Employees can no longer activate or generate their Universal Account Number through the EPFO Member Portal as the retirement fund body strengthens digital security with facial authentication

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has introduced a significant change in its digital services by shifting Universal Account Number (UAN) activation and allotment exclusively to the UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) app. As part of this transition, the EPFO Member Portal will no longer offer UAN activation or new UAN generation, making Aadhaar-based Face Authentication (FAT) mandatory for these services.

The move follows a major upgrade of the EPFO's Unified Member Portal, aimed at improving speed, reliability and cybersecurity. By integrating facial authentication with Aadhaar verification, EPFO hopes to reduce fraud, prevent identity misuse and offer a safer digital experience to millions of provident fund subscribers across the country.

The latest change marks another step in the government's broader effort to strengthen digital governance and promote secure access to public services.

Major Shift in EPFO's Digital Services

Until recently, employees could activate an existing UAN or generate a new one directly through the EPFO Member Portal using basic identity verification.

That facility has now been discontinued.

Going forward, all UAN-related activation and allotment requests must be completed through the UMANG mobile application, where users will be required to complete Aadhaar-based Face Authentication before the request is processed.

The migration is expected to centralise digital services while introducing stronger safeguards against unauthorised access to provident fund accounts.

Why Has EPFO Introduced Face Authentication?

The adoption of facial authentication is part of EPFO's larger technology modernisation initiative.

With the increasing use of online services, cyber fraud and identity theft have become growing concerns. Aadhaar Face Authentication allows the system to verify a subscriber's identity by matching a live facial image with Aadhaar records, significantly reducing the possibility of impersonation.

According to EPFO, the upgraded verification mechanism is intended to:

• Strengthen digital security

• Prevent fraudulent transactions

• Eliminate duplicate or fake identities

• Improve trust in online EPF services

• Simplify digital verification for genuine users

The initiative also aligns with the government's expanding use of Aadhaar-based authentication across multiple citizen services.

Why Is UAN Important for Employees?

The Universal Account Number (UAN) serves as the primary digital identity for every employee covered under the Employees' Provident Fund scheme.

Unlike individual PF account numbers, the UAN remains the same throughout an employee's working career, irrespective of how many times they change employers.

It links multiple PF accounts under a single identity, making it easier to manage retirement savings.

Without an activated UAN, employees cannot access several important online EPFO services.

Benefits of an Activated UAN

An active UAN enables subscribers to perform several essential functions digitally, including:

• Check EPF account balance

• Download PF passbook

• Transfer provident fund while changing jobs

• Submit online withdrawal claims

• Update KYC information

• Track claim status

• Link Aadhaar, PAN and bank details

• Manage nominee information

• Access pension-related services

The UAN has become the foundation of EPFO's digital ecosystem, making activation an important step for every salaried employee.

How to Activate Your UAN Using the UMANG App

Employees who already possess a UAN but have not activated it can complete the process through the UMANG application by following these steps:

Step 1: Install the UMANG App

Download the UMANG application from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Step 2: Access EPFO Services

Open the app and navigate to the EPFO Services section.

Step 3: Select UAN Activation

Choose "UAN Activation" under "UAN Services Through Face Authentication."

Step 4: Complete Aadhaar Face Authentication

Allow the application to verify your identity using Aadhaar-enabled facial recognition.

Step 5: Confirm Details

Follow the remaining instructions displayed on the screen until the activation process is completed.

Once verification is successful, the UAN becomes active for all online services.

How to Generate a New UAN

Employees who require a fresh UAN must also use the UMANG app.

The process includes:

• Opening the UMANG application

• Navigating to EPFO Services

• Selecting "UAN Allotment and Activation"

• Completing Aadhaar Face Authentication

• Verifying personal details

• Confirming the application

After successful verification, the system automatically generates and activates the UAN.

Already Have a PF Account but No UAN?

EPFO has clarified that employees who already possess a Provident Fund account but were never allotted a Universal Account Number can still obtain one through the updated process.

Subscribers will need to:

• Verify their registered mobile number

• Provide member details

• Complete Aadhaar authentication

• Finish digital verification

Once verified, the UAN will be generated and linked to the existing PF account.

Forgot Your UAN? Recovery Facility Continues

The upgraded system also allows employees to recover forgotten UAN details.

Subscribers can retrieve their UAN by:

• Entering the registered mobile number

• Uploading identity or address proof if required

• Verifying the OTP sent to the registered mobile number

• Completing the verification process

After successful verification, the UAN details become accessible to the subscriber.

Death Claim Process Remains Unchanged

EPFO has clarified that the latest changes affect only UAN activation and allotment.

The process for settlement of death claims remains unchanged.

Eligible nominees and legal heirs can continue filing claims through the existing procedure without requiring any additional authentication under the new system.

EPFO's Digital Transformation Continues

The migration of UAN services reflects EPFO's ongoing efforts to modernise its digital infrastructure.

Recent initiatives include:

• Unified Member Portal upgrade

• Database consolidation

• Improved cybersecurity framework

• Aadhaar-based authentication

• Faster online claim processing

• Better system reliability

• Enhanced user experience

These reforms aim to improve service delivery for more than 70 million EPF subscribers across India.

What Employees Should Do Before Using the New System

To ensure a smooth activation process, employees should verify that:

• Aadhaar is linked with their EPF account

• Mobile number registered with Aadhaar is active

• Personal information matches Aadhaar records

• Face authentication permissions are enabled on the smartphone

• Internet connectivity is stable during verification

• UMANG application is updated to the latest version

Keeping these details updated will help avoid authentication failures and processing delays.

Benefits of the New System

The latest changes are expected to provide several long-term advantages:

• Higher security against identity fraud

• Faster digital verification

• Reduced paperwork

• Improved authentication accuracy

• Better protection of retirement savings

• More reliable online services

• Stronger integration with Digital India initiatives

Although facial authentication adds one additional verification step, it significantly strengthens account security.

Key Highlights