Your AncestryDNA matches are your genetic relatives who have also taken AncestryDNA tests. If you have matches turned on, you can see a list of these relatives, and you'll appear on their lists of relatives, too. If you have matches turned off, you won't see these relatives or appear on their lists.

Here's how matches may look:

You can change your match participation at any time. To hide matches one by one, see Hiding AncestryDNA Matches. 

If you want to see your ancestral origins but don’t want to be matched with your genetic relatives, you can turn off DNA matches, giving you more privacy.

If a match you've starred or attached a note to turns matches off, the star and note will disappear until they turn matches on again. You won't be notified if one of your matches turns their matches off. 

If you turn matches off after starring matches or writing notes, your notes and stars will reappear when you turn matches on again.

Changing your participation in matches

From a browser

Go to your DNA settings    and skip to step 3

1. In the top-right corner of Ancestry, select your profile and choose Account Settings.
2. On the left side of the page, under Settings, click DNA.
3. Select the DNA test whose match participation you want to change.
4. Under Visibility, click DNA Matches. 
5. Choose On or Off and then click Save.  

From the app

1. In the top left corner, tap your initials or profile picture.
2. Under Manage DNA test, tap the name of the DNA test or tap Switch test to select a different test.
3. Under Visibility, tap DNA matches.
4. Choose On or Off and then tap Save.

Frequently asked questions

Can I see my matches without being visible to them?

No. In order to see people who match with you, others will need to be able to see you, too.

What happens when I turn matches off?

If you turn matches off after receiving your results, your list of DNA matches will disappear until you participate in matches again. If you choose not to participate in matches before receiving your results, you won’t receive your list of matches until you turn matches on. You won’t have access to ThruLines or to Common Ancestor Hints while you have matches turned off.

Can I download my list of matches before choosing not to participate in matches?

Not at this time.

What will happen to my ThruLines if I turn matches off?

Because your ThruLines are based on information gathered from your matches, you will only see ThruLines if you participate in matches. To see ThruLines, make sure you have a public tree linked to your DNA test. It may take a few days for ThruLines to appear after turning matches on.