Mossie's Musings

In July 2025, AncestryDNA introduced a powerful new feature - Matches by Cluster - that helps us visualise how DNA matches relate both to the tester and to each other. Released as part of the Pro Tools suite and currently in Beta, this is an important step forward for family historians looking to organise and interpret their genetic matches. Clustering itself isn’t new in genetic genealogy. MyHeritage has offered AutoClusters since 2019. Third-party tools such as GeneticAffairs AutoClusters, DNA Painter’s Cluster Auto Painter (CAP), and GEDmatch Tier 1 Clustering have been available for years. The key difference is that clustering is now built directly into AncestryDNA, giving users of the world’s largest consumer DNA database the convenience of analysis without exporting data elsewhere. Understanding clustering and its benefits A cluster displays matches who share DNA with both the tester and each other - often pointing to a shared ancestral line. Instead of analysing matches one by o...

Table of Contents Introduction — Why I Use Pro Tools How Pro Tools Can Help You  2.1 Why Pro Tools Matters  2.2 Membership Basics  2.3 Pro Tools Cost Feature Deep Dive  3.1 Enhanced Shared Matches  3.2 Matches by Cluster  3.3 Networks  3.4 Smart Filters  3.5 Tree Checker  3.6 Tree Mapper  3.7 Tree Insights  3.8 Charts & Reports Real-Life Scenarios FAQs — Quick Answers Is It Worth It? Conclusion 1      Introduction - Why I use Pro Tools When people ask why I invest time in Ancestry’s Pro Tools and the Genealogy Assistant , it comes down to  making my family history work both usable now and sustainable for the future . Here are the key reasons: 1.1 A Well-Researched Public Tree I maintain a large public tree at Ancestry which I aim to be carefully documented and sourced. This tree acts as a reference point for DNA matches and other researchers. It is available  now  for collaboration, and it will also stand as a lasting resource for future generations. A...