The introduction of UPI (Unified Payment Interface) has brought about a significant change in how people make payments for goods and services they purchase. It is also safe to say that UPI is one of the primary reasons why people have stopped carrying cash with them nowadays. From paying an auto driver to buying things from an e-commerce platform, people rely on UPI to make payments.
However, sometimes, when making a UPI payment, you may get stuck in the middle of the transaction due to poor internet connectivity. This is where offline UPI payment comes as an effective solution. You may not know this, but you can actually make a UPI payment without an internet connection.
You can easily transfer and request money, change your UPI PIN (Personal Identification Number), and check your account balance using the offline UPI service. You can take advantage of this service anytime and anywhere simply by dialling the offline UPI code – *99# on your mobile phone.
If you are unfamiliar with offline UPI Payments and don’t know how they work or how to set up transactions with this method, then this guide is for you. Read on!
What is an offline UPI payment number?
By dialling the offline UPI payment number (*99#) on your phone, you can access UPI services without an internet connection. This service is available all over India. Additionally, when you perform an offline UPI transaction, you can select the language that is most comfortable for you to use, as the service is available in 13 different languages, including Hindi and English.
The NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) launched the offline UPI service and introduced the UPI payment number *99# to facilitate UPI transactions across various banks in India. When you dial the number associated with your registered mobile number, you can easily complete transactions with the help of an interactive menu available on your mobile screen.
Currently, the offline UPI payment limit is set at Rs. 5,000. In addition, you will be charged. Rs. 0.50 per transaction to use the offline UPI service.
How to Set Up Offline UPI Payments?
Now that you know the offline UPI payment number and the transaction limit, it would be helpful to understand how to use the service and make offline UPI payments. Before you start using the offline UPI transaction service, you must set up that option on your phone. To do this, follow the steps below.
1. Open the dialer on your phone and dial the UPI offline code number – *99# and press the call button.
2. You will then be asked to select your preferred language. Choose the language as you want from the 13 options available.
3. Next, you will be asked to enter the IFSC (Indian Financial System Code) of your bank in the text field
4. If you are using a smartphone, you will have the option to select all the bank accounts registered to your phone number. You must choose the preferred option and link the desired bank account number to set up the offline UPI payment process.
5. You will then be asked to enter the last six digits of the debit card and its expiry date to complete the verification process.
6. After you have entered all the necessary details, your offline UPI payment will be activated, and you can start making offline UPI transactions immediately.
How to do offline UPI payments?
Once you finish setting up the offline UPI payment feature on your phone, you must follow the steps below to make payments.
1. Open the dialer on your phone, and under the UPI offline payment code – *99#, press the call button
2. You would see different options available on your screen, select option 1. It stands for ‘send money.’
3. Next, enter the UPI ID you want to use for making the payment. You can also enter your bank account details or the registered mobile number (assuming the number and the bank account are linked).
4. Now, please enter the desired amount you wish to pay. Remember, the maximum limit is Rs. 5,000, and please confirm this when prompted.
5. The UPI system will prompt you to enter your UPI PIN; please enter it to validate the transaction. Once you enter the PIN, the transaction is processed within seconds, and you can finish making the payment.
If you are not satisfied with using the offline UPI payment service, or you simply no longer wish to use it, you can easily disable the service by dialling the *99# code from your registered mobile number and following the instructions accordingly.
Conclusion
UPI payments have completely transformed the way we make payments now. And, with the launch of the UPI offline payment service, you can now make payments to anyone and anywhere, even without an internet connection.
Just like the offline UPI payment code on your phone, you can avail the service whenever you need it. And, even though there is a transaction limit of Rs. 5,000 on offline UPI payments, it can still help you get out of difficult situations.
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