After enrolling for an Aadhaar card, you can download an electronic copy of the Aadhaar from UIDAI’s official website as well as many apps on mobile. This electronic copy, or e-Aadhaar, is a password-protected copy of the physical card. To know the process of e-Aadhaar card download, in case you have misplaced your Aadhaar or want to keep an e-Aadhaar, check out this step-by-step guide. Read on!
You can download Aadhaar online in multiple ways. Here are a few of them:
In case you didn’t know, you can download your Aadhaar Card with your Aadhaar number. Follow these steps to know the end-to-end e-Aadhaar download with mobile number,
Visit UIDAI’s official website and go to ‘My Aadhaar’. Select ‘Download Aadhaar’ from the dropdown menu.
From the dropdown menu select ‘Download Aadhaar’. Upon selecting, you will be redirected to a new page. Click on “Download Aadhaar”
Provide your 12-digit Aadhaar Number, enter the CAPTCHA as given and click on ‘Send OTP’.
Enter the OTP that you have received in your registered mobile number. Click on ‘Verify and Download’. You can now download your Aadhaar card.
Note that the downloadable e-Aadhaar will come password protected. Your password would be the first four letters of your name (in the capital) and your year of birth.
Follow these steps to download Aadhaar online with enrolment ID:
Step 1: Go to the official website of UIDAI.
Step 2: Select “Download Aadhaar” from the “My Aadhaar” drop-down. Click on Download Aadhaar.
Step 3: Select the “Enrolment ID” option to proceed. Enter your 28-digit enrolment ID and the security code visible on the screen to obtain an OTP.
Step 4: Enter the OTP received and click on “Verify and Download.” Once verified, your e-Aadhaar will be downloaded.
Note that individuals can find their Aadhaar Enrolment ID or EID on an acknowledgement slip received during registration. In case an individual loses or forgets this ID, they can retrieve it from the official website of UIDAI.
Also Read: How To Download An Aadhaar Card Using Name And Date Of Birth?
Here’s how you can download Aadhaar online using a virtual ID.
Step 1: Visit UIDAI’s official website.
Step 2: From the “My Aadhaar” drop-down, select “Download Aadhaar”.
Step 3: Select the option to download an electronic copy of the Aadhaar.
Step 4: Navigate to “Virtual ID” and click on it.
Step 5: Enter the 16-digit virtual ID and the security code as mentioned in the box.
Step 6: After clicking on the “Send OTP” option, you will get an OTP on your phone number that is registered with UIDAI.
Step 7: Type in the OTP and click on “Verify and Download.”
Step 8: After successful verification, your e-Aadhaar will be downloaded.
To follow the aforementioned procedure, one needs to generate a virtual ID. In this regard, registering a mobile number with Aadhaar is necessary. After successful registration, residents can generate a virtual ID from the UIDAI official website.
Another convenient way to download an e-Aadhaar is via the mAadhaar app. Follow these steps:
Also Read: How To Download The mAadhaar App?
This is another e-Aadhaar card download app issued by UIDAI where users can link their Aadhaar card and download the electronic copies of their documents. Here are the steps to download an e-Aadhaar via this app:
Note that the number you are using to open the DigiLocker account should be the same one your Aadhaar is linked with.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) came up with the UMANG app to assist cardholders in accessing e-Governance services. The application is linked with the digital service platform of DigiLocker.
Therefore, to download an Aadhaar card or an electronic copy of it, you need to register yourself and log into your account first. After that, the steps are pretty much similar to what you follow while using the DigiLocker app. Once you are done downloading the PDF copy, go ahead and print it by following the steps mentioned below:
These are the 6 ways you can download your Aadhaar card online via the UIDAI website and mobile apps. Most of the time, the Aadhaar card you download is masked. This means that the Aadhaar card is password protected and the contents are revealed after unlocking it. Let’s check how to download a masked Aadhaar card in the next section.
Here are the steps you can follow to download a masked Aadhaar card from the official website of UIDAI.
Step 1: Visit the official portal of UIDAI. Navigate to the ‘My Aadhaar’ section.
Step 2: Click on the ‘Aadhar Card Download’ option.
Step 3: Type in your 12-digit Aadhaar number and choose the ‘Masked Aadhaar’ option.
Step 4: Enter the CAPTCHA code for verification and click on ‘Send OTP’.
Step 5: Type in the OTP received on your registered mobile number.
Step 6: Click on the Download option to get your masked Aadhaar card.
If you have forgotten your enrolment number (or virtual ID), don’t worry. Here’s how to retrieve it using your name and date of birth.
