Aadhaar Overhaul Could Make Your Card More Secure And Privacy-Friendly. Here's How

Last Updated:February 17, 2026, 12:57 IST

The new system will promote the use of QR digital verification, which will only require disclosure of necessary information, eliminating the unsafe offline verification process

Aadhaar, the unique identity card of India, is soon to undergo its most extensive overhaul ever, as the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is considering a new design for the physical Aadhaar card that may contain only the photograph and the secure QR code of the cardholder, without including any details such as the name, address, date of birth, and even the 12-digit Aadhaar number on the card.

What’s Being Proposed?

Under the new design concept, the following have been planned:

• The front side of the Aadhaar card will display only the photo of the individual and the secure encrypted QR code.

• The sensitive information, such as your name, address, date of birth, and Aadhaar number, will not be printed on the card.

• Instead, all identity information will be stored in the QR code, which will be readable only by digital systems authorized by the government.

Why The Change?

The major reason is that there is better privacy protection. This is because once the personal information printed on the card surface is eliminated, it reduces the risk of sensitive information leakage when individuals display or photocopy their Aadhaar card for various activities.

Other than that, it is easy to photocopy and misuse the individual’s personal information printed on the card when they have cards with personal information printed on them for activities such as SIM fraud, loans, or Aadhaar-enabled payment system (AePS) fraud.

Hotels, offices, and verification centers have been known to collect physical photocopies of the Aadhaar card. The new system will promote the use of QR digital verification, which will only require the disclosure of necessary information, thus eliminating the unsafe offline verification process.

How Will The Verification Work?

The process of verification will require the scanning of the QR code through authorized applications or devices. The QR code, upon scanning, will provide information that is encrypted to ensure the security and selectiveness of the information required for verification. In a move to facilitate this process, the UIDAI has already rolled out a new Aadhaar mobile application that has face verification and selective credential sharing capabilities.

When Will The Rollout Happen?

At the moment, there is no official confirmation from UIDAI about when or if the photo and QR only Aadhaar card will be launched. It is rumored that it may be launched later in 2026, but this is yet to be confirmed.

How Does It Affect You?

• Your Aadhaar card will be more secure and difficult to misuse.

• Physical Aadhaar card sharing may not be as necessary.

• Verification procedures may become faster and more privacy-friendly, especially when using digital tools or apps.

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