How to Update Your Mobile Number in Aadhaar

Your registered mobile number is the quiet workhorse of your Aadhaar. Every OTP that lets you download your card, lock your biometrics, check your bank linking, or complete a KYC lands on that number. So when you change SIMs, lose a phone, or realise an old number is still on file, you need to update your mobile number in Aadhaar promptly. The important thing to know up front is that this cannot be done fully online — it requires an in-person visit to an Aadhaar enrolment or update centre, because your fingerprint is used to confirm the change is genuinely authorised by you.

That in-person requirement can feel inconvenient, but it exists for your protection. If mobile numbers could be swapped online, a fraudster who got hold of your details could redirect every one of your OTPs to their own phone. The biometric check at the counter is what stops that. This guide walks you through the correct process, what it costs, how to track it, and the traps to avoid.

Why can’t I update my Aadhaar mobile number online?

UIDAI allows several Aadhaar corrections online — you can update your address from home, for instance — but changing or adding a mobile number is treated differently. Because the mobile number is the gateway to OTP-based authentication, allowing it to be changed remotely would defeat the whole purpose of the OTP. So UIDAI requires you to appear in person and give a live fingerprint. Any website, app, or caller promising to change your Aadhaar mobile number online, especially for an upfront fee, is misleading you and quite possibly running a scam. If you receive such a message, treat it the way you would any fake KYC update message and ignore it.

How do I update my mobile number in Aadhaar, step by step?

1. Find a genuine centre. Use the “Locate an Enrolment Centre” tool on uidai.gov.in. Bank branches, post offices, and designated Aadhaar Seva Kendras commonly host these services.
2. Carry your Aadhaar. Take your Aadhaar card or a copy so the operator can pull up your record. You do not need proof for the new number itself.
3. Fill the Aadhaar Update/Correction form. Ask for it at the counter and write your new mobile number clearly.
4. Give your biometric. The operator scans your fingerprint (or iris) to verify you are the Aadhaar holder. If you have locked your Aadhaar biometrics, unlock them just before your visit so the scan works.
5. Pay the prescribed fee. A small fee applies. Pay it at the counter and take the receipt.
6. Collect the acknowledgement slip. It contains a 14-digit Update Request Number (URN). Keep it safe — this is how you track the update.

You will not usually walk out with the new number instantly active. UIDAI processes the request in its system, and it typically reflects within a couple of weeks. During that time you can check status using the URN.

What does it cost to update the mobile number?

UIDAI charges a small, standardised fee for demographic updates like this at the centre. Official fees are revised from time to time, so rather than quote a figure that may be out of date, we suggest you check the current amount on uidai.gov.in or simply ask at the counter before you begin. The key safety rule: pay only at the centre, and only the official amount shown on the receipt. Never hand cash to an agent who offers to “get it done faster” from outside — that is a common way people are overcharged.

How do I track my mobile update request?

The acknowledgement slip is the important piece of paper here. The 14-digit URN printed on it lets you check the status of your update on the UIDAI portal. Enter the URN where prompted to see whether the request is in progress or completed. If weeks pass and the number still has not updated, keep the slip handy and call the UIDAI helpline on 1947 to ask about the delay. Do not restart the whole process straight away — the URN is your reference for chasing the existing request.

What if I have never linked any mobile number to Aadhaar?

The process is identical whether you are changing an existing number or adding one for the very first time. Many older Aadhaar holders enrolled before mobile numbers were commonly captured, so their Aadhaar has no number on file at all. That is why some online services and OTP screens simply fail for them. A single visit to an update centre fixes this: add the number, get the URN, and within a couple of weeks OTP-based services start working. If you are helping an elderly parent do this, our elder safety guidance covers how to support them through such counter visits calmly.

Why keeping your Aadhaar mobile number current matters

An out-of-date mobile number is more than an inconvenience; it can quietly lock you out of your own identity. Consider what depends on it:

• Downloading your e-Aadhaar or masked Aadhaar needs an OTP.
• Locking and unlocking your Aadhaar biometrics needs an OTP.
• Checking which bank account is linked to your Aadhaar needs an OTP.
• Bank, telecom, and government KYC steps frequently send verification codes to it.

Worse, if an old number is reassigned to a stranger by the telecom operator, your Aadhaar OTPs could start reaching someone else. That is exactly the kind of gap fraudsters look for. Keeping the number current removes the risk entirely.

What documents should I carry to the centre?

The good news is that changing the mobile number is one of the lightest updates in terms of paperwork. You do not need any proof for the new mobile number itself — no bill, no SIM document, nothing. Your fingerprint is the proof that you are authorised to make the change. What you should carry is your Aadhaar (the card or a printout) so the operator can locate your record quickly, and the new SIM working in a phone so you can be sure the number is correct and active. It also helps to double-check the number digit by digit on the form, because a single wrong digit means your OTPs will go to a stranger and you will have to repeat the whole process. Take a moment at the counter to read back the number you wrote before the operator submits it.

If you are also correcting your name, date of birth, or address in the same visit, those updates do require supporting documents, and the fee structure differs. Keep those separate in your mind: the mobile-number change is document-free, but any demographic correction alongside it will need the relevant proof. When in doubt, ask the operator which documents apply before you begin, so you do not have to make a second trip.

How is updating the mobile number different from updating my address?

It helps to understand why UIDAI treats these two updates so differently, because people often assume that if address can be changed online, the mobile number should be too. Address changes can be done from home through the online update service because you upload a valid proof of address, and UIDAI verifies that document. The mobile number has no such document to verify — the only way to be sure the new number truly belongs to the right person is to check that person’s biometric in person. That is the whole reason the mobile update is centre-only. Seen that way, the in-person rule is not bureaucracy for its own sake; it is the safeguard that stops anyone from quietly hijacking the number that receives all your OTPs. The table below sums up the contrast.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Trusting “online mobile update” ads. There is no legitimate fully online route. Such offers are misleading and often phishing. Recognise the pattern in our scam awareness hub.
• Sharing your OTP with a caller. UIDAI and banks never ask for your OTP by phone. If someone does, hang up.
• Paying an agent in advance. Pay only at the official counter, only the amount on the receipt.
• Losing the acknowledgement slip. Without the URN you cannot easily track the request. Photograph it as a backup.
• Assuming it is instant. Allow a couple of weeks and check status with the URN before worrying.

The bottom line

To update your mobile number in Aadhaar, visit an enrolment or update centre in person, fill the update form, verify with your fingerprint, pay the small official fee, and keep the URN slip to track the change. There is no genuine shortcut online, and that limitation is there to protect you. Once your number is current, every other Aadhaar service — from OTP downloads to biometric locking — works smoothly, and you close a common door that fraudsters try to exploit. If you ever suspect misuse of your Aadhaar or bank OTPs, call the cyber-crime helpline on 1930 and alert your bank at once.