Quick answer: Most Aadhaar problems come down to three things: the mobile number linked to Aadhaar, details that do not match your other documents, and biometrics that fail. A missing OTP usually means the OTP is going to an old number, which you fix at an Aadhaar centre. Name, date of birth and gender corrections also need a centre visit, while address can be updated online. For anything unresolved, call UIDAI’s toll-free helpline 1947 or file a grievance on the myAadhaar portal.
Quick fixes at a glance
| Problem | Usual fix |
|---|---|
| OTP not received | Check which mobile is linked; update it at a centre if it is old |
| No mobile number linked | Link one at an Aadhaar centre or through a postman (₹75) |
| Name, date of birth or gender wrong | Correct it at an Aadhaar centre with documents |
| Address wrong or changed | Update online on myAadhaar or in the Aadhaar app, or at a centre |
| Update request rejected | Resubmit with a valid, clear document, or raise a grievance with the request number |
| Fingerprint or face authentication failing | Check whether biometrics are locked; update biometrics at a centre |
| Lost card or forgotten number | Retrieve your number on myAadhaar and download e-Aadhaar |
| Aadhaar not received or enrolment rejected | Check status with your Enrolment ID |
| e-Aadhaar PDF will not open | Use the name-and-birth-year password |
OTP not received
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) sends Aadhaar OTPs only to the mobile number registered with your Aadhaar. If you changed your number and never updated Aadhaar, every OTP goes to the old one.
- Check which number is linked. myAadhaar has a service to check whether your mobile number or email is registered in Aadhaar.
- Check the basics. Make sure the SIM is in the phone, has signal and can receive SMS.
- Update the number if it is wrong. See the next section.
Mobile number not linked or no longer yours
You can update your mobile number at any Aadhaar centre, or through a postman offering the service, without any document and without the old number, according to UIDAI. A separate demographic update such as this costs ₹75.
UIDAI’s Aadhaar app can also update your mobile number, but only if you can still receive an OTP on the old registered number. A mobile number cannot be added to Aadhaar for the first time through the app or online. UIDAI allows up to nine Aadhaar numbers to be linked to one mobile number, so a family can share a number.
Name, date of birth or gender does not match other documents
Mismatches between Aadhaar and your PAN, bank or school records are common, often from spelling or initials. Only address and document updates can be done fully online, so name, date of birth and gender corrections need a visit to an Aadhaar centre with original supporting documents.
- Fee: ₹75 for a separate demographic update; free if done together with a biometric update, according to UIDAI’s published charges.
- Limits: UIDAI’s FAQ says the name can be updated twice and gender once through the normal process. Date of birth also has a limit. Beyond these limits, UIDAI considers requests as exceptions through its regional offices, with supporting documents such as a gazette notification for a name change.
- Before you confirm: check every detail on the operator’s screen, since a typing error at this stage is what usually causes the mismatch in the first place.
Our guide to correcting Aadhaar details at a centre covers documents and limits in detail. An earlier version of this article said a correction takes about 2 days; UIDAI says about 90% of update requests are completed within 30 days.
Address wrong or incomplete
An incomplete or old address can be updated online on myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in or in the Aadhaar app with a proof of address in your own name. If you have no document in your name, a family member living at the same address can approve the change through the head-of-family method. You can also update the address at any Aadhaar centre, where a separate demographic update costs ₹75. In the Aadhaar app, UIDAI’s FAQ lists a ₹75 charge for an address update. The fee is always shown before you pay.
Update request rejected
According to UIDAI, an online address update can be rejected if:
- the document is not on UIDAI’s list of valid supporting documents;
- the document is not in the name of the Aadhaar holder making the request;
- the address you typed does not match the address on the document;
- the uploaded image is not a clear, coloured scan of the original.
Fix the problem and submit a fresh request. If you think the rejection is wrong, or an update has been pending for more than 30 days, file a grievance on myAadhaar quoting your Service Request Number (SRN) or Update Request Number (URN), call 1947, or email help@uidai.gov.in.
