PhonePe normally finds eligible bank accounts using the mobile number verified on your phone. If it says that no account was found, cannot send the verification SMS or fails while fetching bank details, the problem is usually connected to the SIM, SMS service, registered bank number or temporary bank availability.
Follow these checks in order. Repeatedly reinstalling the app is rarely the best first step.
How PhonePe finds your bank account
During UPI registration, PhonePe verifies the mobile number on the device and asks the selected bank for accounts registered with that number. The SIM used for verification must therefore correspond to the mobile number maintained by the bank.
Quick checklist
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| Verification SMS fails | Correct SIM, SMS permission, network signal and outgoing-SMS balance |
| No bank account found | Mobile number registered with the bank and supported account status |
| Bank fetch times out | Bank-server availability; retry later without repeated rapid attempts |
| Dual-SIM phone | Select the bank-registered SIM and temporarily make it the default for SMS |
1. Confirm the number registered with your bank
Check the bank’s official app, internet banking profile, recent transaction alerts or branch records. If the bank still has an old number, PhonePe cannot discover the account through your new SIM. Updating the number in your PhonePe profile alone does not update the bank’s records.
2. Select the correct SIM
On a dual-SIM phone, keep the bank-registered SIM active and select it when PhonePe asks to verify the number. Temporarily setting that SIM as the default for SMS can help. If possible, keep it in the primary SIM slot during setup.
3. Check outgoing SMS service
UPI device binding may send an SMS from your phone. Make sure the SIM has network coverage and can send a normal SMS. Some plans require a small main balance or an active SMS entitlement even when mobile data works. Do not share or manually forward the device-binding message.
4. Allow the required permissions
PhonePe needs the phone and SMS-related permissions used during verification. Open your phone’s Settings, find PhonePe under Apps and review the permissions. On some phones, battery-saving or security tools can interrupt the verification process, so keep PhonePe open until it finishes.
5. Use the latest official app
Update PhonePe from Google Play or Apple’s App Store. Avoid APK files and links sent through messages. Restart the phone after an update if verification continues to loop.
6. Consider temporary bank downtime
If the app verifies the number but fails while fetching the account, your bank’s UPI systems may be unavailable. Wait and try again later. Rapidly repeating verification can trigger temporary limits and does not make the bank respond faster.
7. Check whether the account is eligible and active
A frozen, closed, restricted or newly opened account may not be returned for UPI linking. Joint and special-purpose accounts can also follow bank-specific rules. Contact your bank if the mobile number is correct but the account never appears.
After the account appears
Select the account and set or enter the UPI PIN as prompted. PhonePe’s official instructions say a new PIN setup may require debit-card details and an OTP from the bank. Never give those details to someone claiming to perform setup remotely.
Security warning about SMS verification
PhonePe has warned about malware and SMS-forwarding schemes that attempt to steal device-binding messages. Do not install screen-sharing, SMS-forwarding or unknown support apps. If verification starts without your action, contact your bank and PhonePe through official channels.
