How to Check Your EPF Balance (UAN, Passbook, SMS)

You can check your EPF balance in four official ways: log in with your UAN at the EPFO passbook portal (passbook.epfindia.gov.in), use the UMANG app under EPFO services, send the SMS “EPFOHO UAN ENG” to 7738299899, or give a missed call to 9966044425 from your registered mobile. Every method depends on your Universal Account Number (UAN) being activated and linked to your current mobile number. The passbook and app show your full transaction history, while the SMS and missed-call options work even without a smartphone or internet.

Your Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is a long-term retirement saving to which both you and your employer contribute every month, and it earns interest declared by the government each year. Keeping an eye on the balance helps you confirm that your employer is depositing contributions on time and that transfers from old jobs have gone through. The best part is that you no longer need to visit an EPFO office or depend on your HR department; all four methods below are self-service and official.

First, make sure your UAN is active

The UAN is a 12-digit number issued by the EPFO that ties together all your PF accounts across different jobs, so you keep the same number even when you change employers. Your employer usually shares it, and it often appears on your salary slip. Before checking your balance online, you need to activate it once at the member portal.

1. Go to the official member portal at unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in.
2. Choose the “Activate UAN” option.
3. Enter your UAN or member details, Aadhaar and the mobile number linked to your records.
4. Verify with the OTP sent to that mobile and set a password you will remember.

Keep your mobile number current in EPFO records, because the SMS and missed-call methods reply only to the registered number, and the portal and app send OTPs there too.

Method 1: EPFO passbook portal

The passbook portal gives the most detail, showing every monthly deposit, withdrawal, transfer, and the split between the employee share, employer share and pension contribution.

1. Open passbook.epfindia.gov.in in your browser.
2. Log in with your UAN and password, and the captcha shown on screen.
3. Select the member ID you want to view if you have more than one.
4. View the passbook on screen or download it as a PDF, free of charge.

Newly activated UANs can take a short while before the passbook becomes available, so if it does not load immediately, try again after a few hours. The downloaded PDF is handy to keep as a record or to attach when applying for a loan.

Method 2: UMANG app

UMANG is the government’s unified services app and is often more reliable when the EPFO website is busy, which tends to happen at month-end.

1. Install UMANG from the official app store and register with the mobile number linked to your UAN.
2. Search for and open “EPFO” within the app.
3. Go to “Employee Centric Services”, then “View Passbook”.
4. Enter your UAN and the OTP sent to your registered mobile to open your passbook.

UMANG also lets you track claims and raise service requests, so it is worth keeping installed once you have set it up.

Why it pays to check regularly

Checking your EPF balance is not just about curiosity; it is a simple way to protect your retirement savings. By reviewing the passbook every few months you can confirm that your employer is actually depositing both the employee and employer shares on time, since delayed or missing contributions are easier to resolve early than years later. It also lets you verify that transfers from previous jobs have merged correctly into your current account, so your savings are not scattered across dormant accounts. If you spot a month with no deposit, or a contribution smaller than expected, raise it with your employer first and, if unresolved, through the official EPFO grievance portal. Regular checks also help you plan ahead, because you can see clearly how your corpus and the interest on it are growing year over year.

Keeping your KYC linked

Almost every problem with checking or later withdrawing your PF traces back to incomplete KYC, so it is worth getting this right once. Log in to the member portal and make sure your Aadhaar, PAN and bank account are seeded and show as verified, and that your name and date of birth match across all of them. A mismatch, such as a slightly different spelling of your name on Aadhaar versus your bank, can block online services, so correct it early. Also keep a single active mobile number linked, because every OTP and SMS reply depends on it. Doing this housekeeping now means balance checks work smoothly, your statements stay accurate, and any future withdrawal claim is far less likely to be held up or rejected later.

Method 3: SMS

If you do not have internet access, a simple SMS works from any phone. From the mobile number registered with your UAN, send a text in this format:

1. Type: EPFOHO UAN ENG
2. Send it to 7738299899.
3. Wait for a reply SMS with your latest balance and contribution details.

You can change the language by replacing “ENG” with another code, such as “HIN” for Hindi or “TAM” for Tamil. English is the default. The service works best when your KYC (Aadhaar, PAN and bank) is linked to the UAN.

Method 4: Missed call

The quickest no-internet option is a missed call, which costs you nothing.

1. From your registered mobile, give a missed call to 9966044425.
2. The call cuts off automatically after a couple of rings.
3. You receive an SMS with your available balance and most recent contribution.

Which method should you use?

Each option suits a different need. The table below compares them so you can pick the right one.

If your balance does not show

A few situations can block a balance check. Work through these before worrying that money is missing.

1. “Passbook not available”: you may work for an exempted establishment where a private trust manages the PF. Your balance is then held by the trust; check your salary slip or ask HR for a statement.
2. Mobile not linked: the SMS and missed-call replies go only to the registered number. Update it in EPFO records if it has changed.
3. UAN not activated or KYC pending: complete UAN activation and ensure Aadhaar, PAN and bank KYC are linked and approved by your employer.
4. System updates: during occasional EPFO system maintenance the passbook may briefly look incomplete, but your accrued balance is not affected and reappears once the work is done.

A note on interest and figures

EPF interest is declared by the government each year and credited to accounts after the rate is announced, so your passbook may show your monthly contributions before that year’s interest appears as a single entry. Interest rates change from year to year, so we do not quote a rate here. For the current rate and the exact interest credited to your account, rely on your official passbook and the announcements on epfindia.gov.in rather than figures seen on other websites, which may be outdated.

Beware of PF balance scams

Fraudsters target PF members with fake “balance check” apps and calls. Protect yourself by using only the official EPFO passbook portal, the member portal and the UMANG app. The EPFO never asks for your UAN password, full bank details or an OTP over a call or message. Ignore anyone offering to “increase” your balance or “release” stuck funds for a fee, and do not install third-party PF apps from links in SMS or social media. If something looks off, verify only through epfindia.gov.in or the EPFO helpline listed there, and never read out an OTP to a caller.

Quick recap

Checking your EPF balance takes a minute once your UAN is active and your mobile is linked. Use the passbook portal or the UMANG app for a full statement, or the SMS and missed-call services when you have no internet. Treat your UAN password and OTP as private, rely on official EPFO channels for interest rates and figures, and ignore any app or caller promising shortcuts or quick releases of your money.