How to download Form 26AS for ITR Filing
Your income tax filing deadline is approaching, and have gathered your salary slips and investment proofs. However, one crucial document remains: the definitive record of all taxes already paid on your behalf. This document is know as Form 26AS, your official consolidated tax credit statement.
Think of Form 26AS as your tax passbook, maintained by the Income Tax Department of India. It serves as a single, authoritative source of truth. It lists every tax payment linked to your Permanent Account Number (PAN). Therefore, downloading and reviewing it is a critical step you must complete before filing your return.
Failing to reconcile your Income Tax Return (ITR) with Form 26AS is a primary reason for receiving tax notices and experiencing refund delays. So, this guide will walk you through the entire process. You will learn what it contains, why it is indispensable, and how to download it seamlessly.
Table of Contents:
What is Form 26AS? More Than Just TDS
Form 26AS is an annual statement mandated under Section 203AA of the Income Tax Act, 1961. It is not merely a form; it is a comprehensive financial snapshot for the entire tax year. The Income Tax Department provides this statement to every holder of a Permanent Account Number (PAN).
Its fundamental purpose is to display all taxes credited to your account by the government. This allows you to claim the correct credit when you file your ITR. Consequently, you avoid the risk of paying tax twice on the same income. It introduces essential transparency to all your tax-related transactions.
The scope of Form 26AS has expanded considerably in recent years. It now includes details of specified high-value financial transactions. These can include large mutual fund investments, property purchases, and foreign remittances. If you are a registered business, your GST turnover may also be reported here.
A key advantage is that you can access it online at any time. It is dynamically updated as and when deductors, like your employer or bank, file their TDS returns. We strongly recommend checking it multiple times in the months leading up to your ITR filing deadline.
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Key Information Contained in Your Form 26AS
Your Form 26AS acts as a consolidated report, pulling information from various sources. To help you navigate it, the table below breaks down what you will find in its different parts.
| Part of Form 26AS | Key Details It Contains |
|---|---|
| Part A: Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) | TDS from salary, bank interest, professional fees, etc. It lists the deductor’s name, TAN, and the amount deducted. |
| Part B: Tax Collected at Source (TCS) | TCS collected by sellers on specific transactions, such as the purchase of a motor vehicle. |
| Part C: Other Tax Payments | Advance tax and self-assessment tax that you paid directly via challans. |
| Part D: Details of Refunds | A complete history of income tax refunds processed for you, including the assessment year and amount. |
| Part E: Specified Financial Transactions | High-value transactions reported by banks and other institutions (e.g., large cash deposits, investments). |
| Parts F, G, H, etc. | Additional information like TDS on property sale/rent, defaults by deductors, and GST turnover. |
Step-by-Step Guide To Download Your Form 26AS
You have three primary methods to download your Form 26AS. Each method is secure and leads to the same official document on the TRACES (TDS Reconciliation Analysis and Correction Enabling System) portal. You can choose the option that is most convenient for your situation.
Method 1: Download via the Income Tax e-Filing Portal
This is the most common and direct method for most taxpayers. Follow these steps carefully.
Step 1: Visit the official Income Tax e-Filing portal at incometax.gov.in. Log in using your PAN as the User ID and your corresponding password.
Step 2: After logging in, locate the ‘e-File’ menu at the top. Select ‘Income Tax Returns’ from the dropdown and then click on ‘View Form 26AS’.
Step 3: A standard disclaimer will appear on your screen. Read it and click ‘Confirm’. You will then be securely redirected to the TRACES website.
Step 4: On the TRACES page, check the agreement box to proceed. Then, click the ‘Proceed’ button to continue.
Step 5: Now, click on the link that says ‘View Tax Credit (Form 26AS)’.
Step 6: Select the relevant Assessment Year (e.g., AY 2025-26 for the Financial Year 2024-25). Choose your preferred format—HTML for quick viewing or PDF for saving. Finally, click ‘View/Download’.
Step 7: To save the file, click ‘Export as PDF’. The PDF is typically password-protected. Use your birthdate in the DDMMYYYY format as the password to open it.
Method 2: Download via Your Net Banking
This method is often quicker if your bank offers this service. A prerequisite is that your PAN must be linked to your savings or current bank account.
Step 1: Log in to your personal net banking account using your credentials.
Step 2: Navigate to the tax services section. This might be labelled as “Tax Services,” “Tax Center,” or “e-Tax” depending on your bank.
Step 3: Look for an option named ‘View Form 26AS’ or ‘Tax Credit Statement’ and click on it.
Step 4: This action will redirect you to the TRACES website. From here, follow the same steps outlined in Method 1 (from Step 4 onward) to select the year and download your form.
