AncestryDNA Has Removed Features for Some Users!

AncestryDNA has removed some features from a group of users, and could impact how you do your genealogy research. Check out what these features are, who it affects, and how to get them back.
▶️ See how to get more replys from your DNA matches: • Why your DNA matches d...
✅ Pick up a free copy of Amy's guide "5 Online Search Strategies Every Genealogist Should Know: www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/search...
#genealogy #ancestrydna #ancestry
🔍 🔍 Find more genealogy and family history tips at www.amyjohnsoncrow.com
📙 Amy's book "31 Days to Better Genealogy" is available on Amazon:
amzn.to/3c2Nono
(Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Get more replies from your DNA matches with these tips: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJjCp4iGqK14a5o

[@user-oc5qe9cd3t]

How if someone like me cannot afford the DNA kits not all are rich

[@stevegilchrist4357]

So basically Ancestry sold me something, then took part of it away, and now want to sell me it again.

[@KWMc1952]

It's all about the $$$.

[@JL-lz4xu]

Yup, it’s all about the money. But they still want you to put in your info and records so they can sell access to them too.

[@patriciajrs46]

Yes, and this is what makes me angry.

[@darlenericotta]

Thank you all for your information on Ancestry!

[@TiddlesTheBearBaiter]

Read the small print. Section 154 hidden in Annexure 37 section f graph 23 3point text below the diagram says "Ancestry can rip users off at their own discretion, without warning" Next section states "Ancestry is able to force users to re- purchase items they have already purchased in full on up to 20 occasions per item of functionality so re-sold" Googling the word Ancestry or having the word Ancestry pop up in your feed constitutes acceptance of these terms. Use My Heritage instead....

[@janh5199]

I do have a subscription but what I have lost is respect for a company that sells something and then takes it away.

[@forbiddenOdinDottir99]

I have no respect for them either

[@chrismazz75]

Ancestry needs to give extra benefits to people who upload their family documents and photos, since they are selling access to stuff I own to other people.

[@dimitriberozny3729]

And people are wondering why their identities are getting STOLEN!!! Something is FISHY here!!

[@casstay4499]

What they do is attribute it to a current member instead of you so they are no longer beholden to you.

[@dzymslizzy3641]

It's not fair. There are many of us seniors on Social Security or other fixed incomes, and the price of an Ancestry subscription is just not affordable!

[@JulieSkinner777]

Yes! The same for me!!

[@user-xo1px6zk1j]

All about the mighty dollar and not what the whole site is about. Go figure, not worth the Hassel for me

[@patty6375]

Absolutely ! I had a full account for years but did not renew this past year. I just cant with other expenses. I feel taken!!!!!

[@rover790]

I am in the same boat with not being able to afford a full subscription. Especially with the exchange rate of the Australian dollar. I am very disappointed

[@pjfowler1385]

No it is not fair to fixed incomes. When I tried to renew my subscription, I ended up in a call center in South America who not only refused to honor my last discount, but then told me 'You WILL pay FULL PRICE or I am cancelling the rest of your subscription RIGHT NOW'! and laughed at me. So, here is a hint on renewals .... the promo price is good on 6mth subscriptions, so to renew for the year .... Use your AARP act >be sure to have the number as they now check it > and renew on the last day. This is important because your AARP number will show up as no good until that last day. You will then get the same % of discount on the year renewal. Still expensive in my opinion but I use it so ......

[@sylviabargas3340]

Thanks. But FYI: for many people (myself included) it was already the case that we couldn't see our matches' full tree without a paid membership.

[@2okaycola]

User generated content needs to remain available

[@geirigalluchat2717]

Is it okay that Ancestry is putting user-generated "public" trees behind a pay wall? I mean, folks are technically volunteering this research, and it seems like Ancestry is sort of kind of making it proprietary.

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Ancestry has placed restrictions on viewing the public trees for years. They are “public” in the sense that other Ancestry users can see them, not like they are public records.

