Author: Blessing Collins
Online payments have become popular because we live in an increasingly digital and cashless society. Most of these online payments are made through a Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a smartphone app that allows users to move funds between bank accounts in a single app.
UPI payments nullify the need for a user to enter bank details or sensitive data each time a transaction is initiated. It is also simple to use, efficient, and safe.
Another advantage is that UPI payments can be made without an internet connection.
This article will teach you how to configure and make offline UPI payments on your smartphone.
How to Make UPI Payments Without an Internet Connection
We’ve all been there: you want to pay with a UPI (Google Pay, Amazon Pay, etc.), but you can’t because of a bad internet connection. So what do you do next?
What many people aren’t aware of is that it’s possible to make UPI payments offline by dialing *99#. This USSD code applies to all phone users, regardless of whether they use a smartphone.
This code should work on your mobile device as long as the phone number you’re using is linked to your bank account. But before we go over how to make UPI payments offline, let’s discuss how to configure offline UPI payments.
How to configure offline UPI payments
- Dial *99# from your phone’s dialer. If the number you use to dial the USSD code is not connected to your bank account, it will not be successful.
- Next, choose your preferred language (there are over 13 to choose from) and enter your bank’s name.
- You must select your preferred bank from a list of accounts connected to your phone number.
- Then, enter your debit card’s last six digits and expiration date.
You can now make offline UPI payments after successfully setting it up using these steps.
Here’s how:
- Dial *99# from your phone. You’ll be presented with options; select 1 to send money.
- Then, select the payment information for the recipient (e.g., mobile number, UPI ID, account number) and tap send.
- Enter the amount to be sent and your UPI PIN.
- If you follow these steps correctly, your UPI payment should be successful even without an internet connection.
How to Disable UPI Payments Using *99#
If you no longer want to be able to access UPI payments through the *99# USSD code, follow these steps:
- Dial *99#
- Following that, you’ll see a list of options; select option 4 to access “My Profile,” then option 7 to “De Register” your account.
- Press 1 to confirm your withdrawal from UPI payments.
Make UPI payments without an internet connection.
If your internet connection is unstable or poor and you need to make a payment for goods or services, there’s no need to worry because you can make UPI payments by dialing *99#. Furthermore, without an internet connection, you can use this USSD code to send money, request money, and check your balances on all accounts linked to your phone number. First, you must set up offline UPI payments by dialing *99# with the phone number associated with your bank account; otherwise, it may not work.