Deletion of an Ancestry account permanently removes all information related to it, including family trees, records, photos, and DNA test results. However, there are some other options, like changing privacy settings or cancelling a membership with a free guest account. Deletion of your account is permanent, so think through the choices before doing it. Download all your precious information if you have any before deleting your account.
Things to Do Before You Delete Your Account
If you have concerns over privacy, security, or even payments, you can do a few things before deciding to delete your account:
- Security: Change your password, alter public profile settings, or block other users if necessary.
- Payment Information: To avoid account deletion, you can cancel your paid membership while keeping a free registered guest account.
- Family Trees: You can make your family trees private rather than delete them permanently.
- DNA Data: For those who’ve taken a DNA test, you may opt out of the AncestryDNA Research Project, remove DNA linking from your tree, or delete your DNA results without deleting your account.
How to Delete Your Ancestry Account?
If you still want to close your Ancestry account, proceed with the steps below.
- Log in to your account: Verify that you have logged in using a valid, accessible email address.
- Go to the page of account deletion: You will find this in the account settings menu under account.
- Confirm the cancelation of the subscription: Provided you are under an active subscription, tick to confirm that it will be canceled.
- Confirm Deletion of All Family Trees: Check the box to confirm that all of your family trees will be permanently deleted.
- Confirm Deletion of DNA Test Data: If you have completed a DNA test, check the box to confirm that your test results and associated physical samples will be permanently deleted.
- Select a Deletion Reason:- Choose a reason from the list provided and click Continue.
- Proceed to Verification: Click Next Step to Delete Your Account and do not close the window.
- Enter the Verification Code: Ancestry will send a verification code to your registered email. Retrieve it and enter it into the confirmation box.
- Confirm Deletion: Click Delete Account to finalize the process. This step is irreversible.
- Account Deletion Finalization: After you delete the account you will be permanently logged out, and all your personal data will be removed from Ancestry’s systems within 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
No you cannot after you delete your account. It cannot be reversed.
Yes, all shared content may be seen by those who were allowed access even after the account has been deleted.
Ancestry removes personal data after 30 days. Access to an account is blocked at the moment of deletion.
Yes, you can opt to delete your DNA test results without deleting your Ancestry account.
Your membership will be automatically canceled, and any associated subscriptions (such as Fold3 or Newspapers.com) will also be terminated.
Final Thoughts
Since deleting an Ancestry account is irreversible, it’s crucial to download any important data, such as family trees and DNA reports, before proceeding. If you are only concerned about privacy or subscription costs, consider alternative actions instead of deleting your account permanently. Always ensure you fully understand the consequences before initiating the deletion process. If you’re unsure, you may contact Family Tree Makers Support for guidance before making a final decision.
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