Your Aadhar number, a 12-digit unique identity number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), plays a crucial role in the lives of Indian citizens, serving as a proof of identity and address.

As the usage of Aadhar expands across various services and transactions, securing your Aadhar biometric details, which includes fingerprint mapping, facial recognition, and retina scans to determine your identity, becomes imperative.

Recently, details of 81.5 crore Indian citizens were reportedly put up for sale on the dark web, including Aadhaar and passport details, names, phone numbers and addresses. Leaks such as this may put critical information, including bank accounts, about users at risk.

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This article provides a detailed guide on how to lock and unlock your Aadhar biometric details, ensuring the safety of your personal information.

Why Lock Your Aadhar Biometric Details?

Biometric data associated with your Aadhar includes fingerprints and iris scans, utilized for authentication purposes. Locking your biometric details adds an additional layer of security, safeguarding your information from potential misuse. This is especially vital in light of increasing incidents of scammers targeting the Aadhar payment system to drain bank accounts.

Benefits of Locking Your Aadhar Biometric Details:

1. Enhanced Security: Adds an extra layer of security, protecting your personal information from unauthorized access.
2. Prevents Misuse: Helps in preventing the misuse of your biometric data for fraudulent activities.
3. Peace of Mind: Provides peace of mind and confidence in using Aadhar for various services.

How to Lock Your Aadhar Biometric Details

Locking your Aadhar biometric details is a vital step in protecting your identity. We will go through how to do that step by step. However, you first need to generate a virtual ID that you can use instead of your Aadhar number. Here are the steps:

Generate a 16-digit Virtual ID (VID)

Before proceeding to lock/unlock your Aadhar, you need to generate a 16-digit Virtual ID (VID), as only VID has the capability to lock/unlock Aadhar. You can generate your VID using the “Generate Virtual ID” service from the UIDAI Dashboard or by sending an SMS to 1947 in the format: RVID [last 4 or 8 digits of UID] (e.g., RVID 1234). You can generate this ID on the website https://myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/genericGenerateOrRetriveVID.

Lock Your Aadhar with VID

Remember, once your Aadhar is locked, you will need to authenticate with your VID whenever necessary, as using your Aadhar number for authentication will be disabled. Once you have generated your VID, return to the UIDAI website and proceed to lock your Aadhar using your VID by following these steps:

1. Visit the Official UIDAI Website: Navigate to the “Aadhar Services” section.
2. Select ‘Lock/Unlock Biometrics’: Click on the “Lock/Unlock Biometrics” option.
3. Enter Your VID: Input your 16-digit VID in the designated field.
4. Verify Your Identity: Verify your identity by entering the security code sent to your registered mobile number.
5. Lock Your Biometrics: Confirm to lock your biometrics and ensure all details are correct before proceeding.
6. Save the Confirmation: Save the confirmation message received after locking your biometrics for future reference.

Unlock Your Aadhar with VID

Unlocking your Aadhar biometric details is as straightforward as locking them. Here's how:

1. Visit the UIDAI Website: Navigate back to the ‘Aadhar Services’ section.
2. Select ‘Lock/Unlock Biometrics’: Click on the ‘Lock/Unlock Biometrics’ option.
3. Enter Your VID: Input your 16-digit VID.
4. Verify Your Identity: Enter the security code sent to your registered mobile number to verify your identity.
5. Unlock Your Biometrics: Proceed to unlock your biometrics.
6. Save the Confirmation: Save the confirmation message received after unlocking your biometrics.

Securing your Aadhar biometric details is crucial in today's digital age, where identity theft and fraudulent activities are prevalent. By following the steps outlined here, you can ensure that your biometric data is protected, providing you with peace of mind and safeguarding your personal information.

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