23andMe 23andme.com How to delete your 23andMe data
Sign in, open Account Settings, download any information you want to keep, then use the Permanently Delete Data button. 23andMe emails the address on the account to confirm. Once you confirm, deletion can't be canceled or reversed.
View all 112 guides- Platform
- 23andme.com
- Type
- Delete an account
- Last updated
Step by step
- 1
Sign in to your 23andMe account
Use the account that holds the data you want gone. If you manage more than one profile, note which ones the deletion will cover.
- 2
Open Account Settings
Deletion is started from Account Settings. This is also where you download your data.
- 3
Download what you want to keep
23andMe's help center recommends downloading any personal information from Account Settings before you submit the request. After deletion it can't be recovered.
- 4
Use the Permanently Delete Data button
Select Permanently Delete Data. If you don't want to delete the data for all profiles on the account, don't click this button.
- 5
Confirm from your email
23andMe sends an email to the address linked to your account. Follow the confirmation in that email to complete the request.
Watch out for
- Once you confirm, deletion can't be canceled, undone, withdrawn or reversed.
- The button applies to the account's profiles. If you only want to delete some of them, stop and contact 23andMe's support instead of clicking it.
- 23andMe keeps limited information after deletion, including a record of the deletion request and anything the law requires it to hold.
- The confirmation email goes to the address on the account. If you no longer have access to that inbox, fix that first.
What stays out there
Deleting your 23andMe data stops 23andMe from holding it. It doesn't reach copies that were already shared, downloaded or scraped elsewhere, and it doesn't remove your name, address and phone number from data brokers and people-search sites, which hold that kind of data independently.
Genetic data is the part you can't change like a password. Deleting it at the source is the right move, and the listings that connect your name to where you live are the next thing to clean up. Serus finds where your details are listed and removes them, and keeps watching so they don't come back.
Frequently asked
Can I get my 23andMe data back after I delete it?
No. The help center says that once you confirm the request by email, deletion can't be canceled, undone, withdrawn or reversed.
Should I download my data before deleting it?
Yes, if you want a copy. 23andMe recommends downloading your personal information from Account Settings before you submit the deletion request.
Does 23andMe delete everything?
Not quite. It retains limited information, including a record of the deletion request and information required by law.
What if I have more than one profile on the account?
23andMe's help center warns that if you don't want to delete data for all profiles, you shouldn't click the Permanently Delete Data button.
Sources
Related guide Guide: How to Delete Yourself from the Internet Something changed? If these steps no longer match what you see, tell us and we'll re-check it.
