Your 23andMe login is a portal to fascinating DNA insights. This FAQ will help you get started with your 23andMe test results.

23andMe is an over-the-counter DNA testing company offering some unique benefits. In addition to DNA match lists, extensive health and trait reporting, the ability to build a tree, and ethnicity estimates, you will find an easy-to-use interface to help you work with your results.

Below, we show you how to log in and answer other common questions about 23andMe. First, though, you’re going to want to know how to chat with your DNA matches. Please accept a copy of our free guide to communicating with your DNA matches.

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How do I log into my 23andMe account?

The most common method to log into 23andMe is to go to the 23andMe website; a window opens where you can log in with your username and password. Or if you have an Apple or Google account, you can sign in with either secure login. Your genetic results are not shared with any site including Google or Apple by using this alternate login.

Is there an app for 23andMe?

The 23andMe mobile app can be downloaded from the Apple Store to your iPhone or iPad. An app is also available in the Google Play Store for Android devices.

You can access your account on the app if you have an internet connection and log in. From the app, you can complete surveys and contribute to scientific advancements. Most of the browser options are available in the app.

In the app, you can look at your Ancestry Report, DNA Relatives, Health Highlights, and more. Your reports are available to view. And the latest featured posts can be seen as well.

I’m particularly interested in a report posted this week called, “New 23andMe+ Report on Rosacea.” Rosacea is something that I have, so I’m curious to know which genes may play a role in my own health condition.

At the bottom of the app, there are a series of buttons to help you maneuver through the menus.

Can 23andMe be wrong?

Some people think that 23andMe health reports provide diagnoses for diseases. They do not. Think about any health report as telling you about a “tendency toward” a particular disease, not a “diagnosis of.” Your raw DNA data can provide information about diseases based on your genes, but it’s not a diagnosis. The health and trait information comes from decades of research from The Human Genome Project, but it’s not the same as a medical test from your doctor. It’s important to consult your physician and perform actual medical testing to assess risks and diagnose diseases and carrier status.

How accurate is 23andMe for your ethnicity results? Your DNA relatives? Read about 23andMe’s accuracy for ethnicity results and DNA matches.

Can 23andMe tell you who your parents are?

Any autosomal DNA test such as 23andMe has the potential to identify a parent or parents. If you–and one or both of your parents–perform DNA testing at the same testing site, you will find your biological parent(s) in your match list.

Additionally, your list of DNA relatives (your match list) includes up to 1500 people who share DNA in common with you, along with their estimated relationships. Using techniques we teach here at Your DNA Guide, you may be able to use clues in your DNA match list to identify your parents and/or learn more about your biological family tree.

How far back does 23andMe go?

You inherit 50 percent of your DNA from your mother and 50 percent from your father. You inherit approximately 25 percent from each grandparent and about 12.5 percent from each great-grandparent. At a certain point, the amount of DNA inherited from each ancestor starts to fall off.

Most of us have 128 unique fifth-great-grandparents. At this fifth-great-grandparent range, you potentially have less than one percent of DNA from each of these ancestors. It’s much more difficult to figure out cousin-relationships at that range! It’s much more possible to use your 23andMe results to build your family tree for more recent generations: parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and 2X great grandparents. Our 23andMe quick reference guide shows you how to navigate your list of DNA relatives to learn more about your family tree.

Learn to communicate with your 23andMe matches

Don’t forget to get your copy of our free guide to communicating with your DNA matches!

Get the free guide to communicating with DNA matches