[@i_am_bisexual_or_something3132]

Public family trees are kind of an invasion of privacy in my opinion I for one would not like finding myself on some family tree website

[@cathgrl0785]

@@i_am_bisexual_or_something3132 But unless someone has indicated you are dead when you are not, you wouldn't find yourself on someone else's family tree on Ancestry.

[@justforfunsies5000]

@@cathgrl0785Yes you would. Genealogists post your info on public trees that they’re not even doing for anyone particular. I found my info on multiple trees that were not being done for family members. It’s absolutely bizarre.

[@79klkw]

They figure that if they're maintaining the database, they can do anything they want. I guess we live in a time that people, companies, politicians, do whatever they want, LIE, whatever, and say that nobody can do anything about it..."so, sue me!", is their attitude...It's awful...I figure, i pinch pennies where I am willing, and I cut corners at "their" expense, every chance I get...It's the only control we have in these matters...where our money goes. I will get it back from them, though, if I see a way for a refund, or, i will take my revenge in some other cheapo way. I just watch and wait. But I wish we just lived in an honest world where companies, FAMILY ORIENTED COMPANIES, wouldn't make me have to think so much harder. It makes me think ancestry is just another woke company that would do anything for money!

[@cynsi7604]

What makes this BAD is that with the cost of things in general have gone up astronomically in the past 2.5 yrs makes it hard on us that are on a fixed income. I’m on SSDI (20+ yrs) & this is just another thing now I get to cut out of my life that gave me some joy. 😔

[@b.a.d.2086]

Same here.

[@kathykit7629]

I am upset with Ancestry. I had membership. I looked up documents and saved them to the tree, and now because I didn’t renew, I cannot see the documents I found. If I want to view the ones I already worked to find I need to pay to renew. Unethical behavior .

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

It’s why I recommend having your own software so you can save all of the documents to your own computer. You might want to consider a short term membership and sync everything to your computer.

[@kathykit7629]

@@AmyJohnsonCrow I will. I assumed once I found something that it was mine. Thank you for the suggestion.

[@ValorieZimmerman]

There has always been the option to save to your computer. If it's important - do that.

[@JL-lz4xu]

You’re not alone. I might just make a ‘hit list’, pay for a month and then print out all of the documents I have but can no longer see without paying.

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

@JL-lz4xu If you use RootsMagic or FamilyTreeMaker software, you can sync your Ancestry tree and download all of the attached images to your computer. You’d be able to see them even when you don’t have an Ancestry subscription.

[@HarrisIrfaan]

What really socks, and is probably unethical, is that I did a lot of research and published this on my FTDNA page. All that effort. (I know from spelling and minor errors ie birth year, that my data has been pragated to many if the genealogy sites. And when I try access that info, they want dollars for even the basic access. So that really is questionable

[@bethalligood2879]

True

[@lorraineashton6810]

Try going to some libraries that have had free access as well as Family Search Centers who I know have free access. I think you could correct it there because they have access to much of it.

[@ValorieZimmerman]

FTDNA is a completely different company.

[@richardpaz1919]

Sad sad sad at the end of the day they just want more $$$ and don’t care for the customers sad 😢😭

[@robertvarner9519]

Well, of course they want more money. That's the American way 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸.

[@pjfowler1385]

@@robertvarner9519 owed by the Chinese --- not Americans. Bought by Wall Street as an investment --- they don't run it --- who took it into a privately owned holding.

[@tolin6438]

ThruLines® is another feature lost that you do not mentioned, it was a straight line of your ancestors, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. and if you were to hoover the cursor on top of them you were able to see DNA matches related to them, to me that was one of the most important features.

[@gregsurrell598]

The sideview & browser were just “beta”. Traits were offered for an extra $20, now that offer is gone. Many of us are still waiting for ethnicity estimate updates, is that going behind the paywall too?

[@svarga1]

I haven't had an ethnicity update since July 2022 and have wondered the same thing.

[@ChaiLatte13]

It looks like they are also removing shared matches which is not acceptable at all.

