You’re staring at the spinning wheel on incometax.gov.in. The ITR deadline is weeks away but the portal won’t budge. Login fails, OTP never arrives, or you’re staring at a 503 error.
Been there. Happens to lakhs of us every filing season.
The good news: most of these issues have straightforward fixes. Here’s what actually works.
1. Can’t Log In?
This is the complaint that floods Twitter every June and July.
What’s usually going on:
- Wrong password or user ID
- Aadhaar not linked with PAN
- Account locked after too many failed attempts
- Browser cache acting up
- Servers overwhelmed during peak hours
Fix it:
Reset your password. Click “Forgot Password” on the login page, pick your method (OTP on mobile or email, Aadhaar OTP, bank EVC, or demat EVC), and set a new one. Your password needs to be 8-14 characters with uppercase, lowercase, a number, and a special character.
If you don’t want to bother with passwords, try logging in with Aadhaar OTP instead. Only works if your PAN is linked to Aadhaar.
Still stuck? Clear your browser cache. Better yet, open an incognito window and try from there. Half the time that’s all it takes.
Also, use a proper browser. Chrome, Firefox, Edge with recent versions work fine. Safari on Mac gives a lot of people trouble. Switch if you need to.
If your account is locked, wait about 30 minutes. It usually resets on its own. You can also click “Unlock Your Account” on the login page to get back in immediately. Nothing works? Call 1800-103-0025.
2. Aadhaar OTP Never Arrives
You hit “Generate OTP” and… nothing. Or it shows up 10 minutes later when it’s already expired.
Why this happens:
- Your mobile number isn’t linked to Aadhaar
- UIDAI servers are slow (happens more than you’d think)
- Your browser is blocking pop-ups
- You get 3 attempts to enter the OTP, so don’t waste them. Click resend if you need a fresh one.
Fix it:
First, check which mobile number is linked to your Aadhaar. Go to myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in and verify. If your number changed, visit an Aadhaar enrolment centre to update it. There’s no shortcut here.
If mobile OTP isn’t coming through, try email OTP instead. Sometimes one works when the other doesn’t. Check your spam folder if you go the email route.
Wait at least 2 minutes before hitting resend. Patience helps here.
Turn off ad-blockers. The portal uses pop-ups for the OTP window, and if your browser blocks them, the OTP screen never shows up.
And try a different browser. If Chrome isn’t working, try Edge. If Edge doesn’t work, try Firefox. I’ve seen this simple switch fix the problem more times than I can count.
3. Pre-Filled Data Missing or Wrong
You open your ITR expecting numbers to be there. Instead, blank boxes everywhere.
Why this happens:
- Your employer or bank hasn’t uploaded data yet
- Form 26AS is still being processed
- Your AIS hasn’t updated
- You picked the wrong ITR form
Fix it:
Check Form 26AS first. Log in, go to “My Account” and then “Form 26AS”. If your employer filed TDS late, the data won’t show up instantly.
Then check your AIS (Annual Information Statement). This is the big one now. Go to “Services” and then “Annual Information Statement” and see if your salary, interest, dividends, and property transactions are listed. If data is missing here, it won’t auto-populate in your ITR.
Give it time. Most data starts appearing by mid-June, but if you’re filing in May or early June, expect some gaps.
Meanwhile, enter the missing bits manually. Keep your Form 16, bank statements, and investment proofs handy. You can type in any field that isn’t pre-filled.
One more thing: double-check that you’ve selected the right ITR form. ITR-1 is for salaried folks earning up to ₹50 lakh. ITR-2 covers capital gains, foreign assets, or anyone who doesn’t qualify for ITR-1. Pick the wrong form and half the sections stay blank.
4. Tax Payment Not Going Through
You’ve filled everything, calculated the tax, and now the payment page refuses to cooperate.
Why this happens:
- Payment server is overloaded
- Your bank’s server is down
- Wrong challan selected
- Using old challan format for the new tax year
Fix it:
Big change for 2026: the Income Tax Act, 1961 has been replaced by the new Income Tax Act, 2025 from April 1. New challan forms are live for Tax Year 2026-27. Make sure you’re using the right one. Old challans only work for dues up to FY 2025-26.
The portal now has a single payment interface for both Acts. Go to “e-Pay Tax”, pick the correct assessment year, choose your payment type (Self Assessment Tax, Advance Tax, etc.), and proceed.
