The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched a new mobile application in its beta phase aimed at enhancing privacy and simplifying Aadhaar verification.
The app allows Aadhaar holders to digitally share only the necessary personal details when availing services, removing the need to carry or submit photocopies of their Aadhaar cards.
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Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, introduced the app via social media, highlighting that it offers users complete control over their data. He compared the ease of Aadhaar verification through the app to the simplicity of UPI payments. “Users can now verify and share Aadhaar details digitally with a tap, while protecting their privacy,” Vaishnaw said.
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A key feature of the app is selective data sharing. For instance, if someone is asked for Aadhaar details to enter a monument, they can choose to share only their name instead of all information on the Aadhaar card. The app also eliminates the need for physical Aadhaar copies, which are often misused or unnecessarily collected.
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The new app is seen as an upgrade to the existing mAadhaar app, which offers basic services like address updates and QR code scanning. This advanced version integrates with AadhaarFaceRD, UIDAI’s facial recognition system, to enable seamless and secure face-based authentication. This method is considered more reliable than fingerprints or iris scans, as facial features are less prone to change and harder to tamper with.
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The initiative aims to solve a major privacy concern regarding the collection of unmasked Aadhaar photocopies, which are frequently misused. It aligns with UIDAI’s ongoing push to make authentication more secure and consent-based.
The app also supports the wider availability of Aadhaar verification QR codes, much like how UPI QR codes are used at payment points.
The app was unveiled during ‘Aadhaar Samvaad’, a stakeholder event in New Delhi that brought together over 750 policymakers, experts, and technologists. All attendees are participating in the app’s beta testing, and their feedback will be used to improve it before a full rollout.
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While Aadhaar use remains voluntary under the Aadhaar Act, 2016, entities can seek permission to use Aadhaar-based authentication if their services align with the public interest, as outlined in recent 2025 amendments to the Aadhaar Authentication Rules.
UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar emphasized that Aadhaar face authentication is rapidly becoming a key component of India’s identity verification infrastructure, with over 150 million transactions processed monthly.
Vaishnaw concluded that the new app will significantly enhance security, protect users from data leaks or forgery, and bring greater trust to Aadhaar-based interactions.