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Use the least revealing option that your recipient accepts. For a document copy, ask whether a masked Aadhaar is acceptable; it hides the first eight digits and shows only the last four. For supported UIDAI online authentication or e-KYC, use a Virtual ID (VID) instead of your Aadhaar number. For offline verification, UIDAI Paperless Offline e-KYC can provide a digitally signed XML, a reference ID and only the demographic fields and photograph you choose. The official Aadhaar app may also support consent-based, selective sharing.

Before sending anything, confirm the recipient, purpose, fields required and destination. Never post Aadhaar details publicly or forward the file beyond the intended verifier. These alternatives are not universally accepted, so check the organization’s current instructions rather than assuming that a masked copy, VID or app share will work everywhere.

Choose the safest option your recipient supports

The right method depends on whether the recipient needs a copy of an identity document, UIDAI authentication, or an offline verification package. Ask the recipient exactly what it accepts before you prepare a file. The following comparison shows what each option reveals and the check that must happen first.

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Option What it reduces or shares Best fit Check before using
Masked Aadhaar copy Conceals the first eight digits; other displayed details may remain visible When a document copy is required That the recipient accepts masked Aadhaar and that no unnecessary personal data remains visible
Virtual ID (VID) Uses an alternative identifier instead of the Aadhaar number for supported online authentication or e-KYC Transactions that use UIDAI authentication or e-KYC Recipient support; UIDAI regulations say an entity must not store the VID
Paperless Offline e-KYC Provides a digitally signed XML and reference ID rather than revealing the Aadhaar number; you select the details and photo Offline verification flows that support UIDAI’s format How the share phrase will be delivered and whether the organization supports the flow
Aadhaar app sharing Consent-based digital sharing with selective-sharing features described by UIDAI An app-supported verification or sharing process The current app workflow and the recipient’s ability to receive it

UIDAI’s “Usage of Aadhaar” page, updated 16 June 2026, lists masked Aadhaar and app-based services. UIDAI’s regulations and Paperless Offline e-KYC guidance describe VID and offline XML as alternatives for particular authentication or verification workflows, not as a universal replacement for every identity-document request.

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How do I hide my Aadhaar number before sharing it?

Use a masked Aadhaar when a copy is acceptable

A masked Aadhaar copy hides the first eight digits and leaves the final four visible. That gives a document-based verifier a way to match the last four digits without receiving the complete number. UIDAI lists masked Aadhaar among its services.

  1. Ask first. Confirm in writing that the employer, landlord, bank, platform or other recipient accepts a masked copy for this specific transaction. A recipient may have a different, legally or operationally defined process.
  2. Obtain the masked version through an official UIDAI service. Do not rely on an image edited by an unknown website or an informal template.
  3. Inspect the entire file. Check every page, photograph, attachment and QR code. A masked number does not automatically remove other personal details shown elsewhere in the document.
  4. Remove unrelated information only with permission. If the recipient needs one field, ask whether other fields may be redacted. Do not alter a document in a way that makes it fail the recipient’s verification rules.
  5. Send only the final copy to the verified destination. Use the recipient’s stated upload portal or address, and avoid leaving the file in a public folder or an open link.

Masking changes what the copy reveals; it does not make every other field safe to disclose. Treat the remaining name, date of birth, address, photograph and other visible information as identity data that should be shared only for the stated purpose.

What is a Virtual ID and can I use it instead of Aadhaar?

A Virtual ID (VID) is an alternative identifier that can be used in place of the Aadhaar number for supported UIDAI online authentication or e-KYC. The Aadhaar (Authentication and Offline Verification) Regulations, 2021, as amended, provide for VID use and state that an entity shall not store the VID.

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When VID is appropriate

  • The transaction explicitly uses UIDAI authentication or e-KYC.
  • The service provider’s instructions identify VID as an accepted identifier.
  • You can complete the process through a UIDAI-provided channel and give the VID only to the intended requesting entity.

