How to Lock and Unlock Aadhaar Biometrics Online
Locking your Aadhaar biometrics stops anyone from using your fingerprints, iris or face for Aadhaar authentication, even if they get hold of your biometric data. It’s a free, simple way to protect yourself from biometric fraud such as AePS withdrawals. You can unlock them temporarily whenever you need to use biometrics yourself.
How to lock your Aadhaar biometrics
- Go to myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in and log in with your Aadhaar number and OTP.
- Select Lock/Unlock Biometrics.
- Read the notes, tick the confirmation box and click Next.
- Choose Lock Biometric and confirm. You’ll see a success message.
You can also do this in the official Aadhaar app / mAadhaar app under the biometric lock option.
How to unlock biometrics (temporarily or permanently)
- Log in to myAadhaar and open Lock/Unlock Biometrics.
- Choose Unlock. A temporary unlock lasts about 10 minutes, enough for a fingerprint-based transaction, after which the lock switches back on automatically.
- To remove the lock completely, choose the option to disable biometric locking.
When you’ll need to unlock
- Fingerprint-based bank cash withdrawal (AePS) or ration (PDS) collection
- Biometric verification for a new SIM or at some government offices
- Updating details at an Aadhaar centre
Biometric lock vs Aadhaar lock
| Biometric lock | Aadhaar (UID) lock | |
|---|---|---|
| What it blocks | Fingerprint, iris and face authentication | All authentication using your Aadhaar number |
| What still works | OTP-based authentication | Authentication using your Virtual ID (VID) |
| Need to unlock with | OTP on myAadhaar / app | Your VID and OTP |
Frequently asked questions
Is locking Aadhaar biometrics safe?
Yes. It’s a UIDAI security feature. It doesn’t affect OTP-based uses of Aadhaar and can be unlocked at any time.
Do I need my registered mobile number?
Yes. Locking and unlocking both need an OTP on the mobile number registered with Aadhaar.
Related guides
Official link: myAadhaar – Lock/Unlock Biometrics. Also see how to check where your Aadhaar was used. Easy Guide India is not affiliated with UIDAI.