The era of handing over physical photocopies of your Aadhaar card might finally be coming to an end. Today, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) dedicated a completely redesigned Aadhaar app to the nation, signaling a massive shift in how India handles digital identity.
The launch, led by Minister of State Jitin Prasada and IT Secretary S Krishnan, isn’t just a UI refresh. It’s a ground-up rebuild designed to align with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, focusing on Data Minimization or in simpler terms: sharing only what is absolutely necessary.
Why you must move from mAadhaar?
If you’ve been using the legacy mAadhaar app, don’t expect an automatic update. The new app (titled “Aadhaar” on the Play Store and App Store) is a standalone platform.
Important: UIDAI has confirmed that mAadhaar will be phased out. To keep your digital ID active, you’ll need to manually set up your profile in the new app.
What doesn’t move over:
- Your saved profiles and family links.
- Downloaded e-Aadhaar PDFs.
- Biometric lock settings (these must be re-enabled).
Privacy as a Feature: Selective Sharing and Age-Gating
The headline feature of the 2026 update is Selective Sharing. Instead of showing your full 12-digit number and address to a hotel receptionist or a cinema hall, you can now generate a Secure QR Code that only confirms specific details.
“We frequently contend with age verification under the DPDP Act,” IT Secretary S Krishnan noted during the launch. “With the new Aadhaar app, we can do age gating seamlessly without oversharing data.”
This means for apps or venues that require you to be 18+, the app can provide a “Verified Age” token without ever revealing your actual Date of Birth or Aadhaar number.
Existing mAadhaar App vs New Aadhaar App (2026): What’s New?
| Feature | Existing mAadhaar App | New Aadhaar App (2026) |
| Storage | 8GB-16GB optimized | 32GB+ optimized / Fast UI |
| Family Profiles | Up to 3 | Up to 5 |
| Privacy Mode | Basic Masking | Selective Sharing (Field-level) |
| Updates | Address only | Mobile Number & Address Updates |
| Verification | Online only | Offline (No internet required) |
| Auth Type | OTP / PIN | Face Auth + Biometric Lock |
The Anytime Mobile Update
Perhaps the most practical upgrade is the Anytime, Anywhere Mobile Update. Historically, changing the mobile number linked to your Aadhaar required a trip to an Enrolment Centre. As of January 28, 2026, users can initiate mobile number updates directly within the app via face authentication and a nominal fee, drastically reducing the friction of the digital identity system.
How to make the move
- Download: Search for the official “Aadhaar” app by UIDAI (look for the Pehchaan logo).
- Authenticate: Use your linked mobile number for the initial OTP.
- Face ID: The new app uses Face Authentication for a more secure login than the old PIN-only method.
- Add Family: You can now manage five profiles, making it the “One Family, One App” solution for travel and government services.
The new Aadhaar app is a rare example of government software catching up to modern privacy standards. By focusing on offline verification and selective sharing, UIDAI is finally addressing the “excessive collection” problem that has led to data leaks in the past.
Will it actually stop businesses from asking for photocopies? We’ll be testing the Selective Share feature at hotels and airports soon to find out.
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