How to Protect Your Aadhaar Card from Unauthorized Use?

An Aadhaar card is a unique identification number issued by the Indian government to every resident of India. It serves as proof of identity and address, and is used for various purposes such as accessing government services and benefits, opening a bank account, and more. However, like any other important document, an Aadhaar card is vulnerable to unauthorized use if it is compromised.

In this blog, we will share how to effectively prevent the unauthorized use of Aadhaar cards.

Protecting Your Aadhaar Card

Here are some tips to protect your Aadhaar card and related information:

• Keep your Aadhaar card in a safe and secure place
• Do not share your Aadhaar number with anyone
• Avoid sharing your Aadhaar card photo, particularly with individuals you do not know well
• Never give out your Aadhaar OTP (one-time password) to anyone or on any third-party website or application
• Refrain from disclosing any other personal information associated with your Aadhaar card.

While most measures are simple to implement, locking Aadhaar biometrics requires following specific official steps.

How to Lock Aadhaar Card Biometrics Online?

UIDAI provides users with the option to temporarily lock their biometric details to prevent unauthorized use of their Aadhaar card. The steps to lock biometric details for an Aadhaar holder are as follows:

• Visit the official website of UIDAI
• Click on ‘My Aadhaar‘, navigate to ‘Aadhaar Services‘ and click on ‘Lock/Unlock Biometrics‘

• Tick the declaration and click on ‘Lock/Unlock Biometrics’

• Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number and captcha code
• Click on ‘Get OTP’. OTP will be sent to the registered mobile number and is valid for only 10 minutes.
• After entering the OTP, click on the locking feature
• Aadhaar biometrics will be locked

Note: Locked biometrics cannot be used for authentication until they are unlocked. The lock/unlock biometric feature is designed to protect the privacy and confidentiality of user’s biometrics.

Also Read: UIDAI Services Online- How to Use them Effectively?

How to Unlock Biometric in Aadhaar Online?

The steps for Aadhaar biometric unlock online are as follows:

• Visit the official UIDAI website
• Click on ‘My Aadhaar’, and select ‘Lock/Unlock Biometrics’
• Tick declaration and click on ‘Lock/Unlock Biometrics’
• Enter Aadhaar number and captcha code
• Click on ‘Get OTP’, enter it to unlock biometrics
• Aadhaar biometrics will be unlocked

How to Lock/Unlock Aadhaar Biometrics by SMS?

UIDAI also allows users to lock/unlock Aadhaar biometrics via SMS. Follow the steps below to lock or unlock your Aadhaar biometrics:

• To Lock Aadhaar biometrics

Send an OTP request as: GETOTP <Last 4 or 8 Digits of Aadhaar Number>. Then, send a locking request as: LOCKUID <Last 4 or 8 digits of Aadhaar number> <6-digit OTP>.

A confirmation message will be sent to the user. After locking the Aadhaar biometrics, the user will be unable to use biometrics for any form of authentication. However, the user can use the most recent Virtual ID for authentication.

• To Unlock Aadhaar Biometrics

To use an Aadhaar number for authentication purposes, a user can unlock it by following these steps: 

Send an OTP request with the last 6 or 10 digits of your Virtual ID number as: GETOTP <Last 6 or 10 Digits of Virtual ID>. Then, send an unlocking request as: UNLOCKUID <Last 6 or 10 digits of Virtual ID> <6-digit OTP>.

How to Unlock Aadhaar Biometrics through mAadhaar?

To unlock your Aadhaar biometrics through the mAadhaar app, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Download and install the mAadhaar app on your smartphone from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
2. Open the app and register your mobile number with the app.
3. Once your mobile number is registered, you will receive an OTP (one-time password) on your phone. Enter the OTP in the app to complete the registration process.
4. After registering, you will need to create a profile in the app by entering your 12-digit Aadhaar number and other personal details.
5. Once your profile is created, go to the “Biometric Lock” section of the app and tap on the “Unlock” button.
6. Enter your password or use your fingerprint to unlock your biometrics.
7. Your biometrics will now be unlocked and you will be able to use them for authentication purposes.

Read More: What is mAadhaar Mobile Application and How to Use it?

How to get an Aadhaar Virtual ID?

The steps to obtain an Aadhaar virtual ID are as follows:

• Visit UIDAI official website
• Click on ‘My Aadhaar’ and navigate to ‘Aadhaar Services‘ and click on ‘Virtual ID (VID) Generator’

• Enter 12-digit Aadhaar number and captcha code
• Click on ‘Send OTP’, enter it to receive your Aadhaar Virtual ID