Site Access Errors
403 Error / "Bot Detection" Block
Symptom: You receive a 403 error or a message
indicating you have been identified as a bot and cannot access the site.
Cause: GEDmatch has security measures in place to
prevent automated access. These can sometimes be triggered by normal browsing
activity, such as rapidly navigating between pages or running multiple searches
in quick succession.
Solution:
• Wait 24 hours and try again. The block typically
resets automatically.
• Clear your browser cache and cookies before attempting
to access the site again.
• If the issue persists after 24 hours, contact GEDmatch
Support (support@gedmatch.com) with the email address on your account.
Upload Errors
"Upload disabled until chosen DNA-file
has been processed"
Cause: You have a DNA file currently being processed.
GEDmatch does not allow uploading a new file while a previous upload is still
processing.
Solution: Wait for the current upload to finish
processing (typically 24–48 hours). Once it is complete, you will be able to
upload additional files. If this message persists for more than 48 hours,
it may indicate a processing error. Clear your browser cache and cookies and
check again. If it still shows after 2+ days, contact GEDmatch Support with
your kit number for investigation.
Upload page not responding or times out
Solution:
- Clear your browser cache and cookies. This
resolves most upload issues.
- Try using a different web browser (Chrome,
Firefox, or Edge).
- Use a laptop or desktop computer rather than a
mobile device — the upload function works best on desktop browsers.
- If the issue persists, try again later. Occasionally
the system may be under heavy load.
"Please select a Source from the
list"
Cause: The DNA source drop-down menu on the upload page
was not selected.
Solution: Select your DNA testing company from the
drop-down menu (e.g., AncestryDNA, 23andMe, FTDNA). If your company is not
listed, select "Other" and type the name manually.
"Failed HTZ ratio test" / Kit
rejected after upload
Cause: The uploaded DNA data file did not pass
GEDmatch's quality checks. This can happen if the file is corrupted,
incomplete, or not in the expected format.
Solution:
- Re-download the raw data file from your DNA testing
company.
- Make sure you are downloading the Autosomal DNA
raw data (not Y-DNA or mtDNA).
- Upload the freshly downloaded file to GEDmatch.
- If the issue persists, the file from your testing
company may have a quality issue. Contact your testing company for a new copy
of your raw data.
Uploading a GEDCOM file through the DNA
upload link
Cause: You are attempting to upload a family tree
(GEDCOM) file through the DNA data upload page, or vice versa.
Solution: GEDmatch has separate upload pages for DNA
data and GEDCOM files. Make sure you are using the correct upload page for the
type of file you are uploading. The DNA upload page expects raw DNA data files
(.txt,
.csv,
.zip).
The GEDCOM upload page expects .ged files.
Kit and Account Issues
Cause: The kit number may be entered incorrectly, the
kit may have been deleted, or the kit's access status may not permit the action
you are trying to perform.
Solution:
• Double-check the kit number for typos.
• If you are trying to compare with someone else's kit,
their kit may be set to Private status, which prevents other users from
accessing it.
• Ask the kit owner to change their kit's access status
to Public or Research if they want to be compared.
Cause: Kits set to "Research" have limited
visibility. They can be used in One-to-One comparisons by other members, but
they do not appear in One-to-Many match lists and cannot be used with
some tools.
Solution: To change your kit status:
- Log in to GEDmatch.
- Click the pencil icon next to your kit number.
- Select your preferred access status (Public options
allow the most functionality).
- Save the changes.
Kits disappeared / "No kits
found"
Cause: This can happen if you logged in with a
different email address than the one your kits are registered to, or if you
created a new account instead of logging in to your existing one.
Solution:
• Make sure you are logging in with the same email
address you originally used to create your GEDmatch account and upload your
kits.
• If you use a social login (Google or Yahoo),
make sure you are clicking the correct social login button — logging in with a
different method can create a separate, empty account.
• Contact GEDmatch Support if you cannot locate your
kits. Provide your kit number (if you have it) and both your old and new email
addresses.
Admixture / Heritage calculator not working
for a kit
Cause: The kit may be flagged as a duplicate, or there
may be a data issue with the kit.
Solution:
• Check if the kit is a duplicate of another kit in your
profile. Duplicate kits have reduced functionality.
• Try using a different kit if you have multiple kits
uploaded.
• Contact support with your kit number for investigation.
Website and Browser Issues
"Manage Membership" page shows
blank
Cause: This is a known issue that occurs primarily on
mobile devices and some browsers.
Solution:
• Access the page from a laptop or desktop computer.
• Try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge).
• Clear your cache and cookies, then try again.
• If the page still won't load, contact GEDmatch Support
to manage your membership.
Website is slow or not loading
Solution:
• Check if GEDmatch is experiencing downtime by waiting a
few minutes and trying again.
• Clear your browser cache and cookies.
• Try a different browser or disable browser extensions
that might interfere.
• The website works best on desktop browsers. Mobile
browsers may not support all features.
Cannot type in the email field on the login
page
Cause: A browser extension or auto-fill feature may be
interfering with the email input field.
Solution:
• Try a different browser or use an incognito/private
browsing window.
• Disable browser extensions temporarily, especially
password managers or form auto-fill tools.
• For more details, see our article: "Why am I not
able to type in my email on login."
Not receiving password reset emails
Solution:
1. Check your spam/junk folder — password reset
emails sometimes get caught by spam filters.
3. If you use Gmail, check the Promotions and Updates
tabs.
4. Try requesting the reset again after a few minutes.
5. For more details, see our article: "What to do if
your password reset email is not received."
Not receiving verification emails
Solution: Same steps as above. Verification emails may
take a few minutes to arrive. Check spam/junk folders and email tabs.
Still Having Issues?
If the solutions above don't resolve your issue, please
contact GEDmatch Support. When submitting a support request, include:
• The email address on your GEDmatch account
• Your kit number (if applicable)
• A description of the error, including any error
messages you see
• The browser and device you are using
(e.g., Chrome on Windows, Safari on iPhone)
This helps our team diagnose and resolve your issue more
quickly.