How to securely unlock Aadhaar biometrics; step-by-step guide

Aadhaar is a 12-digit individual identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India on behalf of the Government of India.

This number serves as proof of your identity and address anywhere in India.

You can obtain your Aadhaar either through a physical letter delivered by India Post or by downloading an e-Aadhaar from the UIDAI website.

The Aadhaar card is now mandatory for various purposes in India, such as for banking and interacting with government organisations. 

To ensure the security of your Aadhaar data, it is crucial to utilise the biometric lock feature.

This feature enables you to deactivate biometric authentication for your Aadhaar card, preventing the use of your fingerprint and iris scan data for identity verification.

There are situations where you might need to unlock your Aadhaar biometric.

For instance, if you have temporarily locked it for security reasons, you will need to unlock it to access Aadhaar authentication services.

Here are the step-by-step instructions for unlocking your Aadhaar biometric through the online Aadhaar portal:

1. Visit the official website of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
2. On the homepage, navigate to the "Aadhaar Services" section.
3. Choose the "Lock/Unlock Biometrics" option from the dropdown menu.
4. You will be directed to the "Lock/Unlock Biometrics" page, where you will be asked to enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number.
5. Below the Aadhaar number field, you will see a security code. Type the characters displayed in the image or the provided text in the security code box.
6. Click on the "Send OTP" button.
7. You will receive a One-Time Password (OTP) on your registered mobile number. Check your mobile for the OTP and enter it in the designated field on the webpage.
8. After entering the OTP, click on the "Submit" or "Unlock" button to initiate the process of unlocking your biometrics.

If you have followed the steps correctly and entered the correct OTP, your Aadhaar biometrics will be unlocked.

You will receive a confirmation message on the website, and you may also receive an SMS on your registered mobile number confirming the successful unlocking of your biometric data.

It is important to exercise caution when unlocking your Aadhaar biometric data and to relock it when not in use to enhance security.