{"id":80390,"date":"2025-02-13T14:06:25","date_gmt":"2025-02-13T20:06:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/?p=80390"},"modified":"2026-03-16T12:59:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T17:59:30","slug":"family-finder-matrix-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/family-finder-matrix-update\/","title":{"rendered":"The Matrix Refreshed: New Functionality For A Classic Family Finder\u2122 Tool"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;123812&#8243;]By: Katy Rowe-Schurwanz<\/p>\n<h2>The Family Finder\u2122 Matrix now lets you send matches directly from the Matches page and includes new comparison views for shared cM, segments, and relationships to help with triangulation.<\/h2>\n<p>Unless you\u2019ve gone really deep down the rabbit hole of autosomal genetic genealogy, you probably haven\u2019t heard much about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.familytreedna.com\/my\/family-finder\/matrix\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Family Finder Matrix<\/a>. It hasn\u2019t received much attention over the years, but it\u2019s <strong>an extremely useful tool for triangulating your Family Finder\u2122 matches (autosomal DNA relatives)<\/strong>. And we\u2019ve just added new functionality to help your research even more![\/vc_column_text][vc_gallery el_id=&#8221;gallery-132422&#8243; type=&#8221;carousel&#8221; medias=&#8221;80395,80396,80397,80398&#8243; carousel_lg=&#8221;2&#8243; carousel_md=&#8221;2&#8243; carousel_sm=&#8221;1&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; carousel_interval=&#8221;3000&#8243; carousel_navspeed=&#8221;400&#8243; carousel_loop=&#8221;yes&#8221; carousel_nav=&#8221;yes&#8221; carousel_nav_mobile=&#8221;yes&#8221; carousel_dots_mobile=&#8221;yes&#8221; stage_padding=&#8221;0&#8243; single_overlay_opacity=&#8221;50&#8243; single_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;124499&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;118786&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h2>The Family Finder Matrix<\/h2>\n<p>The Matrix is a companion tool to the <a href=\"https:\/\/help.familytreedna.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360004591836\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chromosome Browser<\/a>. The Chromosome Browser tells you if a group of matches have overlapping segments on the same chromosome, but that alone isn\u2019t enough to confirm that the group triangulates and descends from the same common ancestor.<br \/>\nThat\u2019s because the Chromosome Browser can\u2019t tell you why the segments overlap. And that\u2019s where the Matrix comes in. The Matrix lets you see if your group of matches from the Chromosome Browser also match each other.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>If they do match each other\u2014hooray!<\/strong> That\u2019s the first step. Next, you\u2019ll want to find others who overlap on that same segment and determine who the common ancestor is that you all inherited it from.<\/li>\n<li><strong>If they don\u2019t match each other<\/strong>, then they don\u2019t triangulate, and it\u2019s time to form a new comparison group.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Previously, the Matrix let you compare up to ten of your matches to see if they also matched each other. A match was indicated by a blue box with a white checkmark in the square corresponding to each match pair in the grid. If there wasn\u2019t a match, the square remained blank.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;80399&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;75&#8243; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;195149&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;129346&#8243;]To select matches for comparison, you had to scroll through an alphabetical list of all your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.familytreedna.com\/products\/family-finder\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Family Finder<\/a> matches. That could be pretty tedious\u2014especially when you have several thousand matches!<\/p>\n<h2>The New and Improved Family Finder Matrix<\/h2>\n<p>We\u2019ve made some exciting improvements to the Family Finder Matrix to make it <strong>easier to select matches for comparison and to provide better insights<\/strong> into how those matches connect to each other.<\/p>\n<h3>Easier Ways to Select Matches<\/h3>\n<p>We\u2019ve expanded the ways you can add matches to the Matrix! Now, you can select matches directly from your <a href=\"https:\/\/help.familytreedna.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360004683815\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Family Finder Matches page<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;80400&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;75&#8243; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;140502&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;319144&#8243;]To select matches from the <strong>Family Finder Matches<\/strong> page, simply check the box next to your match\u2019s name. Once selected, the match will be added to a list at the bottom of the page, where <strong>you\u2019ll see options to compare them in either the Chromosome Browser or the Matrix<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You can select <strong>up to seven matches<\/strong> to compare in the <strong>Chromosome Browser<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>You can select <strong>up to ten matches<\/strong> to compare in the <strong>Matrix<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>All Family Finder Matches page filters, sort options, and search functions are available to help you find the matches you want to compare. When you\u2019re ready, just click the &#8220;Compare with the Matrix&#8221; button, and the Matrix will open in a new tab.