Biometric authentication failing
If your fingerprint, iris or face is rejected at a bank, ration shop or other service:
- Check whether your biometrics are locked. A locked biometric returns error code 330. Unlock it temporarily on myAadhaar or in the Aadhaar app, then lock it again afterwards.
- Try another method. Ask whether the service accepts iris, face or OTP authentication instead.
- Update your biometrics. Worn fingerprints or an old photograph can be refreshed at an Aadhaar centre. A biometric update costs ₹125, but it is free for children’s mandatory updates (first update between 5 and 7, and between 15 and 17) and, until 30 September 2027, for children aged 7 to 15.
UIDAI’s FAQ also says there is no limit on how many times you can update your photograph.
Lost card, forgotten number or Aadhaar not received
An earlier version of this article said it is “really difficult” to recover a lost Aadhaar without the number. Today it is straightforward: use Retrieve EID/UID on myAadhaar with your name and registered mobile or email, then download e-Aadhaar free. Without a registered mobile, an Aadhaar centre can find your Aadhaar using your biometrics and print it for ₹40. Read what to do if you lose your Aadhaar card for the full steps.
If you enrolled but nothing has arrived, or your enrolment was rejected, check your status with the 28-digit Enrolment ID on your slip. Our guide on what to do when your Aadhaar has not arrived covers timelines and when re-enrolling is appropriate. UIDAI notifies you by SMS when an enrolment is generated or rejected.
e-Aadhaar PDF will not open
The password is the first four letters of your name as in Aadhaar, in capitals, followed by your year of birth, such as SURE1990. If it still fails, see our e-Aadhaar password guide for edge cases such as initials and short names.
Other errors the original article listed
This article originally listed several data errors that cause problems. Each is fixed by updating Aadhaar:
- Gender or age does not match the photo: correct the gender or date of birth, or update the photo, at an Aadhaar centre.
- Poor-quality photograph: a photo update is a biometric update at a centre.
- Name or address error, or incomplete address: see the name and address sections above.
- Relationship error: raise it at an Aadhaar centre or with UIDAI on 1947, since relationship details are recorded at enrolment.
Aadhaar shows as deactivated
If you are told your Aadhaar is deactivated or suspended, UIDAI advises contacting 1947 or help@uidai.gov.in with your enrolment details to learn the reason, or filing a complaint on myAadhaar with your EID, URN or SRN.
Where to get help
The helpline number in the earlier version of this article (1800-300-1947) is not the number UIDAI lists today. UIDAI’s current channels are:
- 1947 (toll-free): automated self-service 24 hours a day; agents Monday to Saturday 7 am to 11 pm and Sunday 8 am to 5 pm, in 12 languages.
- help@uidai.gov.in for queries and complaints.
- Grievance and Feedback on myAadhaar, where you can also track your complaint.
- Udai, the chatbot on uidai.gov.in, which can check status and raise a grievance.
- UIDAI regional offices, in person or by post.
UIDAI aims to resolve grievances normally within 30 days. Our guide to filing an Aadhaar complaint explains escalation.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change my name or date of birth in Aadhaar online?
No. Only address and document updates can be done fully online. Name, date of birth, gender, email and biometrics need an Aadhaar centre.
Do I have to go back to the centre where I enrolled?
No. UIDAI says you can visit any Aadhaar enrolment or update centre in India.
Will my Aadhaar number change after a correction?
No. Your Aadhaar number stays the same after any update.
Is it safe to give my Aadhaar OTP to someone who calls about a problem?
No. Never read out or forward an Aadhaar OTP to a caller, even one who says they are from UIDAI or a bank. Enter an OTP only on a screen you opened yourself for a service you chose.
This guide was checked in October 2026 against UIDAI’s FAQs on Aadhaar updates, online services and grievance handling, its Aadhaar app FAQ, its Citizen’s Charter and its published charges for Aadhaar Seva Kendras. Charges and limits change, so confirm on the myAadhaar portal before you pay.