When VID is not a substitute

A VID is not a general-purpose document image and does not automatically satisfy a request for a photocopy, an offline XML package or another identity proof. If a form or organization does not support UIDAI authentication or VID, ask which lower-exposure option it does accept instead.

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Use and retention precautions

Generate or retrieve the VID through UIDAI’s official channels, enter it only in the authenticated transaction and do not assume that a recipient may retain or reuse it. The regulation’s no-storage requirement applies to entities covered by the authentication and offline-verification framework; it is not a promise that every person who sees a VID will follow the rule. Keep a record of the organization and purpose for which you supplied it.

How Paperless Offline e-KYC protects the number

UIDAI describes Paperless Offline e-KYC as a voluntary, holder-controlled option for offline verification. You create a digitally signed Offline XML, protect it with a share phrase, and provide it to the verification entity. The process uses a reference ID rather than revealing the Aadhaar number. You can select which demographic details and whether a photograph are included.

Prepare the offline package

  1. Confirm support. Ask the verifier whether it accepts UIDAI Paperless Offline e-KYC and which delivery method it requires.
  2. Generate the XML through UIDAI’s official Offline XML service. Follow the current service prompts and choose only the demographic fields and photograph needed for the stated purpose.
  3. Create a strong share phrase. The XML is encrypted with this phrase. Do not use a phrase that you have already posted, emailed broadly or reused for unrelated accounts.
  4. Send the XML and phrase separately when possible. Give both only to the intended verification entity, using the channels it specifies. Sending the file and phrase in the same public or group conversation defeats much of the protection.
  5. Check the reference ID and recipient details. The verifier should use the reference ID and the selected data for the disclosed purpose, not ask you to expose the full Aadhaar number unnecessarily.

Protect the XML and share phrase after sending

UIDAI’s handling guidance says service providers shall not share, publish or display the Offline XML, share code or their contents with anyone else. Keep your own copy private, avoid forwarding it to intermediaries and delete duplicate downloads from shared computers or cloud folders when they are no longer needed. A digitally signed file proves its origin and integrity; it does not make unrestricted forwarding safe.

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Can the Aadhaar app share only what I approve?

UIDAI’s Aadhaar app FAQ and service descriptions refer to explicit-consent, selective-sharing features. Where the current app workflow and recipient system support them, you can authorize a particular share instead of handing over a general-purpose copy. No identity data is shared without your explicit consent within that flow, according to UIDAI’s description.

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Support is not universal. Before relying on app sharing, verify that the recipient can initiate or receive the app-based request, that the current app version offers the required feature and that the transaction’s identity requirements are met. If the organization cannot process an app share, return to the masked-copy, VID or offline-e-KYC choices it actually supports.

Is it safe to send Aadhaar by email or WhatsApp?

There is no single safe answer independent of the recipient and the file. Email or a messaging service can be an ordinary delivery channel, but a full Aadhaar image sent to the wrong address, group, backup account or forwarded chat can be difficult to control. UIDAI advises using Aadhaar with the same usage hygiene as other identity documents, including a bank account document, PAN or passport.

Before using email or messaging

  • Call or independently verify the recipient’s address or account; do not rely only on a message that asks for the document.
  • Ask why the document is needed, which fields are required and whether a masked copy, VID, app share or offline e-KYC is accepted.
  • Use the least revealing file that satisfies that requirement. If a masked copy is accepted, do not send the full-number version as a backup.
  • Check recipients, group membership, auto-forwarding and cloud-link permissions before pressing send.
  • Do not post the image, QR code, XML, share phrase or screenshots on a public page, forum, status update or open link.
  • Do not forward the document to a broker, colleague or family member unless the intended verification entity has authorized that person and you understand the new destination.

After sending

Confirm that the intended recipient received the correct file and ask how it will be used, stored and deleted. Keep evidence of the request and the consent or purpose notice. If a recipient asks for more information later, treat it as a new disclosure and reassess whether it is necessary.

