How to Download Form 26AS and Verify TDS Online

Before you file your income tax return, you need proof that every rupee of tax deducted from your income actually reached the government under your name. Form 26AS is that proof. It's your official tax credit statement, and downloading it takes just a few minutes.

This guide walks you through how to download Form 26AS, how to verify your TDS entries line by line, and what to do if something looks off — so you catch any errors before they slow down your refund.

What Is Form 26AS?

Form 26AS is your consolidated annual tax statement, linked to your PAN. It pulls together every major tax-related transaction filed against your name during a financial year.

Here's what it shows:

TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) — tax cut by your employer, bank, or clients
TCS (Tax Collected at Source) — tax collected on certain purchases
Advance tax and self-assessment tax you've paid directly
Refunds issued to you during the year
High-value financial transactions reported to the tax department, such as large property purchases or significant deposits

In short, it's the government's record of what tax was deducted, collected, and paid on your behalf. When you file your ITR, the figures you claim should match what Form 26AS shows.

Key Details You'll See in Each TDS Entry

When you open Form 26AS, each TDS entry will typically show:

Name and TAN of the deductor (your employer, bank, or client)
Nature of payment (salary, interest, professional fees, etc.)
Amount paid or credited
Amount of TDS deducted
Amount deposited with the government
Booking status — whether the entry is Final (F), Unmatched (U), or Provisional (P)

These are the details you'll be cross-checking against your Form 16 or Form 16A.

Why You Should Download Form 26AS Before Filing

Filing without checking Form 26AS is a gamble. If your numbers don't match the official record, your return can get flagged or your refund delayed.

Download it early so you can:

Confirm your TDS credits — make sure every deduction is showing against your PAN
Catch mismatches — spot wrong amounts or missing entries before they become a problem
Match your Form 16 or 16A — cross-check what your employer or bank reported
Avoid refund delays — unreflected TDS holds up the money you're owed

A quick download now saves you a stressful correction later.

Three Ways to Access Form 26AS

You can access Form 26AS through any of these four routes. All of them pull the same government data.

Income Tax e-Filing portal — the most common route; your Form 26AS is linked to your account and accessible after login
TRACES portal — direct access if you're already registered as a taxpayer on TRACES
Net banking — some banks allow access to Form 26AS if your PAN is linked to your bank account; look for a "Tax Credit" or "View Form 26AS" option under tax services
Easy Return app — the fastest option for most users; enter your PAN and the app fetches your Form 26AS data automatically, without navigating between portals

The e-Filing portal route is the most straightforward for most users. The steps below walk you through it.

How to Download Form 26AS From the Income Tax e-Filing Portal

Step 1: Log In to the e-Filing Portal

Go to the official Income Tax e-Filing website
Click Login
Enter your PAN as the User ID
Tick the secure access checkbox and enter your password

Step 2: Navigate to Form 26AS

Click the e-File tab
Select Income Tax Returns
Choose View Form 26AS
Read the disclaimer and click Confirm

This redirects you to the TRACES portal, where the statement lives.

Step 3: Proceed on TRACES

On the TRACES page, tick the agreement box
Click Proceed
Click View Tax Credit (Form 26AS)

Step 4: Select the Assessment Year and View Type

Choose the Assessment Year you want to check
Select HTML to read it on screen, or Text if you want a plain-text version
Click View / Download

Step 5: Export or Save Your Copy

To save as PDF, view the statement in HTML format first, then click Export as PDF.
If you download the PDF directly, it's password-protected. The password is your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format — for example, 05031990 for 5 March 1990.

How to Verify TDS in Form 26AS

Downloading the statement is only half the job. Now you need to read it correctly. For each TDS entry, check:

Deductor name — confirm it's your actual employer, bank, or client
TAN — the deductor's Tax Deduction Account Number should be correct
Amount paid/credited — the income on which tax was deducted
Amount deducted — how much TDS was cut
Amount deposited — how much reached the government

The deducted and deposited amounts should match. If tax was deducted but not deposited, you can't claim it yet.

Also check the booking status beside each entry:

"F" (Final) — confirmed and matched; you're good to go
"U" (Unmatched) — the deductor's deposit hasn't been matched yet
"P" (Provisional) — still pending confirmation

Cross-check everything against your salary slips, Form 16, or bank interest certificates before you file.

