A masked Aadhaar card looks almost the same as a normal Aadhaar, but the difference is simple: only the last 4 digits of your Aadhaar number are visible, and the remaining digits are replaced with “XXXX XXXX”. This makes it much safer to share with hotels, cyber cafés, private companies, and even during basic identity verification.
In this detailed guide, you will learn what masked Aadhaar is, why it is important, and how to download masked Aadhaar.
What is Masked Aadhaar Card?
A Masked Aadhaar is an Aadhaar card where your first 8 digits are hidden, and only the last 4 digits remain visible.
For example: Instead of showing: 1234 5678 9012, Masked Aadhaar will show: XXXX XXXX 9012
This feature was introduced by UIDAI to improve Aadhaar security and reduce the risk of misuse.
Important point: Masked Aadhaar is still a valid Aadhaar document because it is issued by UIDAI and includes your:
- Name
- Photo
- Date of Birth / Year of Birth
- Gender
- Address
- QR Code
Only the Aadhaar number is partially hidden for safety.
Download Masked Aadhaar from UIDAI (MyAadhaar Portal)
The easiest and most trusted way to download masked Aadhaar is through the official UIDAI portal.
To download your masked Aadhaar, you just need your Aadhaar number or Enrollment ID (EID) or VID, a mobile number linked with Aadhaar to receive the OTP, and a stable internet connection to complete the process.
- Go to MyAadhaar UIDAI website - myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in
- Click on Download Aadhaar
- Enter your Aadhaar number / VID / EID
- Enter captcha and click Send OTP
- Enter the OTP received on your registered mobile number
- You will see an option called “Do you want a masked Aadhaar?” Select it and click Download
Your masked Aadhaar will download as a PDF file.
Note: There is no limit on the number of times you can download your masked Aadhaar PDF, provided you can authenticate with your linked mobile number each time. So if you lose it, you can always download it again.
Password to Open Masked Aadhaar PDF
The Aadhaar PDF is password-protected. Usually, the password is a combination of:
- First 4 letters of your name (in CAPITAL)
- Year of birth
For example, if your name is Rahul Kumar and your year of birth is 1998, then your Aadhaar PDF password will be RAHU1998 (first 4 letters of your name in capital letters + year of birth).
Download Masked Aadhaar from DigiLocker
To get your Aadhaar through DigiLocker, you must have an active DigiLocker account linked with your mobile number, and your Aadhaar should also be linked with DigiLocker so you can fetch and access it easily anytime.
- Open DigiLocker app or website - digilocker.gov.in
- Login using mobile number and OTP
- Go to Issued Documents Search for Aadhaar Card option, click the Download icon, select PDF, XML, or JSON, and then download the file.
Download Masked Aadhaar Using UMANG App
UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) is an official government app that provides access to many services, including Aadhaar services.
- Open UMANG app or website - web.umang.gov.in
- Register and login on the UMANG portal or app.
- Search for Aadhaar, and select it.
- Choose Download Aadhaar option.
- Enter Aadhaar number and captcha Verify OTP
- Choose Masked Aadhaar (if option is available)Download the Aadhaar PDF
Masked Aadhaar Purposes
Unlike earlier misconceptions, masked Aadhaar is now accepted for a wide range of official uses, especially where only identity (not the full number) is needed. Examples include:
- School/college admission verification
- Hotel check-ins
- Job applications
- Delivery verification
- Some government benefit validations, However, some strict KYC checks may still require full Aadhaar or offline XML verification.
Can Masked Aadhaar Be Used for KYC?
Masked Aadhaar can be used for basic identity proof, but for strict KYC, the organisation may ask for other verification methods such as:
- Aadhaar QR code scanning
- Offline Aadhaar verification XML
- Aadhaar-based eKYC (where permitted)
Even though the Aadhaar number is partially hidden on the masked card, the QR code embedded on it contains your full Aadhaar number and demographic details. When scanned with an official QR code scanner (such as the mAadhaar app or UIDAI’s QR scanner), it reveals complete data in a secure way, this is considered official verification and is accepted in many KYC situations.