EPFO Launches WhatsApp Services and Auto-Settlement of Small Inoperative Accounts
November 2, 2026
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EPFO has launched a verified WhatsApp service that lets its 80 million-plus subscribers check their PF balance, view passbook details and see their last five transactions without visiting an EPFO office. Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya launched the facility on 1 November 2026 at EPFO’s 74th Foundation Day celebrations in New Delhi.
At the same event, the Minister also launched automatic settlement of Aadhaar-verified inoperative EPF accounts holding balances of up to Rs 1,000, removing the need for members to file individual claims for small unclaimed amounts.
Both measures form part of EPFO’s wider push to widen digital access to its services as it approaches its 75th year. The Minister noted that EPFO now manages a retirement corpus of about Rs 32 trillion.
What members can do on WhatsApp
The facility covers four services, all informational. Withdrawals, transfers and other transactions are not part of the launch and must still be done through EPFO’s authorised channels (Member e-Sewa portal, UMANG app).
| Service | What the member gets |
|---|---|
| PF balance | Current balance in the member’s provident fund account |
| Passbook information | Contribution and transaction details from the EPF passbook |
| Latest five transactions | The five most recent entries, to track account activity |
| PMVBRY assistance | Personalised guidance on completing requirements under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY), the employment-linked incentive scheme |
For salaried members, the passbook view is the quickest way to confirm that employer contributions are being credited on time.
How to access it — and what is still unknown
The Labour Ministry’s 1 November announcement does not give the official WhatsApp number or the activation steps. Members should wait for the number to be published on epfindia.gov.in or EPFO’s verified social media handles rather than acting on numbers circulating elsewhere.
Until then, a few precautions apply:
- Treat any WhatsApp number claiming to be EPFO as unverified unless it appears on an official EPFO channel.
- Never share the UAN password, OTPs, bank credentials or Aadhaar details over chat, even with a contact that looks official.
- Remember the service is read-only; any message asking you to “confirm” a withdrawal or transfer on WhatsApp is a red flag.
Auto-settlement of small inoperative accounts
EPFO will now settle eligible inoperative accounts with balances up to Rs 1,000 on its own, without a claim from the member.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Members with Aadhaar-verified inoperative EPF accounts |
| Balance limit | Up to Rs 1,000 |
| Member action needed | None — no claim form to be filed |
| EPFO process | Identity and bank-account verification, then transfer of dues to the member’s account |
| Expected reach | About 1,00,000 accounts, totalling roughly Rs 5 crore |
The measure targets small balances left behind when employees changed jobs or stopped contributing. Aadhaar seeding and a verified bank account remain prerequisites — accounts without them will not be picked up automatically.