What is an e-Aadhaar Password – Know Everything about it

The Aadhar card password is the first four letters of your name in capital letters, followed by your year of birth in YYYY format. You need it every time you open the downloaded e-Aadhaar PDF. In this article we cover the format with examples, how to download and open the file, and what to do when it will not open.

What Is the Aadhar Card Password?

The Aadhar card password is a combination of the first four letters of your name in capital letters and your year of birth in YYYY format. It protects the e-Aadhaar PDF, the digital copy of your Aadhaar that you download from UIDAI. Without it, the file will not open.

The name part comes from the name printed on your Aadhaar card, not the one you use day to day. The year comes from your date of birth on the same card. So a person named Lisa, born in 1980, opens the file with LISA1980.

You do not create this password. UIDAI builds it into the file at the time of download, and the same rule applies to every Aadhaar holder in India. That is why the password stays the same no matter how many times you download your e-Aadhaar.

Is the Aadhaar Password the Same as the e-Aadhaar Password?

Yes. People search for the Aadhaar password, the Aadhar card download password and the e-Aadhaar password, but all three mean the same thing. Each one refers to the code that unlocks the PDF copy of your Aadhaar.

It is not the OTP you receive on your mobile number during the download. That one time password only confirms that you own the Aadhaar number. Once the file is saved, the OTP has no further use, and the PDF asks for the name and birth year code instead.

What Is the e-Aadhaar Password Format?

The format has two parts and no spaces. The first part is four capital letters from your name. The second part is your four digit birth year.

Read it back with a masked specimen. A password shaped like XXXX followed by YYYY means XXXX is the first four letters of your name in capitals, and YYYY is your year of birth. Nothing else goes in, not your full date of birth, not your Aadhaar number and not a symbol.

Examples of the e-Aadhaar password format

Notice the second row. Only the first name supplies letters when it is four letters or longer, so the surname is never reached. The letters are always typed in capitals, even if your name appears in a different case on the card.

What If Your Name Has Fewer Than Four Letters?

You use the whole name, in capitals, followed by the year. A person named Jia, born in 1975, types JIA1975. There is no padding, no zero and no extra letter to make up the count.

If your name on Aadhaar starts with an initial and a dot, the letters are taken in the exact order they appear on the card. Copy the name character by character from your Aadhaar letter or physical card before you type. Guessing from memory is the most common reason the password fails.

How to Download Your e-Aadhaar With the Aadhar Card Download Password

You can download the e-Aadhaar from the UIDAI website, the Aadhaar app, the DigiLocker app or the UMANG app. The website route is the one most people use, and it needs your registered mobile number to receive an OTP.

Step 1: Open the official UIDAI website and go to the My Aadhaar section.

Step 2: Click Download Aadhaar.

Step 3: Choose whether you will use your Aadhaar number, Enrolment ID or Virtual ID.

Step 4: Enter that number along with the security code shown on screen.

Step 5: Click Send OTP and enter the OTP that arrives on your registered mobile number.

Step 6: Tick the masked Aadhaar option if you do not want the full number visible.

Step 7: Click Download Aadhaar and save the PDF file to your device.

If the OTP does not arrive, your mobile number is probably not linked to your Aadhaar. The guide on how to register and update mobile number in Aadhaar card explains how to fix that at an enrolment centre. If you only have your phone handy, the step by step guide to downloading Aadhaar card using mobile number walks through the same process on a smaller screen.

The password does not depend on where you download the file. A copy saved from the Aadhaar app, DigiLocker or UMANG opens with the same name and birth year code as one from the website. If you prefer keeping your Aadhaar on your phone, read what is mAadhaar mobile application and how to use it responsibly before you install it.

What Is a Masked e-Aadhaar?

A masked e-Aadhaar hides most of your 12-digit Aadhaar number and shows only the last few digits. It opens with exactly the same password as the regular file.

Use it when you share your Aadhaar with a hotel, a travel desk or anyone who only needs to confirm who you are. Our explainer on what is a masked Aadhaar card covers where it is accepted and where you still need the full number.

How to Open the e-Aadhaar PDF on a Phone or Computer?

Opening the file takes a few seconds once you have the right password. Use an up to date PDF reader, since older readers sometimes fail to show the digital signature.

Step 1: Find the downloaded e-Aadhaar PDF in your Downloads folder.

Step 2: Double-click or tap the file to open it.

Step 3: Type the first four letters of your name in capitals when the password box appears.

Step 4: Type your year of birth in YYYY format right after the letters, with no space.

Step 5: Click OK or Open to view your e-Aadhaar.

On a phone, the file manager may open the PDF in a basic viewer that does not ask for a password correctly. If that happens, open it from a dedicated PDF reader app instead.

Why Does the Aadhaar PDF Say the Password Is Wrong?

Almost every failed attempt comes from one of a handful of small mistakes. Check these before you download the file again.

• Caps lock is off, so the letters went in as lowercase.
• You used a nickname or a different spelling instead of the name printed on the card.
• You typed your full date of birth rather than only the year.
• You added a space between the letters and the year.
• You skipped a dot or initial that appears at the start of your name on the card.

If none of these apply, the downloaded file may be damaged, which happens when a download is interrupted or the file is copied between devices. Delete it and download a fresh copy, then try the same password again.

What to Do If You Forget Your e-Aadhaar Password?

You cannot really forget it, because it is not a password you set. Rebuild it from the format: the first four letters of your name in capitals, then your birth year. A person named Jinia Bhushan, born in 1980, would type JINI1980.

If the rebuilt password still fails, look at your physical Aadhaar card or the Aadhaar letter. The name or year of birth recorded there may differ from what you expect, especially if a correction was made in the past. In that case, the details on the card are the ones to use.

Keep a note of the format, not the password itself. Writing LISA1980 on a sticky note next to the computer defeats the purpose of the lock. Remembering the rule is enough, because you can rebuild the password in seconds whenever the file asks for it.

When the details on your card are themselves wrong, the password will match the wrong details until you update them. You can contact UIDAI for help, and if a problem is not resolved, the guide on how to lodge a complaint against Aadhaar lists the steps.

Why Is the e-Aadhaar Protected With a Password?

The password keeps your personal details private. An e-Aadhaar contains your name, gender, photo, date of birth, address and 12-digit Aadhaar number. Anyone who gets hold of an unprotected copy could misuse it.

The password adds a layer of security every time the file is opened. If you email the PDF to yourself or store it on a shared computer, the file stays locked to anyone who does not know your name and birth year combination.

The e-Aadhaar is also legally valid. It carries a digital signature from UIDAI and has legal status under the Information Technology Act of 2000, so it works the same way as the printed card for most purposes, such as:

• Proof of identity and address when opening a bank account.
• Supporting documents for a passport or driving licence application.
• Access to pensions, subsidies, scholarships and other welfare schemes.
• Identity checks at offices that accept Aadhaar.

You can track where your Aadhaar has been used through Aadhaar authentication history, which is worth checking now and then if you share your e-Aadhaar often.

How to Print a Downloaded e-Aadhaar?

Printing works like any other PDF, as long as you have opened the file with the password first.

Step 1: Open the e-Aadhaar PDF with your password.

Step 2: Click the Print option in your PDF reader.

Step 3: Adjust the print settings, such as paper size and colour.

Step 4: Click Print to get a paper copy of your e-Aadhaar.

A clear colour printout on plain paper is accepted in most places. If you want something sturdier for your wallet, the PVC Aadhaar card is a durable alternative that you can order separately.