With Aadhaar becoming a significant document for almost everything connected to the Government and utilities, safety of the information gains paramount importance. Biometric authentication is one of the safeguards built into Aadhaar . Though the transaction or authentication may not go through without biometric authentication, it is advised to open the biometric authentication only when needed.
There are three ways to do it.
Option 1: UIDAI mAadhaar app
The first is the
Once you install the mAadhaar app and login, there are two ways to lock or unlock biometrics.
1. The first one is to click on the Biometrics Unlocked notification at the bottom.
2. You will be asked for the mAadhaar password.
3. Once authenticated (once again with an OTP sent and read automatically), your biometrics will be locked. You will not be able to do any transaction now.
Whenever you have to transact using biometric authentication, you will have to follow the same process. You will have to log in to the mAadhaar app and click on the Biometrics Locked - Unlock biometrics notification. The biometrics will be unlocked once you enter your password. The app may also send an OTP and read it while toggling biometrics lock.
Option 2: Use the toggle button in mAadhaar
1. The other way to lock or unlock biometrics is to click on the three dots on the top right of the mAadhaar app.
2. Clicking on Enable Biometric Lock can be toggled here.
3. When you click on the toggle button, the app will send an OTP to the mobile and automatically read it.
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Option 3: Through the UIDAI official website
Another way is through the UIDAI website. Go to the biometric lock/unlock section here: https://resident.uidai.gov.in/biometric-lock
1. Once you give your Aadhaar number and the security code, you will be sent an OTP.
2. Enter the OTP or TOTP (generated from the mAadhaar app).
3. You will be taken to the page that shows whether your Aadhaar is locked or unlocked.
4. You will be able to unlock (if locked) or lock (if unlocked) from this page.
5.Once you unlock the Aadhaar, it will be unlocked for ten minutes.
6. It will get locked automatically after 10 minutes.