Forgot your ITR login password? Here's how to reset it without access to Aadhaar-linked mobile number

Taxpayers must have access to the income tax department's e-filing portal to submit their income tax return (ITR), checking refund status, downloading tax documents and responding to notices, if any.

However, if you forget your login password, that may become a major hurdle, especially if you no longer have access to your Aadhar-linked mobile number or registered email address.

The good news is that the income tax department provides some ways to recover your account. Here's what you can do.

How to reset income tax login password?

Any taxpayer can reset their login password directly through the income tax department's online portal. Once you go there, follow the given steps:

• Go to the home page and click on the ‘Login’ button.
• Enter your User ID and click on the ‘Continue’ button.
• Individual taxpayers can use their PAN or Aadhaar (only if the two are linked) as the User ID. For all other taxpayers, the PAN serves as the User ID.
• After reaching the login page, click on the "Forgot Password" option. This will take you to the password reset page, where you can choose the appropriate verification method to recover access to your account.

How to reset password without access to mobile

number?

If you no longer have access to the Aadhar-linked mobile number, you can still reset your password using other verification methods.

After clicking on "Forgot Password", the taxpayer can verify their identity by uploading their digital signature certificate (DSC). Just select this available option and click on the ‘Continue’ button to proceed.

Reset I-T login password using DSC

To receive a new password using the DSC route, follow these steps:

• Select the option ‘Upload Digital Signature Certificate’ and click on the ‘Continue’ button.
• You will be redirected to a new screen, where you should select the option ‘New DSC’ or ‘Registered DSC’, whichever is relevant.
• Then click on the ‘Continue’ button.

In the next step, enter a new password in the ‘Set New Password’ and ‘Confirm Password’ textboxes. Click on the ‘Submit’ button, following which the password will be reset successfully.

Other ways to reset your password

If the above option is not suitable, you can also reset your password by answering the secret question that you set while registering your e-filing account, according to a Cleartax report. If you answer the question correctly, you will be allowed to create a new password.

If you no longer have access to your registered mobile number or email address and cannot use any of the available verification methods, you can contact the Income-tax e-filing helpdesk to get your registered contact details updated. Once your mobile number or email ID is updated, you can proceed with resetting your password using any of the available methods.