limited account and deletion-request records for a period set by law or audit needs. Ancestry says lab partners may keep information that laws or regulations require them to retain.
- Research data already shared. Ancestry says de-identified data already in active or completed research projects cannot be removed, though it will not be used in new ones. 23andMe's help article says withdrawing research consent does not recover data already shared.
- Backups. Ancestry says backup systems may keep data for a short time after deletion.
- Copies other people hold. Ancestry notes that DNA results or trees another user has saved can only be removed by asking that user.
- Aggregated or depersonalised data. Ancestry says aggregated usage information is kept and is not subject to deletion requests.
These are the policies as published when we checked in October 2026. Companies change them, especially after acquisitions.
Your sample is a separate item. Deleting data and destroying a stored saliva sample are different requests at most companies. See what happens to your saliva sample for how to handle both.
The laws that give your request weight
These are summaries, not legal advice. Check the current text or ask a lawyer before relying on any of them.
| Law | What it gives you | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| EU GDPR, Article 17 | A right to erasure when data is no longer needed, consent is withdrawn and no other basis remains, or processing was unlawful. | Exceptions include legal obligations, legal claims, and scientific research where erasure would seriously impair it. |
| California CCPA | Rights to know, delete and correct, plus a right to limit use of sensitive data such as genetic data. | A business may keep data for legal obligations, security and a list of other listed purposes. |
| California Genetic Information Privacy Act | Applies to direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies. You can withdraw consent and ask for a stored sample to be destroyed, with 30 days for the company to comply. | Covers California-linked consumers and listed company types. |
Other US states have genetic privacy laws as well. NPR reported in 2025 that at least 11 states had adopted them, with varying rights and enforcement. In practice the law is a lever for your request, not a guarantee that every copy disappears. See our GINA explainer for what US federal law does and does not cover.
Why timing matters: the 2025 bankruptcy
When 23andMe filed for Chapter 11 in March 2025, many customers rushed to delete. TechCrunch reported that around 1.9 million customers, roughly 15 percent, had requested deletion by the time the sale concluded. Co-founder Anne Wojcicki regained control of the company's assets through the nonprofit TTAM Research Institute for $305 million, and dozens of states challenged the sale, arguing explicit customer consent was needed for data transfers.
Whatever the outcome, the lesson is practical. A privacy policy binds the company that wrote it, not necessarily the next owner. Our 23andMe timeline sets out the sequence of events.
The copies you control
The data most likely to outlive your deletion request is the data you made yourself.
- Downloaded raw files on your computer, phone or cloud drive.
- Uploads to third-party tools such as analysis sites, which have their own policies and their own deletion processes.
- Reports and screenshots you emailed, printed or shared with relatives and doctors.
Decide which of those you want to keep. Our guides to raw genome file formats and to storing and backing up your genome files help you keep a deliberate copy and remove the rest.
What you cannot delete: your relatives
Your DNA is partly your relatives' DNA. Even after you delete your account, a sibling who tested may still match with and show family information that overlaps with yours. We explain the problem in how one relative's test affects the family, and the law-enforcement angle in can police use your DNA test.
A sensible order of operations
- Download first. Save raw data and reports to a place you control, if you want them.
- Withdraw research and biobank consents in account settings.
- Request sample destruction if a sample is stored.
- Submit the deletion request and save the confirmation email with the date.
- Check back after the stated timeframe. Ancestry cites 30 days for its systems.
- Repeat for third-party tools you uploaded the file to.
Bottom line
Deletion is worth doing if you are uncomfortable with a company holding your genome, and it will remove the bulk of what they hold in live systems. It will not erase legally required records, research data already used, backups for a time, or the copies others and you hold. Before you buy from anyone, ask the deletion questions in our pre-purchase checklist, and compare policies in our privacy comparison.
Common questions
Does deleting my account delete my DNA data everywhere?
It removes your data from the company's live systems, but some information can remain, such as records kept for legal reasons, research data already used, short-term backups, aggregated data and copies relatives have saved. Check the policy's retention section.
How long does a DNA data deletion take?
It varies by company. Ancestry's privacy statement says it removes genetic information from its production, development, analytics and research systems within 30 days of a DNA data deletion request, with backups possibly lagging.
Can I get my data back after I delete it?
Generally no. Ancestry describes account deletion as permanent and irreversible. If you want to keep your genome, download your raw data and reports before you submit the deletion request.
Does deleting my data destroy my saliva sample?
Not always. Sample destruction and data deletion are separate at many companies. Some destroy stored samples when you delete your account, and some require a separate request or a change to your storage setting. Confirm in writing.
Do privacy laws guarantee full deletion?
No. Laws such as the EU GDPR and California's CCPA give you a right to request deletion but include exceptions for legal obligations, legal claims and some research uses. They strengthen your request without guaranteeing every copy is erased.
Sources and verification
Policies and laws verified October 2026 against the primary pages below. Not legal advice. Deletion terms change after acquisitions, so reread the provider's current policy before you act.
- Ancestry Privacy Statement (deleting DNA data or your account)
- TechCrunch, 23andMe bankruptcy: how to delete your data (2025)
- NPR, How to delete your 23andMe data after the bankruptcy filing (2025)
- GDPR Article 17, right to erasure
- California Attorney General, California Consumer Privacy Act
- Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, California Genetic Information Privacy Act
Medical disclaimer. GenomeTesting.org publishes educational content about genetics and consumer genomic testing. Nothing here is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a substitute for care from a qualified clinician or genetic counsellor. Decisions about testing, treatment, or interpreting your own results should be made with a healthcare professional who can see your full history.