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;80403&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;75&#8243; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;456919&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;154794&#8243;]Of course, <strong>you can still select matches for comparison from the Matrix page itself<\/strong>. At the top left, you\u2019ll see a list of your matches, alphabetized by last name. Click a match\u2019s name in that menu, then click the \u201cAdd\u201d button to the right.<\/p>\n<p>To remove a match from the comparison, select their name from the list at the top right, then click \u201cRemove.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Three New Ways to Compare Matches<\/h3>\n<p>There are now three ways to view the results of your comparison in the Matrix:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Total Shared cM:<\/strong> View how many shared centiMorgans (cM) each match has with each other.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Number of Shared Segments:<\/strong> See how many DNA segments each match shares with each other.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Predicted Relationship Range:<\/strong> View the predicted relationship range between each match.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h4>Total Shared cM<\/h4>\n<p>The Total Shared cM view is the default setting. It <strong>displays the number of centiMorgans (cM) that each match shares<\/strong> with another match. Just like on the Matches page, <strong>this will not include shared cM on the X chromosome<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;80404&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;75&#8243; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;199666&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;581632&#8243;]The number of shared centiMorgans can help you determine the actual relationships between your matches. While FamilyTreeDNA provides a predicted range for each relationship, third-party tools like <a href=\"https:\/\/dnapainter.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DNA Painter<\/a> can help refine those estimates even further.<\/p>\n<h4>Number of Shared Segments<\/h4>\n<p>The Number of Shared Segments view <strong>shows how many overlapping DNA segments each match shares<\/strong> with another match. This also <strong>does not include segments on the X chromosome<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;80405&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;75&#8243; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;236538&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;118651&#8243;]Why is this useful?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If two matches only share one segment, that segment is likely the same one they both overlap with you on\u2014bingo! That\u2019s triangulation!<\/li>\n<li>If they share multiple segments, they could be close relatives. This means they may not be ideal candidates for your triangulation group.<\/li>\n<li>They might share two different common ancestors with you and another with each other.<\/li>\n<li>Or, they could all share the same common ancestor with you and each other.<\/li>\n<li>More investigation will be needed to confirm the exact connection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Predicted Relationship Range<\/h4>\n<p>The Predicted Relationship Range view <strong>displays the estimated relationship range between each match<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;80406&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;75&#8243; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;489029&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;148149&#8243;]The predicted relationship range is helpful because you don\u2019t want to use matches that are closely related to each other, like parents and children or siblings. <strong>If two of your three matches are predicted to be parent and child<\/strong>, that increases the chance that the third match is identical by chance rather than by descent.<\/p>\n<h2>How to Use the Family Finder Matrix With Other Autosomal Tools<\/h2>\n<p>The Family Finder Matrix is a companion tool to both the <strong>Chromosome Browser<\/strong> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/help.familytreedna.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/4413996181391\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Family Matching tool<\/a>\u2014but how do you use all three together to analyze your DNA matches effectively?<\/p>\n<p>Each tool provides a different piece of the puzzle when <strong>identifying whether a group of matches shares a common ancestor or if some matches are coincidental<\/strong>. Understanding how to combine these tools will help you determine whether your DNA matches are from your maternal side, your paternal side, or both\u2014or if some matches are <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Identity_by_descent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Identical by Chance (IBC)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s break it down step by step.