How to enable UPI biometric payments using fingerprint or Face ID without a PIN

Entering your UPI PIN for every transaction can be slow and frustrating. On top of that, you need to be careful about people around you while typing your PIN. Biometric payments solve this problem by allowing you to authorise transactions instantly using your fingerprint or Face ID. The method not only keeps your account safe but also eliminates the need for the repeated hassle of entering a PIN. Although it may seem complicated at first, setting it up is simple. Here is a detailed guide on how to enable UPI biometric payments using your fingerprint or Face ID.

Things to know

Before you proceed to learn how to enable UPI biometric payments using fingerprint or Face ID without a PIN, check out the following points:

• Initially the transfer is capped at Rs 5,000 per transaction for security reasons.
• If the feature is not used for 90 days, you must re-verify with a PIN.
• Biometrics are automatically disabled if you reset your UPI PIN or change your phone’s system lock.

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Prerequisites for UPI activation

Here are some of the things you need to ensure prior to setting up your UPI biometric payments:

• Your smartphone must have a functional fingerprint scanner or facial recognition hardware.
• Make sure that your device is not an Android device that is rooted or an iPhone that is jailbroken.
• The UPI app you want to use for the biometric-based payments should be up-to-date.
• Your bank account must be linked to your Aadhaar, as the system often leverages Aadhaar-based biometric data for the initial backend verification.

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How to set up UPI biometric payments using fingerprint or Face ID without a PIN

Here are the general steps using which you can set up the UPI biometric payments on your app:

Note: The exact steps may vary depending on the UPI app you’re using.

1. Launch your UPI app and head to the Profile section.

2. Open Settings and look for UPI and Payments Settings.

3. Tap Biometric Authentication and enable the feature.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to register your fingerprint or face.

5. Activate the feature by entering your current UPI PIN.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully enabled the UPI biometric payments.

Some users have reported a recurring issue where the UPI app displays ‘Biometric verification failed’. This is often caused by dirty sensors or excessive lighting when using face recognition. 

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List of banks supporting UPI biometric payments

Not all banks currently support the UPI biometric-based payments. Here is the list of banks that supports the UPI biometric payments at the time of writing:

• Public Sector: State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Baroda (BoB), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Union Bank of India, Canara Bank.
• Private Sector: HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank, Federal Bank and Yes Bank.
• Small Finance Banks: AU Small Finance Bank, Equitas Small Finance Bank.
• Payment Banks: Paytm Payments Bank and Airtel Payments Bank.