The Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has announced the launch of a dedicated digital platform to streamline access to old EPF accounts. According to reports from Zee News, the portal is named EPF Aadhaar-Based Access Portal for Tracking Inoperative Accounts (E-PRAAPTI) and will provide a streamlined Aadhaar-based authentication mechanism. The platform is designed to enable members to safely access their old EPF accounts that may not have a Universal Account Number (UAN) linked with them and update their member profile after UAN linking and activation. As reported by ETWealth, this new e-portal simplifies the process of consolidating funds from inoperative EPF accounts, helping members locate their old, inoperative EPF accounts and transfer the accumulated balance to their current UAN or settle it. The information regarding the launch of the dedicated digital platform was shared by the Ministry of Labour and Employment in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on July 27, 2026.
The information regarding the launch of the dedicated digital platform was shared by the Ministry of Labour and Employment in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on July 27, 2026. As reported by Mint, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje stated that the portal has been developed to help members identify, track and link old EPF accounts with their UAN. The minister emphasized that the EPFO has developed the e-portal which will enable members to track their inoperative accounts and securely access and transfer their old PF accounts to their active UAN or settle them by providing their Aadhaar-based authentication. According to Zee News, Minister Karandlaje clarified that the portal is designed to help members who have forgotten about old PF accounts created during previous jobs, allowing them to authenticate themselves online and access their old PF accounts without extensive paperwork. When asked by MP Sreekandan whether the government plans to broaden the EPFO e-portal to include members who may not be able to recall their old account details, the Minister clarified that "No such proposal is presently under consideration."
According to the government announcement, the portal will provide a streamlined Aadhaar-based authentication mechanism that will enable members to securely access their old EPF accounts without UAN linking. As reported by Zee News, this will initiate the process of updating their member profile, followed by seamless UAN linking and activation. The platform is expected to reduce manual intervention, minimize documentation, and enhance transparency and efficiency through Aadhaar-based digital authentication and digital submission of Joint Declarations for KYC updates. As reported by Mint, the government clarified that members can authenticate themselves using Aadhaar to access their old PF accounts and either transfer the balance to their active UAN or apply for settlement, making the process faster, more transparent and hassle-free. The portal handles fund transfers and settlements online, with digital submission of joint declarations for KYC updates subject to verification.
The launch of the portal will benefit thousands of EPF subscribers who have accumulated multiple PF accounts over the years after changing jobs and have money lying in these old PF accounts. According to Zee News, the portal will help members to track old or inoperative EPF accounts, authenticate themselves using Aadhaar, securely access their old PF accounts, transfer the balance to their active UAN and settle eligible old PF accounts digitally. The platform is expected to give older EPF members relief with regards to inactive accounts and an opportunity to recover retirement funds. As reported by Mint, the facility is expected to benefit employees who have changed jobs over the years and are unsure whether all their PF accounts have been merged under a single UAN. In many cases, when employees leave an organisation without transferring their PF balance, the old account eventually becomes inoperative, requiring multiple documents, employer verification, and lengthy follow-ups. This digital platform aims to simplify this process by allowing members to authenticate themselves online and access their old PF accounts without extensive paperwork. However, members should note that if they don't remember their old account information, the tool won't be able to fetch it for them.
India has more than 8 crore contributing EPF members, and job changes over the years have resulted in many workers holding multiple PF accounts. Although the Universal Account Number (UAN) system, introduced in 2014, has simplified account portability, many older accounts remain unclaimed or inoperative because they were opened before UAN became mandatory. The new Aadhaar-enabled portal is expected to make it easier for such members to recover these balances digitally without lengthy documentation or repeated visits to EPFO offices. The announcement comes shortly after EPFO began crediting the 8.25% annual interest on EPF deposits for the financial year 2025-26, with subscribers starting to receive SMS notifications confirming that the interest has been credited to their accounts, providing another boost to retirement savings.
