Fix: UPI Lite is Already Active for You on an iOS or Android Device

Recently I faced this issue while trying to use UPI Lite payment feature after switching from my Android smartphone to Apple iPhone. In this article, I’ll share the solution to remove this error message and use UPI Lite payment functionality again in new mobile phone.

PROBLEM: Unable to Use UPI Lite Payment Feature in New Phone

I was using PhonePe UPI app (Unified Payments Interface) in my mobile phone for online payments and when I installed the same UPI app in my iPhone and tried to use UPI Lite feature, I received following error message:

Following screenshot shows the error message appearing on Apple iPhone (left) and Android smartphone (right):

What is UPI Lite? Actually UPI Lite is a built-in feature in all UPI apps to make online payments without any need of entering PIN code or security code. UPI Lite allows users to store up to 2000 rs in their UPI account and users can make small payments (maximum 500 rs) without entering the 4 or 6 digit code. So UPI Lite feature has been developed for small and quick payments.

I was using UPI Lite feature without any issue in my Samsung Galaxy S23 smartphone since many months. Recently I inserted my SIM in Apple iPhone 12 Mini and installed PhonePe app.

When I tried to use UPI Lite feature for an online payment, it asked to verify/activate the UPI account as I switched the smartphone. When I tried to verify/activate the UPI Lite account, I received the “UPI Lite is already active for you on an iOS or Android device” error message.

REASON: UPI Lite Account Must be Closed Before Switching Phones

This problem is not exclusive to PhonePe app. If you are using any UPI app such as PayTM, PhonePe or Google Pay (GPay) and you switch your phone from Android to iOS or vice versa, you’ll receive this error message.

Actually it’s a security feature which might become very annoying to users. If we have used UPI Lite in an Android smartphone or Apple iPhone and we switch our mobile phone, the UPI Lite feature detects the OS change and starts showing this error message.

If you want to stay away from this issue, you’ll need to close or deactivate the UPI Lite account in your old mobile phone before you remove the SIM and insert it in new smartphone.

If you have already switched the phone and receiving this error message, the solution given below in this article will help you.

Remember this issue is related to the UPI Lite account stored in your bank account and NOT related to the UPI app. All UPI apps will display same error message if you try to use UPI Lite feature after switching your smartphone.

Unfortunately, your bank support team will never admit this issue. In fact, they’ll have no idea about this error message. They’ll ask you to contact the UPI app support. Don’t worry! The solution given below will help you in disabling or removing the error message and using UPI Lite again in your new phone.

SOLUTION: Close UPI Lite Account Using Any Other Phone with Same OS

You’ll need to close the UPI Lite account using your old smartphone or any other smartphone using the same operating system to get rid of this issue. For example, if you were using Android smartphone and now you are facing this issue in iPhone, you can use any other Android smartphone and install the same UPI app and close UPI Lite account. Similarly, if you were using Apple iPhone and switched to Android phone, you can use any other iPhone model and close UPI Lite account using it.

It doesn’t matter whether you use your old phone to close UPI Lite account or use any other smartphone but the operating system or platform MUST be same as the old phone. It might be possible that you sold/exchanged your old smartphone or you lost it and now you can’t get the phone back. In such case, you can use any other phone with same OS.

So once you get your old phone or any other smartphone, you can close UPI Lite account using following steps:

STEP 1:

Install the same UPI app in your old or other smartphone with same operating system. Insert your SIM in the smartphone and activate the UPI account.

STEP 2:

Now look for UPI Lite option. It should be present on the main home screen of the app or under your profile page. Once you find the option, tap on it to open its settings page.

STEP 3:

Now tap on the Help (?) icon present at the top-right corner of the app.

STEP 4:

Once the help page opens, look for following option available on the help page:

Tap on the option.

STEP 5:

The UPI app help page will show information about closing UPI Lite account. Just tap on the “CLOSE UPI LITE” button available at the bottom of the page.

It’ll ask for confirmation and will tell you that the existing money stored in your UPI Lite account will be transferred to your bank account, tap on Yes button.

That’s it. Your UPI Lite account has been closed successfully.

Now you can insert your SIM back to the new smartphone and activate UPI Lite account without any issue.

Also Check:

FIX: BSNL SIM Not Working After Porting from Other Operators

Things to Know Before Switching to iPhone from Android