To protect private family trees and DNA results, we only allow the account that created a private family tree or registered a DNA kit (and those they’ve invited) to see them.
Receiving a “You are not authorized to access this page” or 403 error message typically means the account you’re signed in to isn’t allowed to access what you’re trying to access.
This might happen if:
- You try to accept an invitation while signed in to an account it wasn’t shared with.
- You try to view family trees or DNA results while signed to an account that doesn’t have access.
Common reasons for this error include:
- Not being signed in.
- Being signed in to the wrong Ancestry® account. This can happen if:
- You have more than one Ancestry account.
- You share a computer or device with others who use Ancestry and don’t sign out.
Steps to fix a "You are not authorized" or 403 error
After each numbered step, check whether the problem is resolved.
- Sign out, then sign back in.
This helps if you’re signed in to the wrong account.
- Clear your cache and cookies.
This helps if your browser is loading an old version of the page with the error.
- Check your link.
If you use a link from an email, bookmark, or favorite, try going directly to the page, family tree, or DNA results you’re trying to view. If that works, update your link with the new page URL.
- To see a family tree you own or are invited to:
- On Ancestry, click the Trees tab and choose a tree.
- Or click Trees > Create & Manage Trees > Trees Shared with Me > and then choose the tree you want to view.
- To see results for a DNA test you registered or are invited to:
- On Ancestry, click the DNA tab, then select what you want to see.
- Or click DNA > View Another Test (top-right corner of the DNA homepage) > select a test > and then choose what you want to see.
- Ask them to send you a new invitation using your Ancestry username.
Don’t know your username? Read Finding Your Username.
To learn about sharing trees or DNA results, choose what you need help with:
Important: Invitations sent using an account’s username go to the email address linked to that username. If you don't know what email address is linked to your username, check your Account Settings. It'll show your email address there. Need to change it? Read Updating Your Email Address.
- Try signing in with another email or username.
You might have more than one Ancestry account. Use another email address or username to sign in. If that doesn’t work, or you need help finding other accounts, contact us.