<\/p>\n<h3>The Chromosome Browser: Identifying Overlapping DNA Segments<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;80407&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;75&#8243; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;331113&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;156654&#8243;]The <strong>Chromosome Browser<\/strong> allows you to view and compare the DNA segments you share with your <strong>Family Finder matches<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone has two copies of chromosomes 1\u201322, but the Chromosome Browser <strong>does not<\/strong> distinguish whether overlapping segments come from the <strong>same ancestor<\/strong> or from <strong>two different ancestors<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>When a group of matches shares an overlapping segment in the Chromosome Browser, there are a few possible explanations:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>They all share the same common ancestor <strong>on your maternal side<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>They all share the same common ancestor <strong>on your paternal side<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Some share a common ancestor on your maternal side and others on your paternal side\u2014meaning <strong>they represent two different ancestors<\/strong>!<\/li>\n<li>One or more of the matches is <strong>Identical by Chance<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>So, how do you figure out which of these possibilities is correct? That\u2019s where the <strong>Family Matching tool<\/strong> comes in.<\/p>\n<h3>Parental Phasing: Sorting Matches by Maternal and Paternal Sides With The Family Matching Tool<\/h3>\n<p>The Family Matching tool helps determine whether a match belongs to category 1, 2, or 3 from the list above.<br \/>\nThis tool <strong>sorts your Family Finder matches into three buckets<\/strong> based on which side of your family they match:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Paternal side<\/li>\n<li>Maternal side<\/li>\n<li>Both sides (for matches who are related to you on both your paternal and maternal lines)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To use the Family Matching tool, you need to <a href=\"https:\/\/help.familytreedna.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/9707263959311\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">link matches to your family tree<\/a>. When you know a match\u2019s connection, add their lineage to your tree and link them to their correct spot.<\/p>\n<p>Once a match is linked, <strong>the tool analyzes their overlapping DNA segments<\/strong> with you and compares them to all your other matches. It then places them into the appropriate <strong>maternal or paternal bucket<\/strong>, depending on how you linked them.<\/p>\n<p>Some key things to remember:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>You <strong>must<\/strong> link at least one <strong>paternal-side match<\/strong> to create a <strong>paternal bucket<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>You <strong>must<\/strong> link at least one <strong>maternal-side match<\/strong> to create a <strong>maternal bucket<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>You <strong>must<\/strong> link both <strong>a paternal and a maternal match<\/strong> to create <strong>a bucket for matches on both sides<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The closer the linked match is, the more matches will be sorted into buckets. <strong>Linking a parent will bucket most of your match list<\/strong>, while linking a fourth cousin won\u2019t bucket as many matches.<\/p>\n<h4>How does Family Matching help?<\/h4>\n<p>The Family Matching tool helps clarify which side of your family a group of matches belongs to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>If all your matches are in the maternal bucket, they share a common ancestor on your mother\u2019s side.<\/li>\n<li>If all your matches are in the paternal bucket, they share a common ancestor on your father\u2019s side.<\/li>\n<li>If your match group is a mix of maternal and paternal matches, they represent at least two different common ancestors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Even if all matches are sorted into <strong>one bucket<\/strong>, that <strong>doesn\u2019t necessarily mean<\/strong> they all descend from <strong>the same common ancestor<\/strong>. You\u2019ll still need to do more <strong>triangulation<\/strong> to confirm the connection.<\/p>\n<h3>Identical by Chance: When Matches Aren\u2019t Actually Related<\/h3>\n<p>Not every DNA match is a <strong>true relative<\/strong>\u2014some are Identical by Chance (IBC) rather than Identical by Descent (IBD).<br \/>\n<strong>Identical by Descent:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>The match <strong>shares DNA<\/strong> with at least one of your parents.<\/li>\n<li>You and the match <strong>descend from a recent common ancestor<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Identical by Chance:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>The match <strong>does not share<\/strong> DNA with either of your parents.<\/li>\n<li>There is <strong>no recent common ancestor<\/strong>, despite sharing DNA.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So why do IBC matches even appear?<\/p>\n<p>When DNA is passed down from your parents, it\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/isogg.org\/wiki\/Recombination\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">randomly recombined<\/a>\u2014like shuffling a deck of cards before dealing. The <strong>matching algorithm<\/strong> doesn\u2019t distinguish which segments came from your mother and which came from your father. It simply looks for other testers who share segments of DNA with you.