[@TechnoGlowStick]

That sucks! I bought the trait version of the DNA kit. That's so not fair! 🙁 That's the best part! Thank god I got mine from eBay. I can't imagine paying full price, for the traits version, only not to have the feature. THat makes this kind of blow hurt a lot less.

[@Irishdynamite]

I purchased the traits feature for 10 dollars and then they took half the features away. This isn't legal

[@glenjones6980]

I'm in the UK so it's slightly different at present here. I don't subscribe currently, I do have parent assignment but cannot view trees. I've said elsewhere that beyond the size of the database the parent assignment is really the only feature that stands out in what is becoming an increasingly competitive market. Group messaging doesn't overcome the problem of the silent ethnicity chasers and those who were gifted a test but don't login and those groups seem to be the most common by a country mile. I purchased a test for a family member some time ago and paid an extra £1 for worldwide access for 3 months, half of that period was lost waiting for the results and the multitude of USA matches I have are the no tree types, I messaged around 20-25 of them asking which parent the link is through from their side, one replied with 'don't know', three read the message and didn't respond, the remainder haven't logged in. There's nothing that would encourage me to subscribe as without some indication of how we link there is nothing to research, it's like a join the dots puzzle but the dots aren't numbered and who in their right mind would pay for that?

[@StarkweatherVision]

I was using the parent matching feature and had done a lot of fine tuning matches to paternal and maternal side, and now that has been locked away behind a paywall.

[@suzannedammodonnell9599]

I don’t remember ever having the ability to view your match’s tree, without a subscription, ever being available.

[@949sherry9]

Great info, thanks Amy 🙂

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

You’re welcome!

[@user-qp9bp8ng5l]

I am SO frustrated with Ancestry! I had a subscription for a while but found it WAY TOO EXPENSIVE! So I dropped it, but it's so frustrating to not be able to see family trees, documents and to not be able to sort matches by parent, and to not be able to see who else my matches are related to. That feature was very helpful and now it only shows me 3 people (my daughter and my sister being 2 of them and DUH I know they are related to them already!). I think I will switch to another company - there are way TOO many restrictions on what I can see to make this worthwhile. :(

[@mattpotter8725]

Amy, great video was usual, but as someone who has been subscribed and hasn't during certain periods since having taken a DNA test when you don't have a subscription you never have access to see the full match's tree. Or do you mean that you won't in future even be able to see a tree at all on the match page? I can understand how losing the side a match is on might be frustrating, especially for new users, but for me if you have shared matches you can often tell from them which side the person is related on. A question that has just popped into my head is that if someone takes a new test will they get the sideview information back with the test results or will they have to pay an additional fee to see this? I can't believe they wouldn't bundle say a month's DNA subscription this, or at least discount it for a minimal fee, say $1, but if they don't then I expect a backlash. I can understand the being a subscription to see match's public trees, that's fair enough, but to get the results of your own test giving you all the features that should come with that I just see as wrong. I guess for those of us who have taken tests in the past they are doing this prior to an update of the results to try make ongoing money out of us. What next? Will we have to pay a subscription to see new matches as well? Maybe I shouldn't say this as it might give them ideas!!!

[@mattpotter8725]

I can't see anyone buying their DNA subscription, did your screenshot say $26 a month, or was it a year? I'll probably wait until I subscribe for everything again and then just get access to the DNA tools that way. In the end Ancestry doesn't actually have any DNA tools, except the matches, the cM, and their information (trees, surnames, userpage info). The sideview stuff is nice but I've never used it to identify a match, that is only ever done through their tree, my tree, and records, maybe via messaging them as well. Using Ethnicity most of the time doesn't work either if you're researching a distant relative. This to me just seems like a cash grab.

[@madcatlady]

I only found this out today, I don't look often but my whole reason for submitting my DNA was to find relatives on my father's side, I already have several genealogical books on my Mum's side and the results match so really had no need to find those. (unless someone cheated but obviously nobody actually did) So not impressed they pulled that feature, I pretty much only looked for new matches on my father's side but never got close matches.

