NEW DELHI, April 8 – India’s digital ID authority has launched a revamped Aadhaar mobile app that uses facial recognition to authenticate users, enabling them to share ID information without physical copies, the country’s IT minister said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Aadhaar Samvaad event in New Delhi, Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said the new app — currently in a testing phase — would soon be rolled out more widely by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
The app, which features a redesigned interface compared to the existing mAadhaar app, allows users to verify their identity at hotels, airports, and other locations by scanning a QR code and using facial recognition instead of presenting a physical Aadhaar card.
“This app is an early adopters’ release for a small group of users including all the registered participants of this Aadhaar Samvaad event,” UIDAI said in a statement. “Based on the feedback received from users and ecosystem partners, UIDAI will soon make it accessible to all.”
The facial recognition feature builds on the AadhaarFaceRD app, which has been used for identity verification during Know-Your-Customer (KYC) processes. It works by prompting users to scan a QR code and then verify themselves through a live facial scan, such as blinking into the camera.
While over 80 million Aadhaar authentications are performed daily using fingerprints or one-time passcodes, UIDAI said facial authentication is still at a nascent stage, with cumulative usage now crossing 150 million.
The new app is part of the government’s broader push to expand digital identity infrastructure while enhancing privacy and user control over personal data. UIDAI officials said the app’s wider rollout would follow once feedback from the test group is assessed.
