How to Hide Ancestry DNA Matches (Individual & Global Privacy)

Q: Can a hidden match still see my tree?

Yes. Hiding the match only hides the DNA connection from your view. If your family tree is "Public," they can still view your tree profile. To stop this, you must make your tree "Private."

Discovering new relatives is the main goal of AncestryDNA, but sometimes you find a match you simply do not want to see. Whether it is an abusive relative, an ex-partner’s family member, or just a “false match” cluttering your list, Ancestry allows you to remove them from your view.

This guide covers the two levels of privacy:

Hiding a Specific Person: You can’t see them, but they can still see you.
Hiding Yourself (Opt-Out): No one can see you, and you can’t see anyone.

Table of Contents

Option 1: Hide a Specific DNA Match on Ancestry (They Still See You)

If you want to remove a single person from your list without affecting the rest of your results, follow these steps.

Note: When you hide a match, they are not notified. However, they can still see you in their list unless you turn off matching completely (see Option 2).

Go to Your Match List: Log in and click DNA > DNA Matches.
Select the Person: Click on the name or username of the match you want to hide.
Open Tools: On their profile page, look for the Tools icon (usually a gear or three dots) on the right side.
Select “Hide Match”: Click the option to hide them.
Confirm: The page will refresh, and they will vanish from your main list.

Option 2: Completely Hide Yourself from All AncestryDNA Matches (Opt-Out Method)

If you want total privacy and do not want anyone to find you, you can turn off DNA matching entirely.

Warning: If you do this, you will lose access to all your DNA matches, and no new relatives will be able to find you.

Go to Settings: Click DNA > Your DNA Results Summary > Settings (top right).
Privacy Settings: Scroll down to the Privacy section.
Change Visibility: Look for “DNA Matching.” Switch it to Off.
Save: It may take 24 hours for you to completely disappear from other people’s lists.

How to Unhide a DNA Match on Ancestry (Restore from Hidden List)

Did you hide someone by mistake? Or perhaps you are ready to view that relative again? You can bring them back easily.

Go to DNA Matches: Open your main list.
Filter the List: Click the “Filter” or “Groups” button at the top of the list.
Select “Hidden Matches”: This will show only the people you have previously removed.
Unhide: Click on the person’s name > Click Tools > Select Show Match.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I hide a match, do they know?

No. Ancestry does not send a notification saying “User X hid you.” You simply remain on their list, but they disappear from yours.

Can a hidden match still see my tree?

Yes. Hiding the match only hides the DNA connection from your view. If your family tree is “Public,” they can still view your tree profile. To stop this, you must make your tree “Private.”

Why do some matches disappear on their own?

If a match vanishes without you hiding them, it usually means theyhave either deleted their DNA results or turned off matching (Option 2 above).

Conclusion

Managing your DNA match list is crucial for keeping your research organized and your peace of mind intact. Whether you are just cleaning up clutter or navigating a difficult family situation, these tools give you control over who you see.