If you are habituated to browse through your Play Store in the mobile phone you are bound to have come across the mAadhaar app. This is nothing but the Aadhar card in mobile form. You don’t have to worry about carrying your mobile in your wallet or in your bag. It is right there on your mobile phone and you can access and display it at the click of a button. What is more, it is also extremely simple to handle and it can be used as official proof of identity at any place including trains, flights, airports, offices etc. So what exactly is this mAadhaar app and how does it function?
The mAadhaar App is the official Aadhaar application launched by UIDAI to provide a platform for Aadhaar holders to carry their demographic data and photograph in their smart phones. Yes, you do need a smart phone to download this app, but as you know smart phones these days are quite common. An Aadhaar card holder can add their profile in the app and access it whenever and wherever he wants.
What you need to know about the mAadhaar app
A total of three Aadhaar profiles can be created in the app. The app is well protected by the security password that the user has to enter to open the app every time. This ensures that the Aadhaar data present in the app is not accessed by anyone other than the user himself. Currently, mAadhaar can be installed on all smart phones working on Android 5.0 and above. The IOS variant for Apple mobile phones is yet to be released by UIDAI. Remember, mAadhaar can be installed on all Android phones, however, only profile can be added in the app which is linked with the mobile number being used in the phone. Therefore, if your mobile number is not registered with Aadhaar you will not be able to avail the facility of mAadhaar. The mAadhaar can only be downloaded onto the particular smart phone which has the registered SIM for Aadhar purposes.
How do I install mAadhaar on my Smart Phone?
As stated earlier, the mAadhaar app can be installed only on Android smart phones and is not compatible with Apple IOS system as of now. That system is currently under testing and is expected to be launched shortly. Following are the key steps:
To start the process you need to first install the mAadhaar app from the Google Play story onto your mobile phone. Ensure that your internet connection is robust enough so that there are no disruptions in between. You can even go to the Google Play store and search for mAadhaar or even for UIDAI and you will get this app. Ensure that you only download the mAadhaar app put out by UIDAI since there are several similar sounding apps on Google Play.
Once you install the app, you need to provide required permissions to the app and then set a digital password to secure the app. Ensure that you remember this password off memory. Don’t write down the password at any place. You need to enter the password each time you access the app. Only then your Aadhar card can be accessed. The password is of 4 digits and contains all numerals.
The password is important because it ensures that even if your phone gets into unauthorised hands, your Aadhaar data is not compromised with since that cannot be accessed by anyone without the numeric code. Also, if the wrong numeric code is entered few times, then the app is automatically locked.
Adding you profile to the mAadhaar app
The whole idea of mAadhaar app is to ensure that your profile is mapped to the particular mobile phone. In order to use the app, you will have to first add your profile in the app. The profile will be added only when the mobile number mentioned in Aadhaar is the same that is being used in the smart phone. Otherwise you cannot add your profile to that app. Here are a few steps you need to follow to update your profile in the mAadhaar app.
Once you open the mAadhaar app you will be required to enter your password to login to the app. This will be your 4 digit numerical password that you had set at the time of downloading.
The second step is to select the three dots on the upper right corner of the interface and then you must click on the “Add profile” icon. You can either enter your Aadhaar number or scan the QR code on your Aadhaar card. Both the options are acceptable at this stage. Once you give relevant permissions to the app to access your SMS an OTP is sent to the registered mobile number. In this case, you don’t need to manually enter the OTP (in fact, you cannot enter manually). The app automatically detects the SMS from UIDAI and enters the OTP.
That is the last stage of authentication and once it is over the app will be downloaded including your Aadhaar details on your smart phone. From then on, you can access it anytime you want to use your Aadhaar. The Aadhaar app downloads the front and back side of the Aadhar card and you can click to toggle for showing proof of address over and above proof of identity.
Once the profile is created, can I delete my profile from the smart phone?
Remember that your profile in the mAadhaar app will be deleted automatically once you remove the SIM of from your smart phone. In case you are upgrading your mobile phone or switching your connection, it is always best to delete your profile and uninstall the mAadhaar app as a safety precaution before handing it to someone else. You can always subsequently download it back onto the new system.