Fix common issues with adding a bank account on Google Pay

We send out multiple SMSes in order to increase the success rate of adding your bank account. You’re charged for the SMSes sent from your device.

The process of sending an SMS to register your attempt to add a bank account happens in the background. This will help increase the success rate of adding your bank account to Google Pay. You can’t choose how many SMSes are sent.

You can only link bank accounts that have the same mobile number as the one you used to register with Google Pay.

Some common errors when you add a bank account include:

• Couldn't send SMS
  • If you encounter issues when you send an SMS, check the phone and SMS settings.
  • To send or receive messages, your phone needs to have a good network connection.
  • If you’re a prepaid mobile user, check your balance. Learn more about SMS-related issues .

• Couldn’t find account
  Before you add a bank account to Google Pay, you must:
  • Activate mobile banking services for your bank account. Learn how to activate mobile banking facilities .
  • Confirm if your SIM belongs to the same mobile number linked to your bank account.
  • Check if the mobile number linked to Google Pay is associated with a joint account in the same bank:
    • If yes, update the bank account that you're trying to add with a different phone number
    • Consolidate all your accounts in a single customer ID and for any other queries, contact your bank. Learn how to identify multiple customer IDs .

• Couldn’t register - Issues with SIM card
  • ​​​​​​Check if you've recently reset the device to factory settings or applied changes to the current software. If you have, update your device’s software or firmware settings. Learn how to fix SIM-related errors .
• Couldn’t register - Issues with flash messages
  • If you’re a prepaid user, you are likely to encounter flash messages from your operator, which causes you to switch away from the app. To turn off flash SMS settings, contact your telecom operator. Learn how to disable flash messages .

To verify your bank account with Aadhaar, your bank must support Aadhaar OTP-based onboarding. For more information, contact your bank. To get your bank’s contact details, go to www.digisaathi.info .

If a bank account is already verified with a debit card, you can't re-add the account by verifying it with your Aadhaar card.

To find the mobile number linked to your Aadhaar number:

1. Go to https://uidai.gov.in .
2. Under “Select preferred language,” tap the preferred language.
3. Tap My Aadhaarand then Aadhaar services.
4. Tap Verify email/mobile number.

If the number doesn’t match the one linked to your bank account, update or link a mobile number with Aadhaar . Once the update is successful, try to add your bank account again.

If you have recently updated your email, phone number, or profile, these changes can cause existing payment mandates to block you from adding a bank account.

If you have reset your profile

Resetting your profile creates a new ID, even if you keep the same email address and phone number. Your bank might block new account connections because your existing payment mandates are still linked to your old profile.

If you use an Android device:

1. Go to your Profile by clicking on your profile image in the top right.
2. Click on Bank Accounts.
3. Click Add bank account.
4. Click Change settingsand ensure Add smart routing UPI IDsis enabled.
5. Try adding the bank by searching for the bank name.

If you use an iOS device:Try adding your account two or three times. Log out and back in for each attempt. This works for most banks except HDFC, ICICI, AXIS, or SBI.

Tip:If you cannot see mandates in the Google Pay app, cancel them directly within the merchant app.

If you changed your email but kept the same phone number

To add your bank account, log in using your old email. If you cannot log in, you will first need to cancel your mandates in the merchant app.

If you still have issues, use the Android MultiVPA flow or the iOS retry method mentioned above.

If you changed your phone number but kept the same email

To add your bank account, log in using your phone number. If you cannot log in, you will first need to cancel your mandates in the merchant app.

If you still have issues, use the Android MultiVPA flow or the iOS retry method mentioned above.

Tip:Virtual Payment Addresses (VPAs) created with an old phone number cannot be reclaimed. Be sure to cancel mandates via the merchant app to stop future payments.