Aadhaar has emerged as one of the most significant identity proofs for each Indian. Aadhaar is important for various reasons, such as opening a bank account or obtaining a mobile SIM. With the importance of Aadhaar increasing, UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) has now released a secure method of accessing your Aadhaar number directly on WhatsApp.

This service is reached via the official MyGov Helpdesk chatbot run by the government. Users can secure download their password-protected digital Aadhaar. The new feature uses a secure download method to ensure the digital Aadhaar is encrypted and can only be accessed by the rightful owner, thanks to DigiLocker integration.

To Download Aadhaar via WhatsApp, you require the following:

  • A mobile number registered with your Aadhaar;
  • An active DigiLocker account (if you don’t have one already, you can create it easily).
  • Save the following MyGov Helpdesk WhatsApp number +91-9013151515.
  • The following will detail how to download your Aadhaar via WhatsApp:
  • Save the above-mentioned MyGov Helpdesk WhatsApp number as a contact saved on your phone as “MyGov Helpdesk.”
  • Launch your WhatsApp and send this MyGov Helpdesk WhatsApp number a “Hi.”
  • When prompted, choose the DigiLocker Services option.
  • Indicate whether you have a DigiLocker account (confirm that you have an active account, and note that the service will only work if you have linked Aadhaar to that DigiLocker account).
  • Provide your Aadhaar number and confirm through the OTP sent to your registered mobile number.
  • Once access is confirmed, the chatbot will populate a list documenting Aadhaar and other linked documents residing in your DigiLocker account.
  • Choose the Aadhaar document and it will be sent to your WhatsApp in a PDF format.

Note: You may only download one document at a time. Only documents that are linked to your DigiLocker account can be used. If your Aadhaar or other documentation is needs linking, you will need to link the documents to your DigiLocker account via the application or the DigiLocker Website before attempting to use it via the WhatsApp service.