Ancestry is excited to deliver SideView 2.0, a significant update that improves how we organize your DNA by parent*. Since its launch in 2022, SideView has revolutionized genetic genealogy by organizing a person’s DNA into maternal and paternal sides without requiring either parent to be tested. This breakthrough allowed customers to see exactly which regions, matches, and traits came from each parent, answering some of the biggest questions in family history.

SideView 2.0 uses industry-leading science to enhance and expand these insights. SideView 2.0 can improve the organization of your DNA by parent, increase the number of matches assigned to a parent, and improve the “by parent” results in your regions, journeys, and traits. 

How SideView 2.0 works

To organize your DNA by parent, SideView 2.0 (like the original SideView) finds pieces of DNA that are identical between you and your DNA matches, and between your DNA matches and each other. Because a DNA match is usually related to you through only one branch of your family tree, we can figure out which matches are related to each other and split them into groups. 

While SideView laid the groundwork, SideView 2.0 introduces three major scientific enhancements:

1. Relationship "polarization": The algorithm now makes extra use of a subset of our match database that includes just close matches to instantly classify close relationships.
2. Second-degree connections: Instead of relying solely on matches who span multiple chromosomes, SideView 2.0 uses "matches of matches" to bridge gaps and align portions of your DNA into maternal or paternal parent groups.
3. Recombination breakpoint detection: Using AI-based tools, SideView 2.0 maps the exact boundaries where DNA swapped between grandparental lines, dividing your inherited maternal and paternal DNA into distinct ancestral segments.

What changes can you expect?

With the rollout of SideView 2.0, you may notice some changes to your DNA results:

• More complete match labeling: More of your DNA matches may now receive a parent-level label.
• “By parent” results: Features like Matches by parent, Regions by parent, Traits by parent, and Journeys by parent all depend on how SideView organizes your DNA. After being reprocessed with SideView 2.0, some of your “By parent” results may switch from Parent 1 to Parent 2, or vice versa. 
• Changes to your ancestral regions: The way SideView 2.0 organizes your DNA may impact how we read and apportion your ancestral region results. You may see some region percentages change, or you may gain or lose entire regions.
• Gain or loss of Journeys: Your ancestral journey assignments depend on who you match in our database. Because new matches may have appeared or been removed since your results were last calculated, you may gain or lose journeys when your DNA is reprocessed with SideView 2.0.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I seeing so many matches labeled as “Both sides”?

Part of the update with SideView 2.0 is to more thoroughly assign DNA matches to a particular side of your family. This means we are able to dramatically reduce the number of “Unassigned” matches and increase the number of matches labeled as Parent 1, Parent 2, or “Both sides”. This change has especially impacted very short matches (less than 50cM) with whom you are more likely to share DNA due to shared ancestral populations and demographics, and not a recent common ancestor. Because these matches are connected to you through shared ancestral populations, they are more likely to be connected to you through DNA on both your parental lineages, and therefore be labeled as “Both sides”.

Why am I seeing a match labeled as “Both sides”, but the match doesn’t show up in either of my parent’s results?

We report DNA matches with whom you share more than 8cM of DNA. However, those 8cM (or more) can be split across multiple different segments. For example, a match with whom you share 13cM of DNA could be composed of two segments, one 6cM in length and another 7cM in length. Each one of these segments could be inherited from a separate parent. The result would be that DNA inherited from both parents connects you to your DNA match, but both your parents share less than 8cM of DNA with this same person, and so would not see them in their match list. Short segments like these often reflect shared ancestral populations or demographics, and not the shared recent common ancestors that are genealogically relevant.

The DNA of two parents is represented by pairs of blue bars (Parent 1) and green bars (Parent 2). Each parent has DNA that matches Person 3 (grey and yellow bars), represented by yellow segments. However, because the amount of shared DNA in both parents is <8cM, they do not see Person 3 in their match list. The child of these parents (green and blue bars) inherits the segments of DNA that match Person 3. Because the total amount of DNA in the child that matches Person 3 is now >8cM, the child does see Person 3 in their match list. 

Why did my regions change after the 2026 Origins update?

Two improvements happened around the same time. The 2026 Origins update introduced new and refined regions. Then, we improved the technology (SideView 2.0) we use to estimate your DNA by parent. This SideView update also improves the precision of your regions.

If you noticed changes to your regions within a couple weeks of October 8, they were due to the SideView 2.0 update.

*Access to SideView 2.0 results requires an Ancestry subscription. Not yet an Ancestry subscriber? Sign up today.