Form 26AS vs AIS: Which One Should You Check?

Form 26AS is your tax credit statement — TDS, TCS, and direct tax payments. The Annual Information Statement (AIS) is broader. It includes interest income, dividends, and other reported transactions beyond just tax deductions.

Checking both before filing gives you the most complete picture of what the government has on record for you. For a full side-by-side breakdown, see our guide on this topic. Form 26AS vs AIS guide

Common TDS Problems and What to Do

Missing or incorrect TDS entries are common. Most are fixable. Here are the usual causes:

TDS not showing at all. Deductors file quarterly, so a recent deduction may not appear yet. If a full quarter has passed and it's still missing, we explain the fixes in detail here. why TDS isn't showing in Form 26AS
Amount mismatch. The figure in Form 26AS doesn't match your Form 16 or 16A. Ask your deductor to file a revised TDS return with the correct amount.
Wrong PAN quoted. If your employer or bank entered the wrong PAN, your credit landed elsewhere. Request a correction from them.
Delay in reflection. TDS can take a few weeks after deduction to appear. Wait and check again.

In almost every case, the fastest first step is to contact whoever deducted the tax and confirm their filing status.

Troubleshooting: If Something Goes Wrong While Downloading

Sometimes the issue isn't the data — it's the portal or your browser. Here's what to try:

Can't access TRACES or the e-Filing portal. Check that your PAN and password are correct. If you've forgotten your password, use the "Forgot Password" option. Disable VPN or proxy connections, which can block access to these portals.

TRACES redirect isn't working. Clear your browser's cache and cookies, then try again. Chrome or Firefox tend to work best with these portals.

Page not loading or timing out. Try a different browser. If the portal is under maintenance, check the official Income Tax website for downtime notices.

PDF won't download or open. Make sure pop-ups are enabled for the TRACES site. If the file downloads but won't open, ensure you have an updated PDF reader. Remember: the password is your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format.

Accidentally selected the wrong assessment year. Go back to the TRACES screen, re-select the correct year, and view the statement again. TDS for FY 2025–26 sits under Assessment Year 2026–27.

What to Do Next

Once your Form 26AS is downloaded and verified, you're ready for the next step:

Want a faster way to review your deductions? Learn how to check TDS online through the official portals and the Easy Return app. check TDS online
Prefer to go straight through TRACES? Here's a step-by-step walkthrough. how to check TDS on TRACES
Expecting money back? Track your refund status and find out how to claim it in your ITR. TDS refund status claim your TDS refund in ITR

Frequently Asked Questions

Is downloading Form 26AS free?

Yes. Viewing and downloading Form 26AS through the Income Tax e-Filing portal costs nothing. Accessing it through the Easy Return app is also free.

Can I download Form 26AS using just my PAN number?

You use your PAN as the login ID, but you need a registered account on the e-Filing portal or TRACES to access the statement. PAN alone won't open it directly. Some banks also offer access to Form 26AS through net banking if your PAN is linked.

Can I download Form 26AS for previous years?

Yes. On the TRACES page, select the assessment year you need. You can pull statements for past years the same way.

Which assessment year should I select?

Match the assessment year to the financial year of your income. Income earned in FY 2025–26 appears under Assessment Year 2026–27.

What's the difference between Form 26AS and AIS?

Form 26AS is your tax credit statement — TDS, TCS, and direct tax payments. AIS is broader and includes interest income, dividends, and other reported financial transactions. Both are tied to your PAN. See our full comparison for details. Form 26AS vs AIS guide

Verify Your TDS in Minutes With Easy Return

You've earned that money. If tax was deducted from your salary, interest, rent, or fees, some of it could be coming back to you — but only if you check, verify, and file.

Skip the multi-step portal navigation. With the Easy Return app, you can download Form 26AS directly and:

✅ Download Form 26AS directly inside the app — no portal juggling needed
✅ Check your TDS by PAN in seconds
✅ Pull your data automatically from Form 26AS and AIS
✅ See a clean, readable breakdown — no decoding required
✅ Get mismatch alerts so nothing slips through
✅ File your ITR with CA and tax expert support

Download the Easy Return app, enter your PAN, and download your Form 26AS or check your TDS in seconds. Then let our experts file your return and get back every rupee you're owed.