Aadhaar-based KYC is increasingly being used for services like opening a bank account and getting a new mobile connection. To prevent anyone from accessing your biometric data i.e fingerprints and eye scan, from Aadhaar you can lock your biometrics so that no one can access your Aadhaar information without your consent. When you lock access to Aadhaar biometrics data online, you can still continue to use Aadhaar-based authentication using the OTP-based authentication procedures. Only you would not be able to authenticate your finger print/eye scan. This article talks about What does locking your Aadhaar biometrics means? How to lock Aadhaar Biometrics Online? How to unlock Aadhaar Biometrics Online?
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What does locking your Aadhaar biometrics means?
Biometric information refers to the iris, finger prints and facial photograph of which the fingerprint and iris data is to be used for authentication. While enrolling for Aadhaar, you share your biometrics i.e fingerprints and iris scan(eye scan), which are stored with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). In addition, Aadhaar stores the demographic information such as name, address, date of birth/age, gender, mobile number, email address.
One can protect privacy and confidentiality of one’s biometrics data by locking the biometrics data. Once the Biometric is locked, the Aadhaar holder will not be able to use their Biometrics (fingerprints/iris) for authentications and neither can anyone else, thus preventing potential misuse.
Once locked, it will temporarily get unlocked for only ten minutes. It automatically gets locked again. The process is simple and done online.
When you lock access to biometrics data online, you can still continue to use Aadhaar-based authentication using the OTP-based authentication procedures. You will continue to receive OTPs on your registered mobile number or email address even when the biometrics are locked.
How to lock Aadhaar biometrics Data?
Registered Mobile Number is essential to avail this service because OTP(One time password) will be sent to this mobile Number.
- The biometrics can be locked as well as unlocked. But it can only be done online.
- Go to the Aadhaar services tab on UIDAI’s homepage, and click on the Lock/unlock biometrics link.
- This will take you to the page https://resident.uidai.gov.in/biometric-lock.
- Enter your Aadhaar number along with your security code. This code will is generated using a one-time password (OTP), which is sent to your registered mobile number.
- Use this OTP to login and enter another security key to lock the biometrics.
How to lock Aadhaar biometrics
How to unlock Aadhaar biometrics Data?
But what do you do if you have locked your biometrics and want to authenticate an Aadhaar-based KYC at a later time?
For this, you can unlock your biometrics through the same process that is described above. If you have locked your biometrics on Aadhaar, you will get options to either unlock or disable the lock after login.
The unlock option results in temporarily unlocking the biometrics, which leaves it usable for a period of 10/20 minutes. After 10/20 minutes, it will automatically get locked again.
How to disable Aadhaar biometrics Data?
But what do you do if you have locked your biometrics and want to disable locking of the data?
For this, you can disable your biometrics through the same process that is described above. If you have locked your biometrics on Aadhaar, you will get options to either unlock or disable the lock after login.
The disable option results in unlocking the biometrics, which leaves it usable till you lock it again.
What is Aadhaar based biometrics authentication?
aadhaar eKYC authentication
Why is it necessary to lock the Aadhaar based biometrics?
How to lock Aadhaar Biometrics Online?
- Go to the UIDAI website and click on Lock/unlock biometrics link under Aadhaar services. or Go directly to Locking-Unlocking biometrics webpage.
- Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number.
- Enter the security code that shows up on the image below your Aadhaar number.
- Click Generate OTP.
- A one-time password will be sent via an SMS to your registered phone number. Enter the OTP on the same page.
- Click Verify. If the OTP matches, a new web page opens
How to lock Aadhaar biometrics
Enter the security code and Click Enable.
How to enable locking the Aadhaar biometrics
You will see the message saying that your Biometrics is locked
Locking Aadhaar Biometric successful
How to unlock/disable Aadhaar Biometrics Lock Online?
- Go to the UIDAI website and click on Lock/unlock biometrics link under Aadhaar services. or Go directly to Locking-Unlocking biometrics webpage.
- Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number.
- Enter the security code that shows up on the image below your Aadhaar number.
- Click Generate OTP.
- A one-time password will be sent via an SMS to your registered phone number. Enter the OTP.
- Click Verify.
- If the OTP matches, a new web page opens. Click Enable Biometrics Locking checkbox
- Click on Unlock as shown in the image below. (For Disabling this locking and unlocking click on Disable)
How to unlock Aadhaar biometrics
- You will see a message saying as shown in the image below
Aadhaar Biometrics unlocked
This YouTube video shows how to lock Aaadhar biometrics online
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This is an extremely well written article.Thanks for your effort.
Hi,
Informative Blog. Well thanks for sharing such a nice blog on how to lock unlock aadhaar biometrics data through online.