Forgot your UAN? Here's the step-by-step guide to recover it online

Lost access to your EPF? don't panic-here's a simple, step-by-step way to recover your UAN online and get back on track with checking your PF balance and managing your account

Ever tried checking your EPF balance and hit a wall because you forgot your UAN? You’re not alone. But the good news is, getting it back is quicker and easier than you might think.

 

The Universal Account Number (UAN) is the key to managing your Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) account. It stays the same throughout your working life, regardless of how many jobs you switch. Without it, you can’t access your PF balance, transfer funds, or update KYC details. But if you’ve lost track of it, don’t worry, the process to recover it is simple and completely online.

 

What is UAN and why it matters 

UAN is a unique 12-digit number issued by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to every employee with an EPF account. It links multiple Member IDs allotted to an individual by different employers.

 

Your UAN helps:

 

• Check PF balance online 
• Withdraw or transfer PF 
• Update KYC documents 
• Receive SMS alerts about monthly contributions

 

Without your UAN, accessing your EPF becomes difficult, especially when changing jobs or managing retirement funds.

 

Step-by-step guide to retrieve UAN

 

Here’s how you can recover your UAN online in just a few minutes:

 

1. Visit the UAN helpdesk

 

Go to the official EPFO website: https://www.epfindia.gov.in

 

Click on ‘Know your UAN’ under the ‘Services’ tab for employees

 

2. Enter your basic details

 

Fill in your registered mobile number

 

Enter your name, date of birth, and the CAPTCHA code

 

Click on ‘Request OTP’

 

3. Verify OTP

 

You will receive a One-Time Password (OTP) on your mobile

 

Enter the OTP and proceed

 

4. Provide additional information

 

Select your identity verification method, either PAN, Aadhaar, or Member ID

 

Enter the chosen document details carefully

 

5. Get Your UAN

 

Once the details match EPFO records, your UAN will be displayed on the screen

 

You’ll also receive an SMS confirmation

 

Important tips

 

Make sure your mobile number is linked to your EPF account

 

If your details don’t match, contact your employer or the nearest EPFO office

 

Keep a note of your UAN for future reference