The 23andMe review step usually lasts a few days within a 4–6 week lab timeline after your sample arrives.
You mailed the tube and your tracker now shows “Review.” What does that stage involve, and how long until results land in your account? This guide gives a clear, practical timeline, explains what happens inside the lab, and shows simple ways to keep your kit moving.
What The “Review” Stage Means
Inside the lab, genotyping reads hundreds of thousands of DNA markers from your saliva. After that hardware run finishes, the data moves to a quality control check. In the tracker this appears as “Review.” A lab team and automated checks look for acceptable call rate and accuracy before any reports can compute. If the data meets the bar, your kit advances to computation and then to ready status. The company describes this checkpoint on its quality review page.
| Tracker Stage | What It Means | What You Do |
|---|---|---|
| Registered | Your kit code is linked to your account; shipping label is active. | Keep the code slip; ship the tube soon. |
| Arrived At Lab | Your sample is checked in and queued. | No action needed; watch email updates. |
| Prepped | Technicians prepare the saliva for extraction. | None. |
| DNA Extraction | Cells are lysed and DNA is cleaned for chip loading. | None. |
| Genotyping | The chip reads your markers. | None. |
| Review | Quality control checks call rate and data integrity. | Wait; no action needed unless the lab emails you. |
| Computation | Back-end systems build your reports from the raw calls. | Still waiting; notifications will arrive. |
| Results Ready | Reports unlock in your account. | Open the dashboard and start reading. |
How Long The 23andMe Review Step Usually Takes
The quality check is usually short. In many cases it takes anywhere from several hours to a few days, since the heavy lifting happens during chip processing. Total turnaround from lab receipt to a full set of reports is generally quoted as four to six weeks. That full window already includes the review step, compute time, and final loading.
Timelines vary by lab volume and batch scheduling. Some weeks fly; other weeks move slower when many kits arrive at once or when a batch is rerun. The tracker emails you at key milestones, so you don’t need to refresh the page all day.
What Speeds Or Delays Review
Several variables influence how long review lasts inside that four to six week window. The biggest swing factors are outside your control, but a few early steps help.
- Sample quality: Weak DNA yield pushes the kit to repeat steps or request a new tube.
- Batch timing: Chips run in groups; if you just missed a batch, the kit waits for the next run.
- Holiday peaks: Mail spikes can slow both shipping and lab intake.
- Account setup: Missing registration blocks all lab work.
- Address or email issues: If emails bounce, you might miss a request from the lab.
Simple Ways To Keep Your Kit Moving
You can’t speed the machines, but you can avoid common stalls. Do these before sealing the cap and while the kit is in transit. Confirm your address before mailing.
- Register the barcode first. Make sure the code in the box matches the one in your account.
- Follow the 30-minute rule. No food, drink, smoking, or gum before spitting.
- Fill to the line. The fill mark counts only the liquid, not bubbles.
- Close the cap until it snaps. The blue stabilizer must release into the tube.
- Shake for good mixing. Ten seconds spreads the stabilizer through the sample.
- Mail it soon. Drop the box within a day so it reaches the lab faster.
- Watch your inbox. Keep an eye on messages from the service in case the lab needs a fresh sample.
End-To-End Timeline: A Realistic View
Here’s a plain week-by-week snapshot. It isn’t a promise; it shows a common path across many kits. The review stage sits near the end and tends to be short compared with the rest.
Week 0–1: Shipping And Check-In
The box moves through the mail stream and arrives at the lab. Your tracker flips to “Arrived at lab.”
Week 1–2: Prep And Extraction
Technicians warm up the sample, separate cells, and clean the DNA. Your tracker advances to “Prepped.”
Week 2–4: Genotyping
The lab runs your DNA on a chip. This stage carries most of the time cost. When complete, the tracker moves to “Review.”
Week 3–5: Review And Computation
Quality control checks pass, then back-end systems compute your ancestry and health reports. That back-end step can finish the same day or take several days, depending on load. When complete, your dashboard lights up.
By Week 6: Results Ready
Most kits finish inside the quoted window. Some outliers run faster; a small slice take longer when a sample is borderline or when a rerun is needed.
For the official timing window, see the company’s help page that quotes a four to six week processing span from lab receipt, and the tracker guide that repeats the same estimate. Here’s the link to the results timing page.
Privacy And Data Handling During Review
During review, the lab checks an anonymized dataset rather than a screen with names and emails. The goal is to confirm an acceptable call rate and that the chip read your markers cleanly. The check happens before any reports load to your account. This helps ensure your reports are built on data that clears a stated quality bar.
When Review Takes Longer Than A Few Days
Every now and then, review appears to stall. In many cases the kit is waiting in a batch queue or in a compute queue. If a rerun is needed, the tracker may jump back to an earlier stage. If the lab can’t recover enough data, they’ll email you and send a replacement kit at no extra charge.
| Factor | Impact | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Low DNA Yield | Longer checks; possible rerun. | Spit to the line; follow the 30-minute rule next time. |
| Mail Slowdowns | Late arrival and longer queues. | Drop at a staffed post office when you can. |
| Batch Missed | Wait for the next chip run. | No action; the kit will roll into the next batch. |
| Account Not Registered | Lab can’t proceed. | Register the barcode before mailing. |
| Email Problems | Missed requests from the lab. | Whitelist the sender and check spam. |
What You’ll See When Review Finishes
First, the tracker flips to “Computation,” then “Results ready.” You’ll get an email and a push alert if you set the mobile app to allow notifications. When you open the dashboard you’ll see an ancestry overview and, if you bought the Health + Ancestry service, carrier status and related health reports. Raw data downloads may take extra time to generate on the back end; that’s normal.
When To Reach Out To Customer Care
Most kits move without any help from you. Reach out if your tracker shows no change for two full weeks after “Arrived at lab,” or if you receive an email asking for a replacement tube. Another cue is a mismatch between the barcode in your account and the code on the box; that needs a quick fix before the lab can proceed. When you write in, include the kit code and the email linked to the account so the agent can find your order fast. You can also attach a screenshot of the tracker page to speed triage on their side.
Method Notes
This guide uses publicly available help articles for timeline ranges and stage names. Lab steps are summarized using standard genotyping workflows. Screens and names may vary slightly by region and kit version, but the high-level flow remains the same: receive the sample, run the chip, review, compute, and release.