The government’s newly launched Aadhaar app is seeing strong public response, with more than 21 million downloads within just three months of its launch. The app, introduced to make identity verification easier and more secure, allows people to digitally manage their Aadhaar details directly from their mobile phones.
According to the government, the app is helping bring important services to people’s fingertips and reducing the need to carry physical Aadhaar cards. Official data shows that more than 28 lakh people have already used the app to update their mobile numbers, while nearly 6 lakh users have updated their addresses through the platform.
What people can do with it
The new Aadhaar app comes with several features aimed at making verification faster and safer. One of the key features is face verification, which can be used as proof of presence during identity checks. The app also allows users to lock or unlock their biometrics with a single click, helping improve privacy and security.
Another useful feature is authentication history, which lets users check where and when their Aadhaar details have been used. This gives people greater control over their digital identity and helps them monitor any unauthorised use.
The app also includes a QR-based editable contact card, which can be used to share contact details digitally instead of carrying physical visiting cards. According to the government, the app can be used in many real-life situations such as hotel check-ins, hospital admissions, visitor management, event entries, and age verification.
One of the biggest advantages of the new app is that users no longer need to share a complete copy of their Aadhaar card everywhere. Instead, they can choose to share only limited details such as their name or age. This is expected to reduce the risk of personal data misuse, especially at hotels and other public places where identity proof is required.
The app also supports a family management feature, allowing up to five Aadhaar profiles to be linked to a single mobile device. This makes it easier for families to manage Aadhaar services for children or elderly members from one phone.
What the government says
According to S Krishnan, Secretary in the Electronics and IT Ministry, the government has designed the platform with a strong focus on privacy and data minimisation. He said reports of Aadhaar data leaks in the past were mostly linked to excessive data collection by third parties and not because of any breach in the central Aadhaar database managed by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
Overall, the government sees the Aadhaar app as a major step towards secure digital identity management and easier access to services for citizens.