How to open your raw DNA file

When you open your SelfDecode raw DNA file, it should appear as a text-based file with rows of letters and numbers. This is normal and expected.

If instead you see a file filled with unreadable symbols or characters, don’t worry—this usually means the file is compressed (zipped) due to its large size.

What to Do If Your File Is Zipped

To view the contents of a zipped DNA file, you’ll need to unzip (extract) it first using a file extraction program.

You can use any unzipping tool you prefer. One option our support team commonly uses is 7-Zip, which is free and available here:

👉 https://www.7-zip.org/download.html

After unzipping the file, you should be able to see and access the raw DNA file inside.

Important Note

You do not need to open or review your raw DNA file before uploading it to SelfDecode.

In fact, we recommend not editing or modifying the file, as changes can cause upload errors.