[@Pfuhler455]

Thanks for the coverage and video! By far the most ridiculous update yet. My dad has had an account for 5 years, ive had mine for a year. No subscription but we have been able to see which DNA comes from which parent, looking at public trees helped us figure it out. These being removed is ridiculous! Dna tests are not cheap and we deserve to see atleast public trees and sort DNA by parent, we paid for it. Can tell they want more money, the subscription service is also too much money to be worth it. So disappointed.

[@fyreflye100]

Right now, I do not have a paid subscription on Ancestry -- but I can still sort DNA matches by parent, as well as see the sideview ethnicity breakdown by parent. Perhaps they will be taking away these features soon? I can't remember if I was ever able ti view full trees of my matches w/out a paid subscription, but at the very least, it's been awhile. Thanks for the info.

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

From what Ancestry has said, the sorting by parents, etc, is going away for everyone without a regular subscription or an AncestryDNA Plus membership. My recommendation would be to use them as much as you can before they disappear!

[@fyreflye100]

@@AmyJohnsonCrow Thanks for the warning.

[@pou618]

Money grab.

[@monabiehl6213]

I am a member. I have lost my traits (which were about 50% incorrect).

[@staceycoates1418]

All of these things have been true for a very long time, with the possibility exception of the sort by parents since that is a new feature. Really all this video is saying is you can get the Ancestry DNA subscription without the full membership for just DNA features, but it seems to be the same price as a monthly membership anyway.

[@staceysparadise]

All I can say is Ancestry just isnt worth it now. The company is so very money-hungry and that is the sole focus, not helping customers who have spent a pretty penny buying kits and building their data bases. I hope someday someone comes along with the know-how to put something better together. I'd pay for that.

[@michaelwhalan9783]

A cousin match on 23andme just got onto Ancestry a couple of days before the recent changes. Interested if he is affected, too.

[@donnakfitz]

What about those of us who manage several kits of other test takers, and have linked them to our Ancestry tree? If we (the managers) have full access to Ancestry, but the test taker doesn't, do we still have access to their matches?

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Yes. Your access to the DNA features depends on *your* subscription, not the person who owns the kits. So if you have an Ancestry subscription but you manage a kit for someone who doesn’t, you’ll still be able to use all the features, but they won’t.

[@mutedcello8138]

Disgusting! I will be removing my complete account. We should be able to view ALL of our DNA results on Ancestry when we take a test. Besides in Europe I never had much to none use to a complete subscription! I felt cheated out of my subscription years ago since I never got ANY results or sources from Europe while building my familytree.

[@TemuTemu]

thank you for the info, that's why I stick with familysearch

[@sophierobinson2738]

I have Family Search, and can access most things on Ancestry.

[@PittsburghLori]

Is there a subscription cost for that? TIA.

[@catherineguy8350]

I never had access to the trees but losing the shared surnames and also the ethnicity feature is a loss. Why are they doing this?

[@caroldunk.3481]

Highly Upset. Ancestry in the last two weeks update has taken the liberty of DELETING site preferences from the settings from my account. So now I no longer have Site preferences where I can decide what I want or colors to change. I also have lost in the heading HELP and EXTRAS. Contacting Ancestry was USELESS. The only thing the young lady could say was she was sending a feed back. You cant even go on the web site and send a feed back either. GRRR Now the page is a Grey and white that makes it a BLAH and at time the grey interferes with documents.

[@kathleensnow5358]

Question: I have a subscription. How do I attach my husband's Ancestry DNA to my tree? My tree is not an option in his menu. Thank you.

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Have him add you as a manager of his kit. Then you can go into the settings and attach his test to your tree. Note: a test can only be attached to one tree at a time. So if you don’t have his ancestors in your tree, you could affect ThruLines, etc. If you have his ancestors in a separate tree, just attach him to that tree.

[@kathleensnow5358]

@@AmyJohnsonCrow Thank you, Amy!