[\/vc_column_text][vc_gallery el_id=&#8221;gallery-132422&#8243; medias=&#8221;80409,80410&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; screen_lg=&#8221;1000&#8243; screen_md=&#8221;600&#8243; screen_sm=&#8221;480&#8243; single_overlay_opacity=&#8221;50&#8243; single_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;791652&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;104782&#8243;]To <strong>reduce the likelihood<\/strong> of IBC matches, <strong>minimum segment size thresholds<\/strong> are built into the matching algorithm. However, <strong>some false matches will still appear\u2014especially distant matches<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3>How to Identify IBC Matches<\/h3>\n<p>The <strong>easiest way<\/strong> to identify IBC matches is by <strong>testing both of your parents<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If a match <strong>also appears in at least one parent\u2019s match list<\/strong>, they are IBD.<\/li>\n<li>If a match <strong>does not appear in either parent\u2019s match list<\/strong>, they are likely IBC.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>If you can\u2019t test your parents<\/strong>, you can still filter out IBC matches using triangulation in the Chromosome Browser and the Matrix.<\/p>\n<h2>Confirming Triangulation With The New Family Finder Matrix<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;80412&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;75&#8243; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;180039&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;115712&#8243;]Triangulation is the process of <strong>confirming that a group of matches all share the same DNA segment inherited from a single common ancestor<\/strong>. The Chromosome Browser and Matrix are powerful tools, but they have limitations\u2014you\u2019ll need to take additional steps to confirm that your matches <strong>not only share DNA with you but also with each other on the same segment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how to do it.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 1: Do Your Matches Share the Same Segment with Each Other?<\/h3>\n<p>One limitation of both the Chromosome Browser and the Matrix is that <strong>they can\u2019t tell you whether your matches also share DNA with each other on the same segment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>If your matches <strong>only share one segment with each other<\/strong>, that segment is likely the same one they share with you.<\/p>\n<p>If they share <strong>more than one segment<\/strong>, it\u2019s unclear whether the segment they share with you is also the one they share with each other.<\/p>\n<p>So how do you figure it out?<\/p>\n<p>In this scenario, you\u2019ll need to <strong>reach out to your matches<\/strong> and ask them to compare each other in their <strong>Chromosome Browser<\/strong> to see if they also <strong>overlap on the same segment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>If they do<\/strong>, great! You\u2019ve confirmed triangulation.<\/li>\n<li><strong>If they don\u2019t<\/strong>, then they likely share a different common ancestor with each other than they do with you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Step 2: Identifying the Shared Common Ancestor<\/h3>\n<p>Once you have a group of matches who all overlap on the same segment with you and with each other, the next step is figuring out who passed that DNA segment down.<\/p>\n<h4>Analyzing Family Trees<\/h4>\n<p>To do this, you\u2019ll need to <strong>examine each match\u2019s family tree<\/strong> and look for shared patterns:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Do they have common surnames?<\/li>\n<li>Do they have ancestors from the same location?<\/li>\n<li>Do any of their family lines overlap in historical records?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Of course, <strong>not all family trees are perfect<\/strong>. Some may contain <strong>errors or incorrect assumptions<\/strong>, so you\u2019ll need to carefully evaluate sources or do your own research if their trees lack documentation.<\/p>\n<h4>Using Shared Matches to Narrow Down Possibilities<\/h4>\n<p>You may not be able to identify the common ancestor for every triangulated group\u2014and that\u2019s okay! But as you confirm ancestors for other groups, <strong>look for shared matches between those groups<\/strong> and your unknown groups.<\/p>\n<p>If a <strong>known ancestor group shares a significant number of matches with an unknown group<\/strong>, you may be able to narrow down potential ancestors.<\/p>\n<h4>Using Y-DNA and mtDNA to Strengthen a Hypothesis<\/h4>\n<p>If multiple members of your unknown group are direct paternal or direct maternal descendants of a suspected ancestor, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.familytreedna.com\/products\/y-dna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Y-DNA<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.familytreedna.com\/products\/mt-dna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mtDNA<\/a> testing can help confirm the connection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If they match each other through Y-DNA or mtDNA<\/strong>, it strongly suggests that your hypothesis is correct.<\/p>\n<p>This can also help you identify additional matches who share DNA with the same ancestor\u2014even if you missed them in your original triangulation analysis.