Checking your provident fund balance just got as simple as sending a WhatsApp message. Union Labour and Employment Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday (November 1) launched EPFO services on WhatsApp and a system to automatically settle small inoperative PF accounts, at the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation's 74th Foundation Day event in New Delhi. Both changes are aimed at cutting paperwork for the more than 8 crore members whose savings EPFO manages.
What you can do on EPFO's WhatsApp service
Through EPFO's verified WhatsApp service, subscribers can now:
- Check their PF balance
- See their latest five transactions
- View passbook details
- Get guidance on completing requirements under PMVBRY (Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana), such as pending Aadhaar face authentication or enabling DBT on an Aadhaar-linked bank account
When EPFO first outlined the plan in May 2026, it described the flow like this: the member sends "Hello" to EPFO's official WhatsApp number from the mobile number linked to their UAN, the system verifies that number, and a menu appears in the member's language. Always use the number listed on EPFO's official website or channels, and never share your OTP or bank details with anyone who messages you claiming to be from EPFO.
Inoperative accounts with up to Rs 1,000: no claim needed
The second change helps people who have forgotten small amounts sitting in old PF accounts. Members with Aadhaar-verified inoperative EPF accounts holding up to Rs 1,000 will no longer have to file a claim. EPFO will start the settlement on its own after the prescribed identity and bank account verification, and the dues will be paid to the rightful beneficiary.
About one lakh accounts, with roughly Rs 5 crore between them, are expected to benefit from this first round of automatic settlement.
| Key fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Launched on | November 1, 2026 (EPFO's 74th Foundation Day) |
| Launched by | Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Labour Minister |
| WhatsApp services | PF balance, last 5 transactions, passbook, PMVBRY help |
| Auto-settlement limit | Inoperative accounts with balance up to Rs 1,000 |
| Condition | Aadhaar-verified account; identity and bank checks |
| Accounts expected to benefit | About 1 lakh, totalling about Rs 5 crore |
| EPFO corpus | About Rs 32 lakh crore, over 8 crore members |
How to make sure you benefit
- Link your mobile number to UAN: The WhatsApp service works only from the number registered with your Universal Account Number.
- Complete Aadhaar verification: Automatic settlement covers only Aadhaar-verified accounts, so check your KYC status on the EPFO member portal.
- Update bank details: Make sure your active bank account and IFSC are seeded correctly, since payouts go through bank verification.
- Check old employers' accounts: If you changed jobs without transferring PF, you may have small balances in older member IDs under your UAN.
What counts as an inoperative account?
In simple terms, an EPF account becomes inoperative when no contributions have gone into it for a long stretch, usually after a member leaves a job and never withdraws or transfers the money. Such balances often stay untouched for years because the amount feels too small to justify the paperwork. The new system removes that hassle for the smallest balances, provided the member's Aadhaar and bank details are already verified.
Other announcements at the event
Mandaviya described EPFO as a "trusted institution for the workforce of the country" and urged officials to focus on worker-centric innovation as the organisation heads into its 75th year. The second phase of the EPFO Head Office was inaugurated, the Bhavishya Nidhi Awards 2026 were presented, and seven publications on themes such as legal awareness and institutional learning were released.
Why this matters
For many salaried Indians, especially those who switch jobs often, checking PF details has meant logging into portals, remembering passwords and waiting for OTPs. Moving basic queries to WhatsApp, which most smartphone users already use daily, lowers that barrier. The automatic settlement of tiny forgotten balances is also a shift in approach: instead of waiting for members to claim, EPFO is reaching out to pay them.
Members should keep an eye on official EPFO announcements for the next phases, including whether the auto-settlement limit is raised beyond Rs 1,000 in future.
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