Home
How to
How to Features
How to Use Biometric Authentication for UPI Payments in India: A Step by Step Guide

How to Use Biometric Authentication for UPI Payments in India: A Step-by-Step Guide

Find out how to pay without entering your PIN after support for biometric authentication rolls out to your UPI app.

Written by Sucharita Ganguly, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 8 October 2025 16:44 IST

How to Use Biometric Authentication for UPI Payments in India: A Step-by-Step Guide

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Users must remain cautious when using fingerprint or face authentication for UPI payments

Click Here to Add Gadgets360 As A Trusted Source

Highlights

To maintain security, UPI apps must update their encryption keys
Biometric enablement is disabled if the UPI PIN is reset
The system uses UIDAI's FaceRD App for verification

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced a series of new digital payment initiatives at the Global Fintech Fest 2025 in Mumbai on Tuesday. A key highlight is the introduction of biometric and wearable glass-based authentication for UPI transactions, aimed at making digital payments faster and more convenient. This new feature lets users verify UPI payments using their smartphone's fingerprint or face unlock instead of entering a UPI PIN manually. Customers can opt in and set this as their preferred authentication method for added ease and security.

Biometric Authentication for UPI Payments: All You Need to Know

Initially, UPI transactions using biometric authentication will be limited to Rs. 5,000, with the cap to be reviewed later. Using fingerprints or facial recognition available on a user's smartphone is expected to make UPI payments easier and safer, especially if implemented securely with proper safeguards.

NPCI Launches Biometric, Wearable Glass Authentication for UPI

The biometric authentication for UPI payments removes the need to enter or remember PINs, making payments more convenient for users, particularly senior citizens and those less familiar with digital systems. Since PINs can be forgotten or compromised, biometrics offer a stronger layer of security, as fingerprints and face scans are far more difficult to steal or duplicate. It can also help reduce transaction failures caused by incorrect or forgotten PINs, ensuring a smoother payment experience.

The NPCI has published guidelines on how to make UPI payments using biometric authentication on its website. We've created a handy guide that will help you pay without entering your PIN after support for biometric authentication rolls out to your UPI app.

Biometric Authentication for UPI Payments: Is It Safe?

However, it's worth considering that there are some downsides to using fingerprint or face authentication for UPI payments. While it offers speed and convenience, it also increases the risk of accidental transactions. Unlike PIN entry, where users can still cancel or correct mistakes, biometric authentication processes the payment instantly once verified. Similarly, you can reset your UPI PIN, but your biometrics are permanent.

Navi UPI Unveils Biometric Payment Support at Global Fintech Festival 2025

For PIN-less biometric UPI payments, user consent and security checks are mandatory. When a UPI app completes a new device login or binding, it must request fresh consent before allowing biometric transactions. If a user changes or resets their UPI PIN, the issuing bank must disable biometric authentication for that account until the user reactivates it.

To maintain security, UPI apps must update their encryption keys at least once a year. If a user doesn't make any biometric transactions for 90 days, the feature becomes inactive and can be re-enabled only after user confirmation.

Here's how to use biometric authentication for UPI payments

Open your UPI app and start a new payment.
Scan the QR code of the receiver or select the contact or merchant you want to pay.
Enter the payment amount and choose the bank account you want to use for the transaction.
When asked to enter your UPI PIN, select the Use Biometric option on the screen.
Authenticate using your fingerprint or face unlock by placing your finger on the sensor or looking at the camera.
Wait for a confirmation message that the payment was processed automatically without the need for a PIN.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Further reading: NPCI, UPI Payments, UPI, RBI

Sucharita Ganguly

Email Sucharita Ganguly

Sucharita is a writer with Gadgets 360 and is mostly found playing with her cat in her free time. She has previously worked at breaking news desks across organizations. Powered by coffee, The Beatles, Bowie, and her newfound love for BTS, she aims to work towards contributing to a better media environment for women and queer folk. More