Frequently Asked Questions

We maintain high standards for customer service and strive to answer all your questions as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

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FAQ By Topic

General
General FAQs about our company.
Affiliates
Questions for people who wish to become a Family Tree DNA affiliate
After I Test
I just tested now what?
Facts&Genes Newsletter
These are Questions about the Family Tree DNA newsletter. What is the newsletter? How do I subscribe to the newsletter?
Glossary
Definitions of the terms used in genetic genealogy.
Group Projects: Participants
These are questions about participating in Family Tree DNA Group Projects. What is a group project? Why should I participate in a project? What do I do now that I joined a Group Project?
Ordering a Test
Questions about ordering one of our products. How do I order a kit? What is the standard charge for shipping? Can I have my kit delivered sooner?
Payment
Questions about payments. How do I pay for an order? What payment methods do you accept? What is your refund policy?
Privacy
Questions about our privacy policy.
Technical Questions
These are questions related to technical and computer use. Though not specific to the Family Tree DNA website, our customers may find them useful.
Test Status
When should I expect my results? Why aren't my results back? What has caused the delay?
Types of Tests
What type of tests does Family Tree DNA offer?
Using the Test Kit
What is the Family Tree DNA test kit? How do I use the swabs? What problems will compromise the sample?
Y-Tree
Questions about the Y-Tree page. What is the YCC Tree? What is the Draft Tree? What information is included in the Draft Tree?
3rd Party Transfers: DNA Heritage
Answers to questions for those who originally tested with DNA Heritage.
3rd Party Transfers: Family Finder Results
Questions about our Family Finder transfer program.
3rd Party Transfers: Y-DNA Results
Questions about our Y-chromosome DNA (Y-DNA) transfer program.
Group Administration Page (GAP): Filters & FTQL
The Filters & FTQL section is intended for our most advanced users. When you are ready, advanced filtering and FTQL query language increase the GAP's power.
Group Administration Page (GAP): How To
The How To page guides you through the using the GAP. Alongside the help provided by Help buttons on each GAP page, it will help you get the most from the GAP.
Group Administration Page (GAP): Interpretation
The Interpretation page helps you understand the meaning of your project members’ results and provides hints about explaining them.
Group Administration Page (GAP): Quick Start Guide
As a Group Administrator, you have access to the project management tools provided by Family Tree DNA. These tools are part of our Group Administrator Page (GAP) on the Family Tree DNA website. The Quick Start Guide introduces you to these tools and helps you set up the most important parts of the GAP.
Group Administration Page (GAP): Reference
The Reference page provides additional guidance beyond our GAP Guidelines on best practices for managing a group project.
myFTDNA 2.0 User Guide: General
How to use the pages for the general myFTDNA section.
myFTDNA 2.0 User Guide: Family Finder
How to use the pages for the Family Finder section.
myFTDNA 2.0 User Guide: GEDCOM
This is for questions about GEDCOM files. What is a GEDCOM? How is a GEDCOM crated? How do I export a GEDCOM file?
myFTDNA 2.0 User Guide: mtDNA
How to use the pages for the mtDNA section.
myFTDNA 2.0 User Guide: Other Test Results
How to use the pages for the Other Results section.
myFTDNA 2.0 User Guide: Projects
How to use the pages for the Projects section.
myFTDNA 2.0 User Guide: Y-DNA
How to use the pages for the Y-DNA section.
Personal Reports
What are Personal Reports? How do I order one?
Understanding Results: Family Finder
Questions about Family Finder. Why do I need the Family Finder test? What can it show me? What do my results mean?
Understanding Results: Jewish Ancestry
Question related to Jewish ancestry. What are the challenges of Jewish Genealogy? How do I tell if my lineage is Jewish?
Understanding Results: mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA)
The answers to questions about mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) test results. What do your mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) results mean? What should you do next? How recently are you related to your matches? Should you upgrade?
Understanding Results: Population Finder
What is Population Finder? How does it work? What do the results mean?
Understanding Results: Walk Through the Y (WTY)
What is the Walk Through the Y (WTY) project? Who Should test? Who may test?
Understanding Results: Y-DNA Short Tandem Repeat (STR)
The answers to questions about Y-chromosome DNA (Y-DNA) test results. What do your Y-chromosome DNA (Y-DNA) results mean? What should you do next? How recently are you related to your matches? Should you upgrade?
Understanding Results: Y-DNA Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP)
What is a Y-chromosome DNA (Y-DNA) SNP? What is Deep Ancestry? What is a phylogenetic tree? What do my results mean?
Understanding Results: Y-DNA TiP - (Family Tree DNA Time Predictor)
What is the FTDNATiP calculator? How does it work? Can it tell me exactly when my match and I are related?
Your Scientific Collaboration: mtDNA Community
Questions about the mtDNA Community website.
Your Scientific Collaboration: mtDNA Full Sequence Results Donation
Questions about the mtDNA Full Sequence Results Donation program.
Your Scientific Collaboration: National Geographic Genographic Project
Questions about the Genographic Project. What is the Genographic Project? May I transfer my Family Tree DNA results to the Genographic Project? May I transfer my Genographic Project results to Family Tree DNA?