Last Updated on September 19, 2026 by Gaurav Kumar
To download your e-Aadhaar, visit the official myAadhaar portal, choose Download Aadhaar, enter the requested details and verify the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-registered mobile number. You can then save the password-protected PDF. If your PDF will not open, you cannot receive the OTP, or your Aadhaar details need updating, use the relevant section below to find your next step.
Protect your information: Enter your Aadhaar details only through official UIDAI services. Never share an OTP with a caller or someone offering to download or update Aadhaar for you. This is an independent informational guide, not a UIDAI service.
What Is e-Aadhaar?
e-Aadhaar is a password-protected electronic copy of Aadhaar, digitally signed by the Unique Identification Authority of India—UIDAI. You can download it as a PDF and keep a digital copy or print it when needed.
Aadhaar is the 12-digit identification number issued by UIDAI; it is not limited to the physical letter or card. Aadhaar is also not proof of citizenship.
According to UIDAI’s e-Aadhaar guidance, e-Aadhaar is equally valid as a physical copy for all purposes. A particular service may still have additional eligibility or verification requirements.
What You Need Before Downloading
For the myAadhaar website’s OTP-based download process, keep these ready:
- Your Aadhaar number, Enrolment ID—EID—or Virtual ID—VID. Enter the identifier and any additional details requested by the portal.
- Access to your Aadhaar-registered mobile number, where the download OTP is sent.
- An internet-connected device with enough space to save the PDF.
- A trusted PDF reader to open the downloaded document.
If you have recently enrolled, your Aadhaar must have been generated before you can download it. An enrolment acknowledgement alone does not mean the document is ready.
How to Download e-Aadhaar Online
Step 1: Open the Official Portal
Visit myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in directly and select Download Aadhaar. You can also reach the service through UIDAI’s official website.
Check the website address before entering personal information. Avoid sponsored or unofficial pages that ask you to upload identity documents just to obtain a download.
Step 2: Enter Your Details
Choose the available option for your Aadhaar number, EID or VID. Enter the details and complete the security check shown on the page.
If you use an EID, copy the requested information carefully from your enrolment acknowledgement.
Step 3: Complete OTP Verification
Request the OTP and enter the code received on your Aadhaar-registered mobile number. Follow the on-screen instructions if the code expires or you need to request another one.
An OTP should be entered only in the official process you initiated—not read out to another person.
Step 4: Choose Masked Aadhaar if Appropriate
Where the download flow offers a masked Aadhaar option, select it if you want the first eight digits of your Aadhaar number hidden.
Check whether masked Aadhaar meets the recipient’s legitimate verification requirements before sharing it.
Step 5: Download and Save the PDF
Complete the download and save the document somewhere you can find it securely. Open it using the password format explained below.
UIDAI may change screen layouts or button labels. Follow the current official instructions if the interface differs from this guide.
What Is the e-Aadhaar PDF Password?
The standard password combines the first four letters of your name in capitals with your birth year in YYYY format. Use your name as recorded in Aadhaar.
Names with fewer than four letters or with initials can cause confusion. UIDAI provides these examples:
| Name on Aadhaar | Birth year | PDF password |
|---|---|---|
| SURESH KUMAR | 1990 | SURE1990 |
| SAI KUMAR | 1990 | SAIK1990 |
| P. KUMAR | 1990 | P.KU1990 |
| RIA | 1990 | RIA1990 |
These are illustrative examples published in the official e-Aadhaar FAQs.
If the Password Does Not Work
- Check the English spelling of your name in Aadhaar.
- Use capital letters and the four-digit birth year.
- Check for accidental spaces when typing or pasting.
- Compare your name format with UIDAI’s examples, especially if it includes initials.
- If the file appears incomplete or damaged, download it again from the official portal.
Do not upload your Aadhaar PDF to an unknown password-removal website.
Password protection is not a guarantee of privacy. Someone who knows your name and birth year may be able to work out the password, so protect the file itself.
What Is Masked Aadhaar?
