Aadhaar Document Upload Size: Under 2 MB, JPG/PNG/PDF (Free)

As per UIDAI's Citizen's Charter (July 2023), the supporting document you upload on the myAadhaar portal is a coloured scan or photo in PDF, PNG or JPEG format. The upload screen also sets a file-size cap, widely reported as 2 MB; UIDAI's published pages don't state it, so keep each file under 2 MB and follow whatever limit the screen shows. A phone photo of a document is often 3-5 MB, so it needs shrinking first. The free image compressor does that in your browser without uploading the document anywhere, and the free JPG to PDF converter turns it into a PDF if you prefer.

People searching "Aadhaar card photo size" are often surprised by one point, so it comes first.

You can't upload a new Aadhaar photo online

The photo on your Aadhaar is a biometric detail, like your fingerprints and iris scan. UIDAI's guidance is that biometrics, including the photo, can only be updated by visiting an Aadhaar Seva Kendra or an Aadhaar enrolment and update centre, where the photo is taken on the spot. There's no "Aadhaar photo size" to prepare, because you never upload one.

What you can do online, on myAadhaar, is a document update: you upload your proof of identity and proof of address documents so your Aadhaar record holds current documents. Demographic changes such as name, address or date of birth follow their own rules on the portal, and each still needs supporting documents.

Is online document update free?

UIDAI has made document update through the myAadhaar portal free for a limited period, and has extended that free window several times by office memorandum. UIDAI's Aadhaar Seva Kendra page currently lists it as free until 14 June 2027, against a fee of ₹75 for the same update at an Aadhaar centre. The end date keeps moving, so check the current notice on uidai.gov.in before you start.

What UIDAI asks for

Item	As per UIDAI's guidance
File formats	JPEG, PNG or PDF
Maximum size	Shown on the upload screen; widely reported as 2 MB, so aim under 2 MB per document
Documents	One proof of identity, one proof of address (from UIDAI's list of accepted documents)
Where	myAadhaar portal (log in with Aadhaar number and OTP on your registered mobile)

The accepted documents list is long: passport, PAN card, voter ID, ration card, bank passbook, utility bills and so on. Check UIDAI's current list, since some documents work only as proof of identity and others only as proof of address. Whatever you upload must be clear and readable; a blurry or cut-off copy is a common reason for an update to be rejected.

Option 1: Upload a compressed photo (JPEG)

Simplest for a single-sided document like a PAN card or a one-page bill.

1. Lay the document flat on a dark surface in daylight. Photograph it straight from above, filling the frame, with no glare on laminated cards.
2. Open the free image compressor and choose the photo. If it says "too large for this device" (over about 16.7 megapixels, which includes 24 MP phone photos), shrink it first in the free image resizer. iPhone HEIC photos aren't accepted; use JPG.
3. Under Save as, choose JPG. Leave Quality at 80%.
4. Click Compress image and check the size on the row.

A typical 4 MB phone photo comes down to well under 2 MB at 80%, often a few hundred KB. Zoom in on the preview before downloading: every letter of your name, the document number and the address must be readable. If it's still over 2 MB, open the free image resizer, set the width to about 2000 px with Lock proportions on, and compress again. 2000 px across is still plenty for small print.

Don't go too far the other way. A 40 KB image of a utility bill is small enough to blur the address, and you gain nothing, because the limit is generous.

Option 2: Make a PDF (good for two-sided documents)

If the document has details on both sides, such as a voter ID or a bank passbook's front page and address page, put both into a single PDF so the reviewer sees everything in one file.

1. Photograph each side or page.
2. Compress each image as above (JPG, 80%) so each is a few hundred KB.
3. Open the free JPG to PDF converter and add both images. Put them in order.
4. Choose A4 under Page size and Small under Margin, then click Create PDF.
5. Download images.pdf. The converter places each JPG in the PDF as it is, so the PDF is roughly the sum of the image sizes plus a little, well under 2 MB.

Prefer both sides on a single page instead? See putting Aadhaar front and back on one page; the same method works for any ID card.

Option 3: Compress an existing PDF

If the document is already a PDF over 2 MB (an e-statement, a downloaded certificate), the quickest fix is the PDF compressor. It runs on our servers and is free for PDFs up to 50 pages, which covers most proofs. Files are deleted once processed, and the result is kept for 1 hour.

Quick checks before you submit

• Each file is JPEG, PNG or PDF, and under 2 MB.
• Name, document number and address are all readable at full zoom.
• No fingers, glare spots or cropped edges over the text.
• The proof of identity and proof of address are in the right slots.
• You've noted the Update Request Number (URN) you get after submitting, to track the status.

For scanning other paperwork, see scan documents to PDF for online forms.

The quick way

Photograph the document, run it through the free image compressor as a JPG, and check it's readable and under 2 MB. It's free, needs no account, and your ID documents stay on your own device while you prepare them.