If net banking fails, try UPI. If UPI fails, try debit card. Different banks have different uptime on different days. Keep switching till something goes through.
Try early morning or late evening. Between 10 AM and 6 PM, everyone and their uncle is trying to pay. Server load is real.
And if a payment fails, don’t hammer the button. Wait 15-20 minutes, clear your cache, and try again. Multiple failed attempts can trigger a temporary block.
Which payment method should you use?
| Method | Speed | Success Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net Banking | Fast | ~85% | Large amounts, corporate payments |
| UPI | Very Fast | ~90% | Quick payments, mobile-first users |
| Debit Card | Fast | ~80% | Small to medium amounts |
| Challan (Offline) | Slow | ~95% | When all online methods fail |
5. 503 Errors and the Portal Going Down
“503 Service Unavailable” pops up halfway through your filing. Frustrating, but fixable.
Why this happens:
- Too many people on the site at once
- Scheduled maintenance
- Random technical glitch
- Your internet connection dropping
Fix it:
Check the portal homepage first. The “Latest Updates” section shows scheduled maintenance windows. Sometimes they post a notice and we all miss it.
File during off-peak hours. Server load peaks between 10 AM and 6 PM on weekdays. Early morning, late evening, or weekends are much smoother. The portal is open 24/7, so use that.
Here’s a tip most people miss: download the offline Excel utility. If the online form keeps crashing, download the Excel version of your ITR, fill it offline, and upload the JSON file later. It’s faster and there are fewer errors.
If you hit a 503 error, wait 15-20 minutes. Most of them fix themselves as server load drops. Refreshing every 5 seconds doesn’t help — it just makes things worse.
Also check your internet. A flaky connection can trigger timeout errors that look like portal problems. Switch to a wired connection if you can.
A Few Things That Actually Help
File early. May and early June are smooth. The chaos starts in the last two weeks of July. Don’t be that person filing on July 30.
Keep your papers ready. Form 16, bank statements, AIS, Form 26AS, investment proofs. Nothing worse than opening the portal and realizing you don’t have the numbers.
Link PAN with Aadhaar. This is mandatory now. If you missed the deadline, you can still link it by paying ₹1,000 as a late fee. An unlinked PAN becomes inoperative — you can’t file returns, open bank accounts, or do much of anything. Read our guide on PAN-Aadhaar linking.
Enable JavaScript and pop-ups. The portal needs both. Check your browser settings before you start.
Use only the official site. That is https://www.incometax.gov.in. There are fakes out there. The department never contacts you through pop-ups or WhatsApp. If something feels off, it probably is.
The Bottom Line
The portal is genuinely better than it was a few years back. The old NSDL site was a nightmare. Here’s how the portal has evolved. But when lakhs of people try to do the same thing at the same time, stuff breaks.
Start early. Keep documents handy. Don’t panic when something goes wrong — there’s usually a simple fix you can try right away.
If nothing works, call 1800-103-0025 or 1800-419-0025 (Mon to Fri, 8 AM to 8 PM; Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM). Save these numbers. They’ve been surprisingly helpful this year.
Need help picking the right ITR form? Check our ITR-1 filing guide. Want to file offline? Here’s how to use the Excel utility.
This is for educational purposes only. Talk to a qualified Chartered Accountant for advice specific to your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the income tax portal not working?
Common reasons: peak server load (10 AM-6 PM), incorrect password, unlinked Aadhaar-PAN, browser cache, or scheduled maintenance. Try clearing your cache, using a different browser, or filing during off-peak hours.
How do I fix Aadhaar OTP not coming on incometax.gov.in?
Check that your mobile is linked to Aadhaar at myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in. Disable ad-blockers, switch between mobile and email OTP, or try a different browser.
What to do if the ITR portal shows 503 error?
Wait 15-20 minutes, check for maintenance notices on the homepage, file during off-peak hours (early morning or weekends), or switch to the offline Excel utility.
How many attempts to enter OTP on the income tax portal?
You get 3 attempts to enter the correct OTP. Click “Resend” if you need a fresh one.
Official References: Income Tax Portal (incometax.gov.in) | Aadhaar Portal (myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in) | CBDT Press Release on Income Tax Act 2025