Masked Aadhaar hides the first eight digits of the Aadhaar number and displays only the last four. It helps limit exposure of the full number when a document is shared.
However, masking does not make the document anonymous. It still contains personal information, including your name, photograph and address, along with a QR code used for verification.
Before sharing any Aadhaar copy:
- Confirm who is requesting it and why.
- Ask whether masked Aadhaar or another accepted document will meet the requirement.
- Use the organisation’s legitimate submission channel.
- Avoid sharing more information than the process needs.
Can You Download Aadhaar Through an App?
Yes. UIDAI provides mobile services, but the myAadhaar portal, mAadhaar app and newer Aadhaar App are different channels. Their onboarding and available services should not be treated as identical.
| Channel | What to know |
|---|---|
| myAadhaar | The official website for downloads and other online services. Its standard download flow uses an OTP sent to the registered mobile number. |
| mAadhaar | A mobile app referenced in UIDAI’s e-Aadhaar download FAQs. Follow its current instructions. |
| Aadhaar App | The newer app promoted on UIDAI’s website. Listed services include e-Aadhaar download, mobile-number and address updates, biometric locking and request tracking. |
UIDAI describes the newer app’s onboarding as including SIM selection, face authentication and creation of a six-digit PIN. Individual services may have additional requirements.
Use the download links on UIDAI’s official website to find the genuine app. Do not install an APK sent through a message or assume that an app is official because “Aadhaar” appears in its name.
Which Aadhaar Details Can You Update Online?
The available route depends on what you want to change, the service channel and whether you can complete its verification requirements.
| Your task | Where to start | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Change your address | Address Update on myAadhaar or the newer Aadhaar App | Follow the supported document-based or Head of Family process and its requirements. |
| Submit supporting identity and address documents | Document Update on myAadhaar | This is not the same as requesting a change to your name or address. |
| Update your mobile number | Check the newer Aadhaar App’s current mobile-update service and requirements | If you cannot complete the supported process, use an authorised centre. |
| Correct your name, date of birth or other demographic details | Check UIDAI’s current instructions; an authorised centre may be required | Documentary requirements and update limits depend on the field. |
| Update fingerprints, iris data or the photograph in the Aadhaar record | An authorised Aadhaar enrolment/update centre | Face authentication in an app is not a replacement for updating stored biometric information. |
Document Update vs Address Update
Choose Document Update when you need to submit supporting identity and address documents for your existing Aadhaar details.
Choose Address Update when the address recorded in Aadhaar needs to change.
For example, if you have moved home, uploading documents through Document Update should not be assumed to change your address. Use the specific address-change service.
Fees and Free-Service Deadlines
As checked on 19 September 2026:
- UIDAI’s website displays a ₹75 fee for Address Update.
- UIDAI has extended the fee waiver for Document Update through the myAadhaar portal until 14 June 2027.
These are different services. A free Document Update does not mean every Aadhaar correction or centre-based service is free.
Check the current official fee information before proceeding, and obtain an acknowledgement or receipt when applicable.
Download Again After an Update Is Approved
Keep your update acknowledgement and reference number. Use Check Update Status on the official service to track the request.
Once the change is approved and reflected in your Aadhaar record, download a fresh e-Aadhaar. A PDF saved before the update will not change automatically.
Common Download Problems and What to Do
The OTP Has Not Arrived
Check that you can receive SMS on the number registered with Aadhaar. Check your mobile signal, confirm the entered details and use the portal’s resend option according to its instructions.
Avoid requesting multiple codes rapidly.
If you no longer control the registered number, follow the guidance below instead of repeatedly attempting the same download.
You No Longer Have Access to the Registered Mobile Number
You cannot complete the website’s standard registered-mobile OTP process without access to that number.
UIDAI now lists a mobile-number update service in the newer Aadhaar App. Check its current verification requirements rather than assuming that either a centre visit or an app update is always possible in every situation.
If you cannot complete the available digital process, contact UIDAI or visit an authorised centre.
