The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has announced that the current mAadhaar mobile application will be discontinued soon. According to UIDAI's official announcement on X, the authority stated: "mAadhaar will discontinue soon. Download the new Aadhaar App and experience faster access, smarter features & enjoy services at your fingertips. It is designed to make your Aadhaar experience simpler, and more convenient than ever!" The Aadhaar issuing body has formally asked users to move to the newly launched Aadhaar app as the old application will no longer be available. The transition represents a significant shift in how citizens access and manage their digital identity through the UIDAI platform.
The newly launched Aadhaar app is designed to provide Aadhaar Number Holders with a secure, privacy-first way to carry, share, show and verify their digital identity. As reported by UIDAI, the app includes face verification features for identity checks and proof of presence, allowing users to quickly lock or unlock Aadhaar biometrics directly through the application for better security control. The app also supports QR-based identity verification, reducing the need to hand over physical Aadhaar copies. A key upgrade is selective credential sharing, enabling users to share only specific identity details required for verification instead of exposing complete Aadhaar records. This feature helps improve privacy and ensures Aadhaar numbers are not unnecessarily stored by third parties. The new app can require face authentication or QR verification depending on the service being accessed, a move aimed at reducing misuse and strengthening digital identity security. The app now uses QR codes so you only share what's necessary during verification, preventing full Aadhaar details from being displayed during identity checks.
The new Aadhaar app supports QR-based contact card sharing for easier contact details management and allows management of up to five Aadhaar profiles on a single device, creating a "One Family – One App" experience. According to UIDAI, the app is built for multiple real-life scenarios including hotel check-ins via QR verification, hospital visitor/attendant verification, age verification for cinema ticket bookings, and gig worker and service partner verification. Users can also update their registered mobile number through the app and view their Aadhaar authentication history to track where and when Aadhaar verification was used. The app was dedicated to the nation in January and aligns with the government's broader digital governance push for faster, paperless, and more consent-driven identity verification.
Public adoption of the new Aadhaar App has been strong, with more than 21 million downloads recorded within three months. UIDAI reports that residents are increasingly using the app to update mobile numbers and addresses from anywhere, with over 2.8 million mobile number updates and nearly 600,000 address updates completed so far. The transition involves a more detailed onboarding process than mAadhaar, requiring users to download the official app from verified app stores, select a preferred language, verify mobile number using OTP, and complete face authentication during setup. After creating a PIN or enabling biometric unlock, users must add their Aadhaar number and complete second OTP verification. UIDAI says the multi-step process means identity is confirmed at multiple points instead of relying on a single login method.
The new Aadhaar app is available on both iOS and Android platforms and integrates with everyday services including gig worker verification and administrative procedures. Google has added support for Aadhaar Verifiable Credentials in India, with users able to store and present their digital Aadhaar ID directly through Google Wallet. UIDAI has extended its free online Aadhaar document update service until June 14, 2027, giving residents an additional year to update identity and address documents at no cost through the myAadhaar portal. The free service was originally scheduled to end in June 2026, providing users with an extra year to complete their transitions before the old mAadhaar apps are formally discontinued.