In case you have forgotten your enrolment number or virtual ID, your name and DOB can help you to obtain the Enrolment Number or Virtual ID. Additionally, in case you ever lose your Aadhaar card, you can retrieve the lost Aadhaar card number or Enrolment Number online using these details. Here are the steps you can follow:
Step 1: Go to the Retrieve Lost or Forgotten EID/UID page on UIDAI’s online portal.
Step 2: Select either the ‘Enrolment ID (EID)’ or ‘Aadhaar No (UID)’ button as per your preference.
Step 3: Provide your full name and registered mobile number or Email ID.
Step 4: Submit the CAPTCHA code and select ‘Send OTP’.
Step 5: Provide the one-time password to receive your EID or UID.
Once you acquire your EID or UID, you can use the same procedure mentioned in the section above to download an Aadhaar card.
You can view your Aadhaar card on the mAadhaar mobile application. You have to download the app on your smartphone and create a profile by using your Aadhaar number. Here are the steps for registration:
Step 1: Open the mAadhaar app and select the ‘Register Aadhaar’ option on the main dashboard.
Step 2: Create a PIN or a password for your profile and make sure to memorise it.
Step 3: Type in your Aadhaar number and enter the CAPTCHA code.
Step 4: You will receive an OTP on your registered mobile number via SMS. Enter the OTP to complete your registration.Step 5: Now, you can check your Aadhaar number anytime by opening the mAadhaar app and clicking on the Aadhaar profile tab.
Here are a few things to keep in mind while downloading your Aadhaar card:
Downloading the Aadhaar card online has now become easy and hassle-free. The website and the Apps are user-friendly and take just a few minutes to complete the process. Try any of the 6 methods mentioned above to get access to a physical copy as well as get your e-Aadhaar copy.
Ans: From availing subsidies to filing Income Tax Returns, your Aadhaar card works as a necessary document for verification purposes. Having an e-Aadhaar with your name is very convenient as you do not have to carry the physical copy every time you opt for any of these services.
Ans: You can visit UIDAI’s official website to ‘Order Aadhaar Reprint’ by using your Aadhaar number, Enrolment Number or Virtual ID. However, you have to bear a charge of Rs.50 (inclusive of GST and speed post charges) for that.
Ans: In case an individual loses the Aadhaar card, he/she can raise a request for a PVC Aadhaar card online. However, for this service, one has to pay a nominal fee. Applicants who do not have their phone numbers registered with UIDAI can also opt for this.
Ans: Yes, the UMANG app is an initiative of the Government of India and is equipped with user-friendly features to assist individuals. Both Android users and iOS users can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple Store, respectively, to avail of the services of e-Governance.
Ans: You can use any PDF reader such as Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Edge to open your downloaded e-Aadhaar copy. Note that even to print it, you need to use such software and get it done.
Ans: No, e-Aadhaar download is only possible if you have a registered mobile number with UIDAI. An OTP generation option will be present when you download the electronic copy of Aadhaar by using your Aadhaar number, enrolment ID or virtual ID. By clicking on this option, one needs to verify the OTP received on a registered mobile number and proceed to the downloading process. Without a registered mobile number, this would not be possible.
Ans: You can get a physical copy of your Aadhaar card even if you do not have a registered mobile number. Here are the steps to follow:
a) Visit the nearest Aadhaar Enrolment Center.
b) You will need to provide biometric details for verification.
c) Provide your Aadhaar number and furnish the necessary documents, for example, your voter ID card, if required.
d) The authorized person will hand over the Aadhaar printout.
Ans: If you are planning to take a printout of your e-Aadhaar, you might want to consider following these steps:
Step 1: Enter the 8-digit password to view your e-Aadhaar. This password consists of the first four initials of your name and your birth year.
Step 2: Now you can download your Aadhaar in pdf format from UIDAI’s official website.
Step 3: Finally, to print your Aadhaar card online, click on the “Print” option.
Ans: This latest feature present on the UIDAI website allows citizens to hide their Aadhaar card details in the downloaded e-Aadhaar. Here, the initial 8-digits of the Aadhaar number are hidden, and the four digits in the end are visible. The first 8-digits are available in the format of “XXXX-XXXX”.
Before you go…
Disclaimer: Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme-related documents carefully.
This article has been prepared on the basis of internal data, publicly available information and other sources believed to be reliable. The information contained in this article is for general purposes only and not a complete disclosure of every material fact. It should not be construed as investment advice to any party. The article does not warrant the completeness or accuracy of the information, and disclaims all liabilities, losses and damages arising out of the use of this information. Readers shall be fully liable/responsible for any decision taken on the basis of this article.