Note: This facility is not offered by all banks. Major banks like State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank typically provide this service.
Method 3: Download Directly from the TRACES Portal
You can also access your form by going straight to the source. Visit the TRACES portal directly at tdscpc.gov.in.
Log in using your PAN and password (these are the same as your e-filing portal credentials). If you are a new user, you will need to complete a one-time registration first. Once logged in, navigate to ‘View Tax Credit (Form 26AS)’, usually found under the ‘My Account’ or ‘Services’ tab.
The subsequent steps for choosing the assessment year and download format are identical to the previous methods.
Verifying and Using Your Downloaded Form 26AS
Downloading the form is only half the task. You must now verify that its details perfectly match your own records. This reconciliation process is essential for accurate and hassle-free ITR filing.
Begin by comparing the TDS details in Part A with your Form 16 (from employer) and Form 16A (from other deductors like banks). Check the deductor’s name, TAN, and the TDS amount meticulously. Every rupee of deducted tax should be accounted for.
Next, verify the advance tax and self-assessment tax entries in Part C. Cross-check these amounts with the counterfoils of your bank challan receipts. Ensure all your direct tax payments are recorded without omission.
You should also review Part E for specified financial transactions. Confirm that the reported high-value investments align accurately with your actual transactions for the year. This proactive check can help preempt any queries from the tax department.
What to Do If You Find an Error or Discrepancy
Discrepancies, while frustrating, are common and must be addressed promptly. If TDS from your employer is missing or incorrect, contact your company’s payroll or finance department immediately.
The deductor is responsible for filing a corrected TDS return (known as a “rectification”). This is the only way to correct errors reflected in your Form 26AS, as you cannot edit the information yourself.
If a bank or other institution has reported an incorrect high-value transaction, contact the concerned branch directly. Provide them with supporting documents, such as account statements, to prove the error. They can then submit a correction to the authorities.
Throughout this process, always keep a record of your communications. Follow up persistently until the correction reflects in an updated version of your Form 26AS. Please note that this update can take 7-10 days after the deductor files the correction.
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Form 26AS vs. AIS (Annual Information Statement): Which to Trust?
You may also encounter the Annual Information Statement (AIS), a newer and more comprehensive statement available on the e-filing portal. It is important to understand the distinction between these two documents.
Form 26AS contains verified tax information (TDS, TCS, your tax payments). In contrast, the AIS includes additional financial data like dividend income, interest from savings accounts, and details of off-market transactions.
Here is a key principle to remember: In case of any mismatch between the two, the information in Form 26AS prevails over the AIS for the purpose of claiming tax credits. Therefore, always use Form 26AS as your primary source when filing your ITR.
Think of the AIS as a valuable informative supplement. Use it to ensure you have not missed reporting any source of income in your return. However, for verifying tax payments and deductions, your Form 26AS remains the authoritative document.
Proactive Tips for a Smooth Tax Filing Experience
To avoid last-minute stress, do not wait until the final day of ITR filing to download your Form 26AS. Start checking it from early June, after the previous financial year ends. This gives you ample time to spot and resolve any discrepancies.
Make it a standard practice to download and save a PDF copy for each financial year. This saved document serves as crucial proof of taxes paid. You may need it later for loan applications, visa processing, or other financial verifications.
If you have changed jobs within the financial year, pay special attention. Ensure that TDS from all your previous employers appears in Part A. You will need to combine all your Form 16s and match them collectively with your Form 26AS.
For freelancers, consultants, and business owners, verification is even more critical. Meticulously verify all TDS deducted by your clients (as per Form 16A) alongside your advance tax payments. Any missing credit will incorrectly inflate your tax liability.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
A1: Technically, you can file without it. However, it is highly inadvisable. Form 26AS is the government’s official record of your tax credits. Filing without reconciling it risks receiving a notice for mismatch and significant delays in any refund you are owed.
A2: The password is almost always your date of birth in the DDMMYYYY format. For example, for a birthdate of July 15, 1985, you would enter 15071985. For companies or firms, it may be the date of incorporation in the same format.
A3: Entries appear only after the deductor (e.g., your employer or bank) files their quarterly TDS return and it is processed by the tax department. This typically takes several weeks after the end of each quarter.
A4: No, the form is only available digitally through the official online portals mentioned in this guide. There is no physical copy dispatched by the Income Tax Department.
A5: You should immediately update your PAN details on the e-filing portal. Use the ‘Update PAN Details’ or ‘Profile Settings’ option. This will correct future entries. For past errors, you may need to contact the deductor who reported the wrong details.
