How to Lock and Unlock Aadhaar Card Biometric?

Aadhaar is one of the most important documents issued by the Indian government to its citizens. Aadhaar cards can be used to access a variety of government-sponsored services and programmes. Because of its significance, UIDAI has implemented a feature that allows users to easily lock and unlock Aadhaar biometrics.

In this blog, we will highlight the following simple methods for locking and unlocking Aadhaar biometric data.

How to lock Aadhaar biometrics online?

There are two methods for locking and unlocking Aadhaar biometrics: the official UIDAI website and the mAadhaar application.

Lock Aadhaar biometrics on the UIDAI website

An applicant should follow the instructions below to lock their Aadhaar biometrics.

Visit the official website of UIDAI.
Click ‘My Aadhaar,’ then ‘Aadhaar Services,’ and finally ‘Lock/Unlock Biometrics.’
Tick the box and then click ‘Lock/Unlock Biometrics.’
Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number as well as the captcha code.
Enter your OTP and then activate the locking feature.
Biometric data from Aadhaar will be locked

Unlock Aadhaar biometrics on the UIDAI website

An applicant must complete the following steps to unlock Aadhaar biometrics:

Visit the official website of UIDAI.
Select ‘Lock/Unlock Biometrics’ from the ‘My Aadhaar’ menu.
Tick the declaration box and then click ‘Lock/Unlock Biometrics.’
Enter your Aadhaar number and the captcha code.
Click ‘Get OTP’ and enter it to enable biometrics.
Aadhaar biometrics will be made unlocked

Lock Aadhaar biometrics on the mAadhaar application

Log in to your mAadhaar app
Click the hamburger icon (three vertical dots) available on the upper right corner of the application
Go to Biometric Settings and check the Enable Biometric Locking box
An OTP will be requested from your mobile number and will be fed into the application automatically (There is no option to enter the OTP manually)
After you approve it, your biometric is locked. However, the lock may take up to 6 hours to activate

Unlock Aadhaar biometrics on the mAadhaar application

When you have to verify Aadhaar using your biometrics, you can unlock your biometric details through the mAadhaar app. Here’s how to do it:

Log in to your mAadhaar app and open your profile.
Click the three vertical dots in the upper right corner of the app and select the Biometric Settings option.
Uncheck the Enable Biometric Locking box and click the tick mark to finish the process.
An OTP will be sent and fed into the app automatically
You must approve the process before your biometrics are unlocked for 10 minutes

FAQs

How does a resident unlock their UID?

Residents need to have the most recent VID number in order to unlock UIDs, and if they forget their 16-digit VID, they can get the most recent VID using SMS services.

How does a resident lock their UID?

Residents must have a 16-digit VID number in order to lock their UID. If the resident does not have a VID, one can be generated through the SMS Service or the Resident Portal.

What is the fee to lock Aadhaar biometrics?

There is no charge to lock, unlock, or disable the biometric lock.

Who should lock Aadhaar biometrics?

Any resident with a valid Aadhaar card is allowed to lock their biometric data.

What happens when a resident locks the Aadhaar biometrics?

Locked Biometrics ensures that the Aadhaar holder’s biometrics (fingerprints/iris) cannot be used for authentication.

What is Aadhaar Biometric Locking?

Biometric Locking/Unlocking is a service that allows Aadhaar holders to lock and temporarily unlock their biometrics. This facility aims to improve the privacy and confidentiality of residents’ biometric data.

What Biometrics can be locked?

Fingerprint and iris data in a resident’s Aadhaar, which is used for authentication, can be locked.

Priyanka Juyal

Priyanka Juyal- a Writer with a curious mind & vision to create the best out of words. Other times, see her playing the guitar, sketching or narrating folk tales!

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