If you’ve taken an AncestryDNA® test and chosen to see and be seen by your DNA matches, you can label how your matches are related to you and which side of the family they’re from. If you’ve invited anyone to manage or collaborate on your test, they can also help. But if you’ve only invited them as a viewer, you must change their role to collaborator or manager before they can help.
When you assign a relationship, your match list will show that relationship instead of the general relationship prediction. For example, the label for your half-sister may change from “close family” to “half-sister” after you label her relationship to you.
Assigning relationships
- Next to the match you want to assign a relationship to, click + Add and choose Add/Edit Relationship.
- In the opened side panel, select the family side(s) the match is on and click Next. If you don’t know, choose “I’m not sure.”
- Select their relationship to you and click Next. If you don’t know, choose “I’m not sure.”
- To confirm the relationship, click Confirm. The match will now display the relationship and family side(s) you assigned.
Editing or removing relationship assignments
Removing a relationship assignment doesn't delete your match; it just removes the relationship and family side(s) you assigned and resets them to the default relationship. Removing a relationship assignment is permanent; if you want it back, you'll need to reassign it.
- Next to the match whose relationship you want to change or remove, click + Add and choose Add/Edit Relationship.
- In the panel opened side panel, select the family side(s) the match is on and click Next. If you don’t know, or you want to remove the family side(s), choose “I’m not sure.”
- Select their relationship to you and click Next. If you don’t know, or you want to remove the relationship, choose “I’m not sure.”
- To confirm, click Confirm. The match will now display the relationship and family side(s) you assigned or the default relationship if you removed them.
Unexpected matches and relationships
DNA results can greatly impact how we understand our family connections. If your results show something you weren't expecting, we have some resources that can help.
Frequently asked questions
Who can see the relationships I assign?
Only you and the people you invite to your DNA results can see the relationships you assign. Your matches with Pro Tools will only see the Ancestry-predicted relationships, not the relationships you assign.
