What is mAadhaar App?

The UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) has launched mAadhaar App. It is an Aadhaar centric mobile app for Android and iOS devices. This app helps you access your personal Aadhaar details on the mobile phone. The intention of this app is to ease the access of users to their Aadhaar information. If you download mAadhaar app, you do not need to carry the hardcopy of the document for identification all the time. As the app provides a soft copy of the card, you are good to go.

The new version of this app has added features such as ‘Aadhaar Services Dashboard’ and ‘My Aadhaar Section:

1. Aadhaar Services Dashboard (ASD)

You can use ASD for online services related to your Aadhaar. You can apply for a new Aadhaar card from here and check your authentication history. For new Aadhaar Card application, go to ‘Order Aadhaar Print’ and enter Aadhaar details for verification. Now pay the asked fee to get the new card on your registered address. You can also use the app to unlock or lock your biometric data or receive One Time Password (OTP) on the app. But this type of OTP is valid only for 30 seconds.

2. My Aadhaar Section

This section contains details of your Aadhaar and personal information such as your photograph, full name, and date of birth, gender, and address. It is possible to add profiles of other holders of Aadhaar here as well. Through this app, you can virtually share your Aadhaar information via a QR code. This code is only generated for a short time.

Information in mAadhaar App

For now, this app is only available to smartphone users. After downloading the app, Aadhaar details such as your name, registered phone number, gender, address, photograph, etc gets stored on the app. So if any service provider asks for these details, you can simply open the mAadhaar app and supply this information. You do not necessarily have to then refer to the original Aadhaar card for this purpose.

Download mAadhaar App for Your Smartphone

Here are the steps to download the app:

• 1. To download the app for free, visit - www.play.google.com/store
• 2. Type mAadhaar in the search box and click the search button
• 3. Now choose mAadhaar UIDAI App
• 4. To download the app, click ‘Install’
• 5. Open the app once it is installed on your device
• 6. When the app loads, you will see a message ‘Create a password before importing your Aadhaar profile on this mobile’
• 7. Now, provide a password

How to Link Aadhaar Number with mAadhaar App?

After downloading mAadhaar app, link your Aadhaar number with it. This will allow you to access the Aadhaar details on your mobile phone. Steps for the linking purpose are mentioned below:

• After opening the app, enter the password
• Provide your Aadhaar number to create your profile
• You can also scan the barcode on your Aadhaar Card instead
• Click ‘Verify’ at the bottom of the screen
• It is advised that you do not navigate from the page until the verification completes
• Once the details match, you will receive an OTP on your registered mobile number
• The OTP will get automatically entered in the box. You need not type it out
• After this step, you will see your Aadhaar profile. The profile will include details such as your gender, name, residential address, registered phone number, and other information

Steps to View Your Profile on mAadhaar

Here is how you can view your profile on the app:

• Open the app and enter the correct password
• On the profile page, flip through the details
• If you forget the password, click ‘Reset Password’ at the end of the screen
• Now provide a new password to get access to your profile

Steps to delete mAadhaar Profile

You can delete your profile from this app. Here are the steps to it:

• Access the app and open your profile
• Click the drop down menu. At the top-right of the screen choose ‘Delete Profile’
• Enter the password to authenticate access
• The authentication process is also a preventive measure, in case you click the delete option by mistake
• After this step, your profile will get deleted

What Are the Benefits of mAadhaar App?

Here are some of the reasons as to why use this app:

• The app does away with the need of carrying a physical copy of Aadhaar. The soft copy on the app is enough for identification or details purposes.
• You can share the Aadhaar data at a third-party application through QR code, NFC, barcode, or email the details.
• You can use this app to lock and unlock your biometrics data. After enabling locking of biometric on the app, no one can access the biometric data on your Aadhaar unless you unlock it.
• You can use your Aadhaar details from the app to complete the eKYC process for financial transactions at a bank. You can also share the eKYC information with a service provider.
• The app is secured as it has TOPT (time-based one-time password) feature and not the ‘SMS-based OTP’ feature.