[@ShawnyK8]

I have a question Are they going to get rid of the access to Thurlines too?. That helped me with the majority of my research.

[@Anvilcjl]

Yes, they did.

[@Greywolfgrafix]

I have a subscription but have NEVER seen chromosome painter. I have no idea what that is, or how it works.

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

A lot of people haven’t seen it! It’s buried in the ethnicity section.

[@Greywolfgrafix]

@@AmyJohnsonCrowHeck, I can't even find an ethnicity section. Ancestry continues to get more annoying as time progresses.

[@stevelaursen1691]

can I add someone elses tree to mine so I don t have to copy and paste a bunch. thanks

[@ellensippel8413]

What happens if you don't have an Ancestry subscription now, but you renew it?, Do they restore all the DNA functions?

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Yes, when you renew, you would get all of the DNA features.

[@kayeemerson6892]

This is purely money motivated and it is a shame

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

The stuff is likely there as it's more expensive to not calculate for some accounts, but it's just hidden. It's completely about the money as they have to do the work regardless of whether it's one person's account or a million. The cost is essentially the same in both cases.

[@rotironwerks]

@@kayeemerson6892 Yes it is "money motivated" because it is a business. Without the money the business and all those jobs would go away.

[@jerrilynhenson9024]

I get those with 23&Me. So there.

[@79klkw]

Traits is extra, I don't use that, BUT, I'd be so upset if I chose to do my test through Ancestry, based on the fact that they show full family trees. I'd practically want to delete my DNA. I do have a subscription, though. I also cannot imagine paying 30$ NOT to have records! I do require records, but i guess that I would be ok with family search, despite certian connectivity factors I enjoy in Ancestry, because it's the obviously better choice, if comparing database size...it would take getting used to. But between ancestry, AND the newspaper option, I pay over 50$/mo. Not too affordable! No, it is NOT fair that theyve taken features from people who have paid 100$+ for the test, a long time ago, ALREADY, based on a faulty premise.

[@bmoremusic4768]

They just removed some basic search stuff in the last 2 days! It's pretty worthless without a subscription now.

[@Puzzledtraveller]

My wife has the subscription features but never signed up.

[@christinekotenko7669]

What happend to the "View more possible connections" was under common ancestors with your shared match. If you had 2 or more ways you where related it would tell you and show you. Not anymore???

[@sabirsal]

In the interest of full disclosure I'm a paying member of Ancestry so with that in mind, i don't actually have a big problem with them putting the newest features beyond a paywall. It's natural that Beta features would be free for the sake of getting the feedback of as many people as possible. But them putting the full Family Trees behind a paywall is a bull$#it move. Really scummy. It's not going to negatively effect my user experience... well on second though it is. The paywall is a disincentive to new users who are flirting with becoming genealogically inclined from fully engaging. Like, why should i upload my full family tree if nobody can see it? Uh, i want to see it. That's what I'm paying for. This particular decision is penny rich pound foolish imo. Hope they come to their senses.

[@barbaraolsen5674]

It's a Mormon run company! At least they aren't baptizing our long deseased relatives anymore, or are they?

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Ancestry is not operated by the LDS church. Several of the founders were Mormon and, of course, many who currently work there are members of the church. But Ancestry has never been owned or operated by the church.

[@Anvilcjl]

This may affect paying members as well, because some of us are taking our trees and dna private in response. Honestly, if they don’t want to foster cooperation, I think that everyone should go private. Why should paying members have access to info about my own dna, that I don’t have? I took 10 trees private and disabled matching on 5 dna tests.

[@marthastevensonwright6262]

I have the opposite of what you've explained. I always have an Ancestry subscription. I am also the administrator or manager of over 30 family kits. I better still have access!

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Yes, you will have access to the DNA features. The access is based on *your* subscription status, not that of the kit owner.

