Got a DNA Kit as a Gift? Set It Up Before You Spit

The five kits at a glance

The table lists only what we could confirm on each company's own pages. Where we could not, it says to check the kit insert.

Who should own the account

The account should belong to the person whose DNA goes in the tube, not the person who paid. Ancestry says each adult who takes its test must have their own Ancestry account, and each account can register only one kit, apart from minor children an adult registers. 23andMe likewise says each participant registers their own kit.

The owner controls the settings. MyHeritage says the DNA privacy settings can be changed only by the person who uploaded the data or activated the kit. At Ancestry, only the test owner and managers the owner appoints can download the raw DNA data.

If a relative wants to help, set up the tester's account first. Ancestry then lets the owner share results or invite someone to manage the test.

Step 1: Activate before you collect

Activation links the code on your tube to your account. Without it, the lab cannot tie your sample to you.

AncestryDNA

Create or sign in to a free Ancestry account, then enter the 15-character code from the saliva tube. Ancestry's activation instructions say not to skip this step, because unregistered tests produce no results. A paid membership is not required to see your DNA results.

23andMe

Create an account and register the 14-digit barcode printed on the side of the tube. 23andMe's gift page says to register before you spit. A sample mailed unregistered can be registered once it reaches the lab, but processing waits until you do.

MyHeritage DNA

Activate online at myheritageDNA.com/setup before collecting. MyHeritage tells you to select the right individual whose DNA will be collected. That step matters when one account holder manages kits for several relatives.

FamilyTreeDNA

We could not confirm FamilyTreeDNA's current activation steps on its public pages. Follow the kit insert or its Help Center before you swab.

Dante Labs

Register the tube's barcode in your Dante ID account before you post it. Dante's support guides say an unregistered tube cannot be linked to a profile. Its FAQ also ties full refunds to kits that have not been activated, so activate only once you are sure you will test.

Step 2: Collect and mail the sample

Read the insert fully first. For saliva kits, follow this order:

1. Pause for 30 minutes. No eating, drinking, smoking or gum. At 23andMe, brushing and mouthwash are also out for that window.
2. Collect in one sitting. 23andMe asks you to finish within 30 minutes and release the funnel's liquid right away, because waiting longer can reduce DNA yield.
3. Fill to the line, not counting bubbles. Ancestry and Dante Labs both measure to the fill line, and 23andMe's target is about 2 mL. Ancestry warns that deep throat clearing can make the sample too thick to process.
4. Release the stabilizer and mix. For AncestryDNA, screw the cap on tightly and shake for at least five seconds.
5. Pack and mail promptly. Seal the tube in its bag, then the box. 23andMe says to ship as soon as possible.

Ancestry, 23andMe and Dante Labs include prepaid return packaging. MyHeritage's addressed envelope needs your own postage.

Cheek swab kits

For MyHeritage, scrape the inside of one cheek while rotating the swab for 60 seconds. Push the swab into the vial, snap it at the black line so the tip stays in the liquid, and close the cap tightly. FamilyTreeDNA's kits use snap-off swabs with two vials, one for each cheek, so follow its insert for timing.

Dante Labs blood kits

Dante's current whole genome page describes a finger-prick blood collection. Its support guide lists no fasting but suggests drinking water, warming the site and letting the alcohol-wiped skin dry fully. Leave the device in place until the tube stops filling, then cap it and invert gently.

If the tube comes up short, Dante says to send it anyway rather than reopen the device.

If a lab asks for a new sample anyway, our guide to why DNA kit samples fail covers the usual causes and how to avoid a repeat.

Step 3: Settle consent and privacy settings

Several of these choices appear during activation, and the person being tested should make them.

Research participation

Every company here treats research as optional. Ancestry's consent document says No one is required to participate, and you get results either way. If you withdraw later, Ancestry stops using your data within 30 days, but research already under way is not reversed.

23andMe calls participation completely voluntary and offers the choice at registration. You can change it in Account Settings; opted-out data is left out of studies that start more than 30 days later.

MyHeritage asks you to tick a box at activation. A separate Individual Data Sharing option can send deidentified genetic data to academic and pharmaceutical research partners. Dante Labs' privacy policy requires explicit consent for research use, and you can withdraw by emailing its data protection officer.

Relative matching

Defaults vary most here. MyHeritage says DNA Matching, segment sharing and DNA badges are enabled by default; you can turn them off under My Privacy, My DNA preferences. 23andMe's DNA Relatives feature is opt-in, so other users cannot see you as a match unless you join.

Ancestry lets you choose whether to be listed as a DNA match at all.

Law-enforcement matching

FamilyTreeDNA has an Investigative Genetic Genealogy Matching (IGGM) toggle under Account Settings, Privacy & Sharing. A genealogy guide last updated in October 2025 says users have been opted out automatically since 2024. Confirm the setting on your own account rather than relying on that.

Ancestry says it does not voluntarily cooperate with law enforcement and releases DNA data only under a valid warrant. 23andMe requires valid legal process, and its terms prohibit forensic use. MyHeritage prohibits law enforcement use of its DNA services absent a valid court order or subpoena. Dante Labs' privacy policy does not address the topic.

For the bigger picture, read our explainer on police and genetic genealogy databases.

Later: raw data, deletion and 23andMe

Downloading raw data

• AncestryDNA: request it from DNA Settings. The emailed link can take up to 24 hours, works once and expires after a week. Ancestry notes that a downloaded copy is no longer protected by its security.
• 23andMe: submit a request in Account Settings and you get an email when the .txt file is ready.
• MyHeritage: use Manage DNA Kits, then Download kit. A genealogy guide reports that the emailed link is valid for 24 hours.
• Dante Labs: FASTQ, BAM and VCF files are free to download, according to its FAQ.

Before you upload a file anywhere else, work through our raw data download checklist.

Deleting your data

Ancestry lets you permanently delete a DNA test from DNA Settings. MyHeritage allows deletion from Manage DNA Kits and will destroy a stored sample on request. Dante Labs destroys the physical sample once results are ready, but keeps personal data for 10 years after account deactivation for legal compliance.

The 23andMe ownership change

23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 23, 2025. On July 14, 2025, TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit public benefit corporation, completed its purchase of the consumer genome and research businesses. TTAM said customers could change their decision on research participation.

Review consent in Account Settings. Deletion lives under Settings, 23andMe Data, and it cannot be canceled, undone, withdrawn, or reversed, so download your data first. Our review of 23andMe in 2026 covers the details.

If you would rather not test

A gift is not an obligation, and DNA results can reveal things about relatives too. If you are unsure, do not activate, open or mail the kit yet.

• 23andMe: notify the company within 30 days of the order and confirm no sample has shipped. The unused kit must arrive back within 30 days of your request, and shipping and processing charges are deducted. Kits from other retailers follow that retailer's policy.
• Dante Labs: refunds are possible up to 14 days after purchase if the lab has not received a sample. Fees apply once a kit has shipped. A recipient may pass the test to someone 18 or older, and the purchaser can request the refund.
• AncestryDNA: Ancestry routes refunds and replacements through the company the kit was bought from.
• MyHeritage and FamilyTreeDNA: we could not verify current refund terms for gifted kits. Contact support before opening anything.

Refunds generally go to the original payment method, so the buyer may need to make the request.