How to Use DigiLocker to Store Documents

To use DigiLocker, install the official app or open digilocker.gov.in, sign up with your Aadhaar-linked mobile number and OTP, set a security PIN, then either fetch issued documents straight from departments or upload your own scans; issued documents are legally valid under the IT Act.

DigiLocker is a free digital document wallet run by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, known as MeitY. It lets you keep verified copies of key documents on your phone and present them without carrying paper. This guide covers the official process only, so you can set it up and use it with confidence rather than relying on look-alike apps.

What DigiLocker is for

Think of DigiLocker as a secure cloud drawer tied to your identity. Its real strength is not simply storing scans, which any file app can do, but fetching verified copies of official documents directly from the departments that issue them. That means a driving licence, vehicle registration certificate or class marksheet in your DigiLocker is the genuine electronic version, not a photograph you took. This is what gives it legal weight and makes it useful during checks and applications.

Creating your account

Setup takes a few minutes and needs your mobile number and, for the full experience, your Aadhaar.

1. Install DigiLocker from the official app store, checking that the publisher is the government service, or open digilocker.gov.in in a browser.
2. Choose sign up and enter your Aadhaar-linked mobile number.
3. Verify the OTP sent to that number.
4. Create a 6-digit security PIN that you will use to unlock the app each time.
5. Link your Aadhaar and verify it with an OTP so you can fetch issued documents.

Keep your PIN private. Combined with the OTP on your registered number, it is what keeps your locker secure, so treat it like a bank code.

Issued versus uploaded documents

DigiLocker holds two kinds of documents, and knowing the difference matters because their legal weight differs.

Issued documents such as your driving licence, vehicle registration certificate, PAN verification, and school or university results are pulled electronically from the source, so they are treated as genuine originals. Uploaded documents are simply your own files kept in one convenient place.

Fetching issued documents

This is the most useful feature of DigiLocker, and it is worth learning first.

1. Open the search or documents section and pick the issuer, for example your state transport department for a driving licence.
2. Enter the required details, such as your licence number and date of birth, so the department can match your record.
3. Confirm, and DigiLocker fetches the verified document into your issued section.

Once fetched, the document stays in your account and can be viewed, shown or shared whenever you need it. Because it is fetched fresh from the source, it reflects the current record on file.

Uploading your own documents

For papers that are not yet available electronically, you can add your own copies as a backup.

1. Choose the upload option in your DigiLocker account.
2. Select a clear scan or photo of the document from your phone.
3. Give it a sensible name so it is easy to find later.

For the cleanest results, it helps to scan documents with your phone into sharp PDFs rather than uploading blurry photos, which makes them easier to read and more likely to be accepted when you present them.

Legal validity and everyday use

DigiLocker states that documents issued through it are recognised as legally valid under the Information Technology Act and related rules, on par with the physical originals. In practice this means many authorities, including traffic police checking a driving licence or registration certificate, accept the DigiLocker version shown on your phone. Uploaded self-scans do not carry the same automatic standing, so whenever an issued version of a document exists, prefer it over your own upload.

Which documents you can keep

DigiLocker connects to a growing list of issuers, so the exact catalogue keeps expanding. Commonly fetched issued documents include the driving licence and vehicle registration certificate from transport departments, PAN verification, insurance policies, and school or university results and certificates. On the uploaded side you can store anything you like, such as rent agreements, appointment letters or older certificates that are not yet available electronically. If a document you need is not listed as an issuer, check back later, as departments are added over time.

Sharing documents safely

When an office needs a copy, DigiLocker lets you share the specific document rather than handing over everything. You can generate a shareable link or show the document directly from the app. Share only what is asked for, and avoid forwarding sensitive documents over open chats or to numbers you do not trust. If a service supports it, DigiLocker can also verify documents directly with the issuer, which removes the need to send copies at all and is the most secure option when it is offered.

Keeping your locker secure

Because DigiLocker holds identity documents, treat it like any sensitive account. Never share your OTP or PIN, and avoid logging in on shared or public computers. Before installing any related helper app, it is sensible to tell if an app is safe before you install, since fake document apps that imitate government services are common. The same care you take with payment apps, such as the habits in how to use Google Pay safely, applies here too. Set up once, and DigiLocker gives you a government-backed, legally recognised way to carry your important documents securely on your phone.