[@marthastevensonwright6262]

YAY!@@AmyJohnsonCrow

[@redsocks771]

Many of us subscribe for 1-3 months per year just to maintain our existing Tree(s). This change is detrimental to non-subscribing members who just need to access one or two bits of information in between subscriptions.

[@gregsurrell598]

You can have an account with trees without a subscription.

[@redsocks771]

@@gregsurrell598 This video is about DNA but since you brought up Trees. Non-subscribing members always had access to their Tress, however over time functionality that used to be available to the non-subscribing members managing their Trees has been reduced. You can't do certain things you used to be able to do as a non-subscribing member.

[@gregsurrell598]

@@redsocks771 YOU brought up trees. I haven’t seen any reduction in the ability to maintain my own tree.

[@redsocks771]

@@gregsurrell598 _"I haven’t seen any reduction in the ability to maintain my own tree"_ - As a low level user you probably wouldn't have notice the subtle changes. 🤡

[@bite-sizedshorts9635]

I don't know why someone would get a DNA test from Ancestry and not have an account. I'm really puzzled by those people who have accounts but don't have trees or have worthless trees with 3 or 4 hidden people. That helps no one. If I find a match like that, I ignore them, because I don't have the time left alive to trace their trees for them to see how they're related to me.

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

There are several reasons why someone might not have an account. Just being curious about the ethnicity estimate is probably the biggest. As for the small tree, that can be someone who is just starting out or they’re trying to identify their biological family.

[@redf7209]

Many don't have the time, IT skills or any record depositories nearby, or interest to pursue a tree. They probably get the DNA kit from a relative as a gift. There's a good chance that relative does have a tree and is managing the dna via their own account. My parents have DNA accounts but no tree because the tree is on my account. It's better for them to do the DNA than me because that way we can take advantage of the match split ancestry gives us between their maternal and paternal lines . If you ever watch WDYTYA you might notice how many celebs on the show have never bothered to ask their parents about relatives or the past until they are on the show - they just have no real interest in people. However, i get what you are saying that some people won't help themselves and just expect/want others to do the work and you aren't going to encourage that, i feel it myself sometimes.

[@timbeatty11]

That make it more of a waste of money. Better companies dont do that to you. I should have gone with 23 and Me

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

I think it depends on what your goal is with testing. Ancestry has by far the largest database of users, plus you can transfer your DNA info from Ancestry to other services like MyHeritage. You can still work with your DNA on Ancestry; it’s just harder without some of these tools.

[@AutonyB]

do you know what chromosome 16 is all about history,line wise and culturally speaking

[@toniasalways]

Ancestry just sucking more money out of all of us. I expire in a week or so. I am not going to pay. I am far enough into my ancestry that I can figure out which side my matches are. Their trees are less than 8 people so I rarely find anyone to build off of in my tree. "living" people may as well not even be there.

[@MedjayCommander]

Taking away these features are going to push people away from the site and what the company offers. when a company does this, they lose people, and new companies will form with these features free, and most times upgraded.

[@dplj4428]

3:49 Who loses tree access, etc : Took dna test but no ancestry subscription. Now offered ancestry plus gives dna plus tools.

[@patriciajrs46]

It's all about the money they can make!!! I hate thes companies because of this stuff.

[@MikalMichelle]

This is simple greed.

[@tamsinlewis5161]

Family Search is the answer

[@ChaiLatte13]

Their subscriptions plans are starting to get confusing.

[@CyntheaAnderson]

Ancestry was so messed up. I left and went to Heritage

[@gregsurrell598]

They just took away matchlist sorting & filtering the latest iPhone app update. That wasn’t helpful.

[@truthhurts5158]

They made me get 2 memberships instead of like My Heritage where I have 7 dna kits on 1 account. So If I want to do reaseach. I have to get membership on each account so If I have like7 accounts thats 200plus dollars x 7. And Yes I want them to pay me a fee for selling my research documents and photos

[@duniacohen409]

Also got rid of Community DNA

[@rayeisenstein4245]

I have an ancestry account. How do I get into the Holocaust records? My family was killed by the Nazis

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Here’s the link: www.ancestry.com/c/alwaysremember When you do a search and click to view a record, it will prompt you to create a free account (or to log in if you already have an account). No credit card is required.

