When you take a DNA test, you can use the tools and matches provided by that company, but you can also bring it to other sites to learn more. One of those sites is MyHeritage. MyHeritage sells their own DNA kits on their site, but likely for a limited time, they are accepting transfers of DNA data from other sites. (In a transfer, the data is still used at the original site as usual, but you access a copy of it.) As of today MyHeritage is still taking transfers, but they are likely to start either charging for transfers or stopping transfers altogether when their database is large enough.
Now some people say that the MyHeritage DNA tools are still a little buggy right now. We can work with that. Just get your data transferred now while it is still free. Hopefully later the tools will get better. And if you do get matches now, check out their trees. You can always contact them and check where they originally tested and see if they are on GEDmatch yet.
If you don’t yet have a MyHeritage account, set up a free one. Start creating a tree, and include anyone whose DNA you may transfer. To transfer DNA, go to the “Family tree” view and select an individual. Then select “Upload DNA data.” The site gives good instructions for how to get DNA data from the other testing websites. Be sure to get permission if it is someone else’s data, and then upload the data.
My most recent transfer to MyHeritage DNA was last Thursday afternoon. Today, four days later, it is still being processed. I will update when it is processed with how long it took.
And while you are considering DNA transfers, make sure to bring your DNA to GEDmatch for free. See Why You Should Bring Your DNA Results to GEDmatch. Also consider bringing your DNA to FamilyTreeDNA if you haven’t tested there yet. A free transfer gives access to limited but useful tools, and full access to their tools is only $19. See FamilyTreeDNA Now Accepting Transfers of Recent 23andMe and AncestryDNA tests.
Happy testing.
UPDATE: MyHeritage processed the DNA that was uploaded Thursday afternoon by noon the next Tuesday, about five days later.
Liane Jensen Research 