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What Aadhaar law says about purpose and public disclosure

The Aadhaar Act and the authentication and offline-verification regulations address information supplied to a requesting entity or an offline verification-seeking entity. Section 29(3) of the Act states:

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“No identity information available with a requesting entity or offline verification-seeking entity shall be— (a) used for any purpose, other than the purposes informed in writing to the individual at the time of submitting any information for authentication or offline verification; or (b) disclosed for any purpose, other than purposes informed in writing to the individual at the time of submitting any information for authentication or offline verification:”

The Act also prohibits public posting of an Aadhaar number, demographic information or photograph except for specified purposes, and it limits how covered entities may use or disclose information. These provisions support purpose limitation and consent notices; they are not a guarantee that every private recipient follows them or that every organization must accept one particular alternative.

What to ask a recipient

  • What service or legal requirement makes the verification necessary?
  • Which fields will be collected, and will the recipient retain a copy?
  • Is authentication, VID, masked Aadhaar, Paperless Offline e-KYC or app sharing available instead of a full-number copy?
  • Who will access the data, and when will it be deleted or returned?
  • Can the recipient provide its purpose and consent notice in writing?

If the answers are vague, pause and verify the request through an official contact channel. The existence of an Aadhaar-related request does not by itself prove that the requester is authorized or that a full copy is necessary.

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Scenario guide: pick the minimum disclosure

A job, rental or school application asks for an identity copy

Ask whether a masked Aadhaar is accepted and whether the organization needs the address, photograph or another field. If it needs only an identity match, a masked copy may reveal less than the full-number version. Do not assume an employer, landlord or school must accept masking; follow its documented process or ask for another accepted identity proof.

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A service asks you to complete Aadhaar e-KYC online

Check whether the service supports VID. If it does, use the VID in the UIDAI authentication flow instead of typing the Aadhaar number. If the service does not support VID, ask whether it offers another UIDAI-supported method rather than sending a document image through an unrelated channel.

An organization needs offline verification

Ask whether it accepts Paperless Offline e-KYC. Generate the XML with only the fields required, protect it with the share phrase and deliver both only to that verification entity. Do not publish the XML or phrase, and do not let a third party collect them on the verifier’s behalf unless that arrangement is explicit.

A recipient asks for a document over chat

Verify the account independently, ask whether a masked copy or official digital flow is accepted and check the conversation’s recipients before sending. Avoid group chats and open links. If the request cannot be tied to a clear purpose and organization, do not send the document until it is verified.

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What to do if you already shared the wrong Aadhaar file

  1. Contact the unintended recipient immediately. Ask it not to open, copy, forward or retain the file and request written confirmation of deletion. This may reduce further spread but cannot guarantee that a file already downloaded has been erased.
  2. Notify the intended organization or data-protection contact. Explain what was sent, to which address or account, when it was sent and whether the full number, photograph or other fields were visible.
  3. Secure the delivery account. Change a compromised email or messaging password, review active sessions and revoke public links or shared-folder permissions.
  4. Review UIDAI’s current official services. Check available records such as authentication history and options for biometric lock or unlock. These controls can help you monitor or limit future authentication activity; they do not retract a document that has already been copied.
  5. Watch for follow-up requests or suspicious activity. Do not provide additional OTPs, passwords or identity documents merely because someone claims the first file was incomplete. Verify every new request independently.

Final send checklist

  • The recipient and destination account have been independently verified.
  • The purpose and required fields are written down.
  • You confirmed which alternatives the recipient accepts.
  • You chose masked Aadhaar, VID, offline e-KYC or app sharing when that option fits the transaction.
  • Every page, image, attachment and QR code has been inspected.
  • Unneeded information was removed only with the recipient’s permission.
  • Any XML and share phrase are being sent only to the intended verification entity.
  • The file is not in a public post, open link, group chat or uncontrolled forward.
  • You retained the request and consent details for your records.

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