[@rayeisenstein4245]

@@AmyJohnsonCrow my family was killed by the Nazis in Poland. The link you gave is for Germany.

[@dottier3145]

My mom did ancestry tree the old fashion way, went to churches, looked up birth, death records, State records, and talked to people all over and found many. No dna stuff

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

Which works out fine if your family hasn't moved much. My family has only been in this part of the country for about 50 years. Before that they were in a different area for about a century. Meaning that there's not much that I can research without the internet or DNA.

[@dottier3145]

@@SmallSpoonBrigade my parents did go to other states looking up records, she enjoyed the Search! Ohio, NY even Norway! I’m relatives to lieutenants in civil war,, Al gore and the bushes!

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

I started in the “have to write a letter or visit the courthouse to get any records” era. I don’t want to go back! 😂

[@ricklynch8620]

Whole thing seems like a scam

[@carlcushmanhybels8159]

Sounds like we shouldn't deal with AncestryDNA.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

Apparently. But they've already got my money and while I don't mind not having traits, taking away things that I previously had in order to justify making me pay for more is just ridiculous. It costs them very little money to apply their new algoritms to DNA that's just sitting there in their database. I don't have an active subscription because I've been too busy to use one. But, seeing them yank back stuff that I had makes me want to just never buy another subscription as there does appear to be a bunch of stuff that's no longer on my family tree, even though I personally put it there.

[@CarieGurl]

I wish I knew this before we just did this. Ugh.

[@ShawnyK8]

They should get rid of traits and just have the AncestryDNA tools for people that pay for kits. That’s a lot of money that people are dishing out just to see their ancestry. People should write to the company and complain

[@scooterdover2771]

I thought I saw somewhere where Ancestry, findagrave, and some others are owned by the Mormons? Maybe if you are a member of the LDS you can get a discount.

[@pjfowler1385]

They haven't been owned by any Mormons in many years. They are owned by the Chinese.

[@lorraineashton6810]

No. That is incorrect. Some of the people who originally started it did belong to the church but it has been bought by venture capital people who need to make more money.

[@b.a.d.2086]

@@lorraineashton6810 The Mormon Church is one big conglomeration of venture capital groups that's almost impossible to sort out, plus they operate under "non profit" status.

[@michaelhoward8664]

This sucks. They are making us pay for what was free before.

[@davidteague2948]

What makes me angry is that Ancestry used us as guinea pigs in order to fine-tune those same features which they have now taken away.

[@TiredMomma]

I remember when it used to be free, and we had the ability to connect to folks I never would've known about. Family Search is free and has gotten better. They aren't money grabbers like Ancestry. Btw, Ancestry is the only website where folks can see death certificates. That's pretty effed up! Not only do you gotta pay to open an Ancestry account, but then you gotta also pay a fee to get copy of a death certificate. Because of that, I can't close my moms resale store account because it requires a copy of her death certificate. I can't afford Ancestry's ridiculous subsciption cost! *(My brother stole my copy of my mothers death certificate, of which had been paid for, from the funeral home, back in 2011). Also, the office in Juneau says they don't have a copy of my grandfathers death certificate, even tho they were supposed to because he passed away in Alaska, and his remains were cremated there too. The US gov't said they've no known records of him, or of his service from ww2. So where'd his death certificate go?

[@filbaytee1118]

What do you mean Plus gives you the features but not records? Define records please

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

"AncestryDNA Plus" gives you the DNA features like SideView and ethnicity inheritance. It does not give you access to records, like census records, vital records, etc.

[@winkieblink7625]

23 & Me, Much better.

