The new AncestryDNA match list (beta) 2024

A run-through of the new AncestryDNA match list that is currently rolling out in Beta. Join me to go through the new features and discuss how to do new things!
Here are links to Ancestry support documents (I will update as they come to hand)
This is about estimating the relationships:
support.ancest...
03 June - I had a brief update from Ancestry (via Crista Cowen in a Facebook group) that the predicted relationships for distant matches is being reviewed. So this is good news as I noted in the video that the predictions for distant matches was problematic. .
12 June - For those looking for the FB group - it is here / ancestryukdna
14 June - the Colour Palette for the squares has changed! It now looks more like the old colours we had with the coloured dots . The new DNA tools (to see how matches match each other) within ProTools is now rolling out for the US subscribers (appearing in ProTools dashboard, but not yet implemented).

[@TheMarilyn5000]

Today is June 16 Father's Day. I don't have the beta change yet. Thank you for your clear and insightful presentation.

[@Paul_Sheila]

Thanks for the mention of how you added emojis to your dots. That inspired me to see if there was a DNA emoji on my Win11 keyboard. Yes! Now I can add that emoji to the suffix field of all the ancestors who I’ve found a DNA connection. That way when I look at my tree, I can immediately see the DNA trail.☺️

[@Paul_Sheila]

….without taking their picture off (which I was doing before)

[@kidsmoked]

Thanks for this. Please do consider smaller segments ~ I find your presentations very easy to understand. You only touced on weighted and unweighted, and I'd love to see a small presentation on this if you can. Thank you from Australia.

[@chrisw8922]

Thanks Donna This is very useful in advance of my SAG AncestryDNA interest groups here in Australia and will give them the links to your upcoming sessions! 👋👋

[@jamesstewart8179]

Thanks Donna. This was very useful and showed a number of things I hadn't spotted yet.

[@john_carter_of_earth]

This was very helpful--thank you! I belong to a local DNA research group spearheaded through a local library (here in Florida, USA) and one of our members shared your very enlightening video. I love your positive presentation, with the suggestion to give Ancestry the benefit of the doubt until they get the kinks worked out through this beta process. Hopefully they'll get things sorted soon enough. Thanks again!

[@DonnaRutherford]

You’re welcome, thank you for the kind words!

[@gingermolly234]

Thank you for the insight. I'm still on the old Ancestry, but I think I will prepare by changing the names of my groups so they will be easier to identify.

[@jessikamoore5033]

This is a mess. I have a lot of issues with how I match certain cousins as it is that need worked out. I also am related twice to one surname making my parents 5th cousins, I have more serious pedigree collapse with a set of 3rd great grandparents. Not all people report their ages so how are they going to ptedict relationships? How are they going to account for half cousins and endogamy? Also, why would they remove what they timbered from matches? I really needed to have that information. The color groups are a mess. I don't like any of this at all.

[@DonnaRutherford]

I really urge you to feed all that back to Ancestry ! I like quite a bit of the new format, the squares, emojis, filters all together, but I’m concerned with the distant matches. Of course for relationship prediction there are many calculators online now, and I always recommend tthe shared cM project at DNA Painter.

[@christinabecher2232]

I have to agree. I don't have the beta yet so I can't put in my 2 cents yet, but they will definitely hear from me when they do. yikes!

[@TravelingBibliophile]

I have a somewhat similar problem. One set of my dad’s first cousins are also his 2nd cousins because their father was his dad’s cousin and their mom was his mom’s sister. I show a lot closer to them than I really am.

[@79klkw]

Oh no! Is it optional? I'm scared to look! I color code my matches, and build from very DISTANT matches, and have had serious success this way!

[@kirkmiller14228]

So many problems with this BETA, it should be called Alpha. Looking to get off the Beta list, so far no luck.

[@jkalarkhall]

Very useful Donna, when I finally found it! Jane

[@simonegan-smith6138]

Thank you very informative

[@jhenwhit]

Thank you! Im looking forward to them using the self reported ages to eliminate some of the relationship scenarios.

[@PuzzlEdd1]

Thanks for the information and for the tip about the emojis! I did have emojis in my list for all my main family lines, but had all my categories numbered in order e.g. 1, 1a, 1b... and unfortunately, starting a category name with the emoji messes this up. I've asked if we can arrange our Categories list in our own order, not their random one. The colour squares are still very small, and with an emoji it's hard to see the colour background (and if you have more than one group for the same emoji/group, it's very unclear). And they've taken away some of the more distinguishable colours (yellows, pale variants) and added more too-close colours!! I'm hoping they will actually provide a good range of colours (or let us make our own as in DNA painter - that would be perfect! One can only keep asking). They've also hidden most of the notes - just the 1st half line shows, though there is a pop-up when you go to the end of the first bit, so that's not too bad. And even though the 'pages' are clunky and non-selectable, you can select a cM range to view. They have some good options in the drop-down lists at the right of the matches and at the top of the page - will be fun exploring some of those. I like the Compare Matches feature, and I can't wait to see how many cM our matches share with each other, if indeed they are going to introduce that :)

[@Bobbysgirl-e5p]

Thank you Donna.

[@suzannechalifoux8587]

Thank you, this was very useful and helpful!

[@GenealogyTV]

Great video!

[@kidsmoked]

It's the 9th of August 2024. I notice already that I'm not able to 'hide' or 'message' from where you were talking about, and there definitely is a view new matches filter. Also, nobody seems to be wearing a white t-shirt. :)

[@kidsmoked]

Also, I only still have 24 groups and I have Pro Tools. Is this aspect still coming? Thank you.

[@nicolecarter1072]

If you join pro tools and use the extra colours for groups, can you still see those groups if your pro tools sub expires?

[@DonnaRutherford]

There seems to be no known official answer to this yet. It’s possible that you would still see the groups but not be able to add/edit until you re-subscribed or reduced your group numbers. (That would be my guess until we know more)

[@aes7851]

Can you provide a link to your FaceBook page? Thanks for the tip about emojis! I never knew you could bring them up with the Windows key and period!

[@DonnaRutherford]

Yes, thank you for your comments! Group is here facebook.com/groups/AncestryUKDNA

[@jessikamoore5033]

Additionally, I have tons of very distant cousins some as high as 10th and 11th cousins ( I don't know how but at this time these are the only relationships I know them to be). Ancestry has really messed up my dad's cousins through his grandmother. I only share 12cM for example with my half 2nd cousin via my dad's grandma. Her dad I only share 46cM but before Timber it is 70 something. He is my half 1c1r. I don't know what I am supposed to do with all these changes.

[@DonnaRutherford]

The cM amounts are not changing. Distant cousins are very difficult to work with using autosomal DNA (which is really only useful for 5-6 generations) but as mentioned the lack of ability to call a match a ‘distant cousin’ is worrying. I hope everyone feeds back to Ancestry on this point. It’s worth remembering the new layout is in Beta, so there may be changes before it rolls out for everyone, or even after it rolls out for everyone.

[@chriscampbell3695]

Thanks Donna very useful. Couldn't find the FB group?

[@DonnaRutherford]

Here is the link. Thank you for your kind comments facebook.com/groups/AncestryUKDNA

[@dallasjmc]

I filtered on 'Public Linked Trees' but I still see matches with no trees.

[@DonnaRutherford]

It could be still some glitches within the new filters. Hopefully these get ironed out quickly!

[@danette823]

I move to the next page with the arrows at the bottom the page doesn’t move. Can they ever leave well enough alone?!

[@kirkmiller14228]

Same problem.