Before You Begin
To use GEDmatch's matching tools, you need:
1. A GEDmatch account with at least one uploaded DNA kit.
2. Your kit must have finished processing (typically 24–48
hours after upload). If your kit is still processing, matching tools will not
be available yet.
3. Your kit must have a Public access status. Kits
set to Private will not appear in search results and cannot be used with
most tools.
For more on kit status settings, see our article on Managing
Your DNA Kits.
One-to-Many: Finding Your Match List
The One-to-Many tool is where most users start. It
generates a list of your closest genetic matches across the GEDmatch database.
How to use it:
2. Find the "One-to-Many DNA comparison"
section on your dashboard.
3. Your kit number should appear automatically. If you
have multiple kits, select the one you want to use.
4. Click the green "SUBMIT" button.
5. Your match list will appear, showing your closest
genetic matches ranked by the amount of shared DNA.
Reading your One-to-Many results:
• Kit Number: The unique identifier for each match.
• Name/Alias: The name or alias the match has set
for their kit.
• Total cM (centimorgans): The total amount of DNA
shared with you. Higher values indicate closer relationships.
• Largest Segment cM: The size of the largest
single shared segment. Larger segments are more likely to indicate recent
common ancestry.
• Gen (Generations): An estimated number of
generations to your most recent common ancestor. This is an estimate, not a
certainty.
• Email: If the match has chosen to share their
email address, it will appear here for you to contact them.
Tips:
• Matches are sorted by the amount of shared DNA by
default, with closest matches at the top.
• The ability to select and compare multiple
matches from your One-to-Many results is a Tier 1 feature. Free users
can view their match list but cannot multi-select.
• If you see no matches, your kit may still be
processing. Check back after 24–48 hours.
One-to-One: Comparing Two Specific Kits
The One-to-One tool compares two specific kits in
detail, showing exactly where on each chromosome the two individuals share DNA.
How to use it:
1. On your GEDmatch dashboard, find the "One-to-One
Autosomal DNA comparison" section.
2. Enter your kit number in the first field.
3. Enter the kit number of the person you want to compare
with in the second field.
4. Click the green "SUBMIT" button.
5. The results will show a chromosome-by-chromosome
breakdown of shared DNA segments.
Reading your One-to-One results:
The results display a table showing each chromosome, the start
and end positions of shared segments, the length in centimorgans (cM), and the
number of shared SNPs.
A visual chromosome browser may also appear, showing colored
bars where DNA is shared.
Important notes:
• The kit you are comparing against must have a Public
or Research access status. Kits set to "Research" can be used
in One-to-One comparisons by other members, but will not appear in One-to-Many
results.
• If a kit number returns an error saying it is not
available, the kit owner may have set their kit to Private, or the kit number
may be incorrect.
One-to-One X DNA Comparison
There is a separate One-to-One X DNA comparison tool
located immediately below the Autosomal One-to-One tool. This tool compares
only the X chromosome.
• The X DNA tool only shows X chromosome matches. If you
see no results, it does not mean you are not related — it means you do not
share X chromosome DNA with that person.
• X DNA inheritance follows specific patterns: men
receive their X chromosome from their mother only, while women receive one X
from each parent. This can be useful for narrowing down which side of the
family a match comes from.
Common confusion: Some users accidentally use the X DNA
tool instead of the Autosomal tool, resulting in unexpectedly few or no
matches. Make sure you are using the Autosomal comparison tool for a
full comparison.
Segment Search
The Segment Search tool allows you to search for other
kits that share DNA on a specific chromosome segment. This is a Tier 1 tool for paid subscribers.
How to use it:
1. On your dashboard, find the Segment Search tool.
2. Enter the chromosome number and the start/end positions
of the segment you want to search.
3. Submit to see a list of kits that share DNA in that
region.
This tool is useful for identifying clusters of related
individuals or triangulating common ancestors.
Note on Segment Search results:
If a person is a match by One-to-One comparison but does not
appear in a Segment Search of the same region, this can happen due to matching
thresholds. The Segment Search may use different minimum segment size or SNP
density thresholds than the One-to-One tool.
AutoSegment Split (New Feature for Tier 1 Subscribers)
AutoSegment Split is a newer feature that automatically
groups your matches by shared chromosome segments. This helps identify clusters
of related individuals who likely share a common ancestor on a specific line. Visit the GEDmatch Education page for guides and blog posts on
how to use AutoSegment Split.
Understanding Shared DNA and Relationships
The amount of shared DNA (measured in centimorgans, or cM) can
help estimate how you are related to a match:
• ~3,400 cM: Parent/child or identical twin
• ~2,500–2,900 cM: Full sibling
• ~1,700–2,100 cM: Grandparent, grandchild,
half-sibling, aunt/uncle, niece/nephew
• ~600–1,100 cM: First cousin, great-grandparent
• ~200–600 cM: Second cousin range
• ~50–200 cM: Third cousin range
• <50 cM: Distant cousin (4th cousin or more
distant)
These are approximate ranges. The actual relationship can
vary. For more detailed relationship prediction, tools like the Shared cM
Project can help estimate possible relationships based on the total shared DNA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I see "No matches" when I know I have
relatives?
Your kit may still be processing (allow 24–48 hours). Also
verify that your kit is set to Public access status, not Private. If
your kit is in "Private" or "Research" mode, it may not
appear in all search results.
What does "Research" kit status mean for
matching?
Kits set to "Research" can be found and compared by
other users in the One-to-One comparison tool, but they will not appear
in One-to-Many match lists. If you want to be found by your matches, set your
kit to one of the "Public" options.
Can I see matches from a specific testing company?
GEDmatch combines all uploaded kits into one database
regardless of which testing company the data came from. You cannot filter
matches by testing company, which is one of the key benefits of using GEDmatch
— it casts a wider net by comparing across testing companies.
Why did my match disappear from my list?
The match may have changed their kit access status to Private,
deleted their kit, or deleted their GEDmatch account.
What is a Superkit?
A Superkit is created by combining two or more DNA kits from
the same person (e.g., one from Ancestry and one from 23andMe) into a single
merged kit for better matching coverage. This is a Tier 1 feature for paid subscribers.
Troubleshooting Matching Issues
Tools say "no kits uploaded" even though I
uploaded my DNA:
Make sure you are logged in with the same email address and
login method you used when you uploaded your kit. If you used a Google or
Yahoo social login originally but are now logging in with the email form (or
vice versa), you may have landed on a different, empty profile. Log out and try
the other login method.
One-to-Many runs but shows zero matches:
Your kit may still be processing (allow 24–48 hours after
upload). Also check that your kit status is set to Public — kits in Private
or Research mode may not generate a match list.
Kit number gives an error when entered in One-to-One:
The kit you're trying to compare with may be set to Private,
which blocks all comparisons. Ask the kit owner to change their status to Public
or at least Research (which allows One-to-One comparisons). Also
double-check the kit number for typos.
A match appeared before but is gone now:
The other person may have changed their kit to Private,
deleted their kit, or deleted their GEDmatch account. GEDmatch cannot restore
matches that other users have removed.
Select feature in One-to-Many doesn't work:
The ability to select and compare multiple matches from
One-to-Many results is a Tier 1 feature. If you are a free user, this
function will not be available.
Learn More