UPI is a convenient way to transfer money or make bill payments. But did you know that you can make UPI payments even without having an active internet connection? Payments can easily be made via UPI offline. In case users encounter difficulty as a result of slow internet, they can still go ahead and make the payments.
*99# service has been launched in India to make banking services available to every common man across the country. The service can be availed by bank account holders by dialling *99#, a “Common number across all Telecom Service Providers (TSPs)” through their mobile handset and transact through an interactive menu displayed on the screen.
With this service interbank account to account funds transfer, balance enquiry, setting / changing UPI PIN besides a host of other services have been made available to customers. *99# service is at present accessible in 41 leading banks in India. All GSM service providers offer the service in 12 different languages including English and Hindi. The service is called USSD 2.0 and was launched along with BHIM UPI on 30th December 2016.
The service doesn’t require data or an internet connection to complete transactions; instead, it uses the phone's network to send money using your registered mobile number.
You can send money, check your bank account balance, change your PIN, check mini statement, and more using the same *99# code. The feature is compatible with all GSM phones and GSM service providers and is 24 * 7. The service is available in multiple languages in India. You can make the payments on your Android, iOS phone or even a simple feature phone.
UPI users can easily do transactions in offline mode via their mobile phones by using USSD code *99#. To use this facility, users must have their mobile numbers linked with their bank accounts. Follow our step-by-step guide to make UPI payments in offline mode.
To make UPI payments offline without an active internet connection is very easy. Follow the below mentioned steps to make UPI payment offline.
1. First, open your phone's dialler and call *99#
2. Next, a message will come on your phone asking you to select a language.
3. You have to choose your preferred language if you want English, press 1
4. Then you will see a menu that will list all the options available to you.
5. To send money, press 1.
6. Next, select the option from which you want to pay money using UPI to the receiver.
7. If you want to use a mobile number to make payment, select option 1
8. Post this, you will have to enter your mobile number with which the receiver's bank account is linked.
9. Next just enter the amount you want to send and press send.
10. You can also add a remark for the payment.
11. In the final step just enter your UPI PIN and your transaction will be completed even without an internet connection. The service also allows you to disable your UPI using the *99# option.
You can also check your account balance by UPI by using the *99# option. Follow the steps mentioned below.
1. First, you have to Dial *99# from your Mobile handset.
2. Next, a welcome screen will ask you to enter your bank’s 3 letters short name or the first 4 letters of the IFSC code.
3. When you enter the IFS Code/short name, you will see a new menu with different choices of available services enabled for your bank.
4 . Next, you have to enter 1 for Balance Enquiry and submit.
5. You will be able to see the available account balance on the confirmation screen.
Users can also generate a mini account statement for the bank account linked his/her to their mobile number. Follow the steps to generate a Mini Statement.
1. First Dial *99# from your Mobile handset.
2. Next, a home screen will appear which will also ask you to enter your bank’s 3 letters short name or first 4 letters of IFSC.
3. You will need to enter a valid IFS Code/short name
4. Then a new menu will display different options of available services.
5. You have to enter 2 for Mini Statement and submit.
6. Then you will be able to see your account mini-statement on your mobile phone.
The service allows users to transfer funds using the Aadhaar Number. Follow the steps to transfer funds using the Aadhaar card number.
1. First Dial *99# from your Mobile handset.
2. On the next screen enter your bank’s 3 letters short name or the first 4 letters of the IFSC code.
3. You have to enter your IFS Code or short name, and a new menu will appear with different options of available services enabled for your bank.
4. You have to enter 5 for Fund Transfer using beneficiary Aadhaar number.
5. On the next screen enter the Beneficiary Aadhaar Number.
6. Then enter the MPIN and last 4 digits of the account number.
7. You will get a confirmation of the transfer on the next screen.