what happened to andy's dad in toy story

Andy’s dad is never officially explained in Toy Story , and Pixar has not given a canon backstory. The most common fan theories say he either left the family or died, but the popular “polio” story has been publicly dismissed as not true.

What’s actually known

In the films, Andy lives with his mom and sister, and his father is simply absent. That absence has fueled a lot of speculation, but nothing in the movies confirms what happened to him.

The theory people remember

A widely shared theory claimed Andy’s dad died after polio, and that Woody was passed down as a keepsake. It spread online for years, but it was later called out as false by people associated with the film.

Best plain answer

If you want the safest answer: Andy’s dad is not canonically explained in Toy Story. The most you can say is that he’s missing from the story, and any deeper explanation is fan theory rather than confirmed fact.