Do not use someone offering to “bypass” OTP verification.
You Have Forgotten Your Aadhaar Number or EID
Use Retrieve Lost or Forgotten EID/UID through the myAadhaar portal.
Follow the current instructions using the required name and registered contact details.
Name and date of birth alone should not be treated as sufficient for online recovery. If you cannot access the required contact number or email, contact UIDAI for the appropriate alternative.
The Download Still Shows Old Details
Check whether the update was approved, not merely submitted. Then download a new copy and make sure you are opening that file rather than an older PDF from your downloads folder.
Do not edit the PDF yourself to make it appear updated.
The PDF Shows a Digital-Signature Warning
A viewer may not automatically validate the document’s digital signature. Do not assume the warning proves the document is fake—or ignore it without checking.
UIDAI recommends Adobe Reader for viewing digitally verified e-Aadhaar and provides a signature-validation tutorial through its e-Aadhaar FAQs.
Follow the official instructions and keep the original downloaded file unchanged.
Privacy Tools and Safe Sharing
Lock Your Biometrics When Appropriate
UIDAI’s biometric-locking service blocks Aadhaar authentication using fingerprints, iris and face while the biometrics are locked.
It does not mean that every OTP-based or other Aadhaar-related process is disabled.
Biometric locking and locking the Aadhaar number are separate services.
Read the official biometric-locking guidance and understand how to unlock when you need biometric authentication.
Review Authentication History
UIDAI’s Authentication History service lets you view authentication records from the last six months, with up to 50 records displayed at one time.
Select a narrower date range to inspect additional records. Records can include the authentication method, timestamp, agency and success or failure result.
They do not form a complete history of every photocopy, offline presentation or sharing of your Aadhaar document.
If you find an unfamiliar transaction, note its reference details and contact the relevant authentication agency or UIDAI.
See the official Authentication History FAQs.
Store the PDF Carefully
- Protect your phone or computer with a screen lock and current security updates.
- If you use cloud storage, secure the account and avoid public sharing links.
- Verify recipients before emailing or uploading the document.
- Avoid sending Aadhaar details through public comments, social-media posts or unverified forms.
- On a shared computer, sign out and remove downloaded copies when finished.
- Never share an OTP, app PIN or screen access with someone claiming to provide support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is e-Aadhaar legally valid?
Yes. UIDAI states that e-Aadhaar is equally valid as a physical copy of Aadhaar for all purposes. A service provider may still require its prescribed verification process and other relevant documents.
Can I print my downloaded Aadhaar?
Yes. You can print the PDF when you need a paper copy. Keep the text, photograph and QR code clear, and do not alter the document’s details.
Does downloading e-Aadhaar change my Aadhaar number?
No. Downloading creates a copy of your Aadhaar document; it does not issue a new Aadhaar number or submit an update request.
Can I download e-Aadhaar using my EID?
UIDAI lists the Enrolment ID as a supported download option. Your Aadhaar must already have been generated, and you must complete the verification required by the download service.
Is masked Aadhaar completely private?
No. It hides the first eight digits of the Aadhaar number, but other personal details remain visible. Share it only when necessary and through a legitimate channel.
Do I need to pay an agent to download Aadhaar?
No agent is required to use UIDAI’s official download service. If you need help, use UIDAI support or an authorised centre rather than giving your OTP or documents to an unknown intermediary.
Need Help? Use Official UIDAI Support
For unresolved download, recovery or update issues:
- Call the UIDAI helpline: 1947.
- Use the grievance service linked from uidai.gov.in.
- Find an authorised Aadhaar centre through UIDAI’s website and check appointment availability where offered.
Keep your relevant acknowledgement or request number available, but do not publish it—or your Aadhaar number—in public messages.
Start with the service you actually need: download a copy, recover your number, open a PDF or update a specific detail. Using the correct official process will help you avoid unnecessary applications, payments and disclosure of personal information.
Service availability, fees and verification requirements can change. Follow the latest UIDAI instructions if they differ from this guide.