In the emerging world of fraud and cybercrime, there is a huge need to protect your important documents like your Aadhaar Card. There are growing cases of criminals using Aadhaar cards to steal the identity of people for malicious activities like withdrawing money from a bank account, stealing sensitive credentials, or creating fake social media accounts for other fraudulent activities.
Therefore, locking an Aadhaar card has become indispensable. If your Aadhaar card is locked, no one can use it for any fraud activity. Locking your Aadhaar will surely help you prevent misuse. To lock or unlock your Aadhaar card, you will need to visit the UIDAI website and complete the required process. As an aware citizen, preventing misuse of your Aadhaar card using official platforms like the UIDAI website or mAadhaar application is always exemplary.
In this article, I am sharing with you a step-by-step guide to help you lock your Aadhaar card online. Before that, let’s know a bit more about why should you consider locking your Aadhaar card.
Step-by-Step Guide to Lock Your Aadhaar Card Online
1. Visit the UIDAI Website
The best way to lock your Aadhaar card is through the UIDAI website or the mAadhaar app. These are official platforms for locking or unlocking Aadhaar.
First, visit the official UIDAI website. Always use a secure and stable network to proceed with the process safely. The website’s first page will take you to a screen that asks you to choose a language. Choose a preferable language for better understanding.
2. Go to MyAadhaar Page
Once you’ve entered the home page, you will see an array of services offered by the UIDAI portal. You have to check out the Aadhaar Services section under the My Aadhaar tab.
Before locking your Aadhaar, you need to create a virtual ID. You will not be able to lock your Aadhaar without a VID. On the Adhaar Services page, you’ll see several options, one of which is to generate a VID. Select the VID Generator option or click this link directly to visit the MyAadhaar page where you will find the option to generate a virtual ID.
3. Generate VID
Generating a VID is a simple process that requires a few steps, such as entering your credentials and OTP. Let’s proceed to generate a VID.
On the MyAadhaar page, scroll down to click on the “Generate VID” option. I am not asking you to log in directly on this webpage because when I tried to log in directly on this MyAadhaar page, it mostly failed with a pop-up warning that said – the website couldn’t complete the request due to temporary errors in accessing the back-end services.
So, after clicking the Generate VID option, you’ll see a new page for generating or retrieving VID. Here, you’ll need to enter your Aadhaar number and Captcha and click the Send OTP button.
After logging into your Aadhaar account, you will see the Generate Virtual ID option. Click on it. It will ask whether to generate or retrieve VID. Choose the Generate VID option and click Next. After that, you will receive a message with your VID. Save that VID because you will need to in the next step for locking your Aadhaar card.
4. Chose lock/unlock Aadhaar option
Now go back to the “Welcome to myAadhaar” page and choose the lock/unlock Aadhaar option to proceed further. Selecting this option will take you to the screen guiding how the lock/unlock process works. Click the Next button.
Now, you will be taken to a fresh page for locking and unlocking your Aadhaar. Select the “Lock Aadhaar” option at the top.
You must enter your credentials, such as your VID, full name, pin code, and Captcha. Then, click on the send OTP option and enter the one-time password received into your registered number. Lastly, click the Submit button after checking the disclaimer box.
And that’s it; you have successfully locked your Aadhaar card.
Similarly, if you need to unlock your Aadhaar, click the “Unlock Aadhaar” option and proceed with the steps mentioned.
Read Also: How to Get Your Aadhaar or Enrollment Number Online
Other Ways to Protect your Aadhaar Card
However, you can use a few digital platforms like Digilocker and the Umang app to protect your Aadhaar card and confirm that this specific Aadhaar belongs to you. These highly secure platforms can store your Aadhaar card and other important documents.
A digital copy of your Aadhaar card is now required because it proves that the Aadhaar card you displayed is not fake. You cannot upload a fake or duplicate Aadhaar card on Digilocker or the Umang app.
Conclusion
Once locked, your Aadhaar card no one uses it, including you, until you unlock it again. It avoids misuse of your Aadhaar card. Also, it is the best option to protect your documents and identity so you don’t witness any identity theft and unwanted access.
The process is the same for the mAadhaar application. If you’re facing problems executing this process, you can visit the nearest Jan Suvidha Kendra or the Aadhaar office to resolve your issues as soon as possible. It will protect your identity and money.
However, always remember that locking your Aadhaar will prevent misuse, but you need to unlock it to use Aadhaar-linked services again.