<\/p>\n<h3>Addressing Endogamy and Pedigree Collapse<\/h3>\n<p>Some genealogical situations make triangulation more difficult\u2014especially if you have ancestors from an <strong>endogamous population<\/strong> or experience <strong>pedigree collapse<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h4>What Is Endogamy and Pedigree Collapse?<\/h4>\n<p><strong>Endogamy<\/strong> occurs when people within a <strong>genetically isolated population<\/strong> (due to cultural, religious, or geographical isolation) repeatedly marry within the same group over generations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pedigree collapse<\/strong> happens when <strong>cousins marry cousins<\/strong>, meaning you descend from the same ancestor multiple times.<\/p>\n<p>These factors <strong>increase the amount of shared DNA<\/strong> between distant relatives, making it harder to determine a true genealogical relationship.<\/p>\n<h4>How Endogamy Affects Triangulation<\/h4>\n<p>You\u2019ll likely have <strong>more autosomal matches<\/strong> who share more DNA than expected for their predicted relationship.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll encounter <strong>more IBC matches<\/strong>, as there is more overlapping DNA within the population.<\/p>\n<p>To <strong>improve accuracy, focus on larger overlapping segments<\/strong>\u2014ideally <strong>20 cM or greater<\/strong>\u2014when attempting to confirm triangulation in endogamous or pedigree collapse situations.<\/p>\n<h2>Explore More: Resources for Understanding the Family Finder Matrix and Triangulation<\/h2>\n<p>If you want to <strong>better understand how to use the Family Finder Matrix, Chromosome Browser, Family Matching, and triangulation<\/strong>, there are great resources available to help you make the most of your DNA results.<\/p>\n<h3>FamilyTreeDNA Help Center: Mastering the Tools<\/h3>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/help.familytreedna.com\/hc\/en-us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FamilyTreeDNA Help Center<\/a> offers step-by-step guides on key tools, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/help.familytreedna.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/4411225071247\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Family Finder Matrix:<\/a> Learn how to compare matches and confirm relationships.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/help.familytreedna.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360004591836\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chromosome Browser<\/a>: Understand how to visualize overlapping DNA segments.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/help.familytreedna.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/4413996181391\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Family Matching<\/a>: Discover how to phase your matches into maternal and paternal buckets.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Roberta Estes\u2019 DNA-Explained Blog &amp; Book: Advanced Strategies<br \/>\nFor <strong>detailed guides, triangulation strategies, and case studies,<\/strong> check out:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dna-explained.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Roberta Estes\u2019 DNA-Explained blog<\/a>: Covers best practices for using the Family Finder Matrix, Chromosome Browser, and triangulation.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/complete-genealogy-guide-color-roberta-estes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Complete Guide to FamilyTreeDNA<\/a>: Roberta Estes\u2019 new book, which provides an in-depth look at FamilyTreeDNA\u2019s tools, including how to analyze matches and identify common ancestors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The more you learn, the better equipped you\u2019ll be to unlock the full potential of your DNA results![\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_separator sep_color=&#8221;,Default&#8221;][uncode_author_profile user_id=&#8221;11&#8243; 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With new functionality, it\u2019s easier than ever to compare DNA matches, confirm relationships, and improve triangulation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":80415,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[320,1211],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.2 (Yoast SEO v21.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>New Functionality For The Family Finder\u2122 Matrix<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Use the Family Finder Matrix for triangulation to confirm shared ancestors and analyze DNA matches with the Chromosome Browser and Family Matching tool.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/family-finder-matrix-update\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Matrix Refreshed: New Functionality For A Classic Family Finder\u2122 Tool\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Family Finder\u2122 Matrix just got a refresh! With new functionality, it\u2019s easier than ever to compare DNA matches, confirm relationships, and improve triangulation.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/family-finder-matrix-update\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"FamilyTreeDNA Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FamilyTreeDNA\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-13T20:06:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-16T17:59:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/The-Matrix-Refreshed-.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Katy Rowe-Schurwanz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" 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