[@sonjabrown4981]

I have everything they have to offer, and I still can’t find the biological father

[@erstwhile3793]

Basically, what happened is; Ancestry didn’t do a good job of math-ing out their business model for potential growth. After hoovering up everyone willing to have their DNA sample held by a for-profit corporation, they needed to figure out new ways to make money off that process. This is a sample of their efforts in that direction. Also, if you really want to get people thinking about how Ancestry uses their personal information…talk about the intensely close linkage between Ancestry and the Mormon church. Look it up. Mostly Ancestry is owned and run by Mormons, it’s headquartered in Utah, and early on, contracted with the church to merge it’s records holdings with the Mormon genealogical archives (if you’re not aware, look those up-and how they were acquired). At that point in the company’s history, Mormons were given free access to Ancestry’s records through any church genealogical library (located in most local congregational buildings). No membership required. I no longer belong to that church, so I can’t say if this perk persists, but because of it, it’s quite possible that this restriction Ms Crow is talking about, only applies to non-Mormons.

[@GazelamAle]

The LDS are so rich the should give this all away for free! If they think ancestry is so important?!?.. ancestry DNA really sucks! And never did give Y chromosome or Neanderthal % 😢😢😢

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Ancestry isn’t owned by the LDS church. FamilySearch is, and it’s free. (Though they don’t offer any DNA testing.)

[@i_am_bisexual_or_something3132]

I have an opinion that family trees should not be public if they include people who are currently alive or a parent or grandparent of someone who is currently alive

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

The major websites like Ancestry, MyHeritage, etc, anonymize living people in the trees. Same with genealogy software, like Family Tree Maker - if you export the file to share with someone, you can set it to anonymize living people.

[@loriolson3191]

Since when??

[@maryannmooney8247]

You always have the option of making your Tree either public or private. You can change the status of your Tree at anytime, and back agai at anytime.

[@bite-sizedshorts9635]

Great for you. I have my tree online, including everyone. The software automatically omits information on living people, or even people who are dead but don't have the death dates filled in. Dead parents and grandparents are included and should be. Otherwise the whole idea of online genealogy would be a waste.

[@thesilverpen]

Ancestry used to be the go to for genealogy. Now I feel they are greedy and I noticed they "improve" my DNA often to make me whiter and more English, which is--laughable.

[@redf7209]

You obviously don't know how the matching works. It doesn't say what colour you are. Your ethnicity origin is decided by the source of other people doing the test. So if your ancestors originated where you are but some migrated to say England and multiplied and many took dna tests - so more dna tests than where you are or in comparison with other places, it would decide England was the majority source of your ethinicity. The more english people with DNA tests and your dna the more english you become. Not quite this simple as historic DNA is now used more too.

[@thesilverpen]

@@redf7209 I have extensive genealogy to back it up, gaps only appear in recent new births/death records since covid.

[@kindredscot5774]

I have no subscription. I have never been able to view a full tree, not recently changed. I have no interest in traits, it's just a gimmick not relevant to my research. I can still see ethnicity inheritance and chromosome painter via Origins (scroll down on R of page). Am I missing something or has the roll out of changes not reached UK yet?

[@loco68]

Just pay for a genealogist to do your research and you won’t have to pay a subscription every month and then have to do all that research yourself.

[@Lamoka54]

I do not have a subscription. I DO have side view and sorting by parent. Your info is not accurate.

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Ancestry has announced that those features are going away for everyone without a subscription or the new AncestryDNA Plus membership. It has already disappeared for most people.

[@polyrhythmia]

Just logged in and indeed found that the DNA tools have been locked out.

[@danjohnson7305]

It's the FOOL that puts their DNA online.

[@butterflyqueen9260]

Im not subscribing

[@susanpeltz5813]

Ancestry has a chromosome painter?

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

A basic one, yes. It shows the ethnicity breakdown by chromosome. It isn’t editable, like DNAPainter.

[@ericfb100]

Ancestry is a ripoff

[@netsurfer3655]

Geneological???

[@FlexibleFlyer50]

People are amazingly stupid for what info and documents they are willing to share with complete strangers. I know who my parents were, and my grandparents and great grandparents. Beyond that, I'm simply not interested.