How to Download Form 26AS and Verify TDS
Learn how to access your Form 26AS, check the TDS reported against your PAN, and spot missing or incorrect tax credits before filing your income tax return.
Checking Form 26AS before filing helps confirm that the TDS you plan to claim has actually been reported against your PAN.
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 the following details.
Your employer, bank, or client
Salary, interest, professional fees, etc.
The income on which tax was deducted
How much tax was actually cut
How much reached the government
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.
Make sure every deduction is showing against your PAN.
Spot wrong amounts or missing entries before they become a problem.
Cross-check what your employer, bank, or client reported.
Unreflected TDS can hold 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 if your PAN is linked to your bank account. Look for a Tax Credit or View Form 26AS option.
Easy Return App
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
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
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.
Proceed on TRACES
- On the TRACES page, tick the agreement box
- Click Proceed
- Click View Tax Credit (Form 26AS)
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
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.
How to Verify TDS in Form 26AS
Downloading the statement is only half the job. Now you need to read it correctly.
Confirm it's your actual employer, bank, or client.
The deductor's Tax Deduction Account Number should be correct.
The income on which tax was deducted.
How much TDS was cut.
How much of that TDS actually reached the government.
The deducted and deposited amounts should match. If tax was deducted but not deposited, you can't claim it yet.
Check the Booking Status
Confirmed and matched — you're good to go.
The deductor's deposit hasn't been matched yet.
The entry is 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?
Your tax credit statement — TDS, TCS, and direct tax payments.
Broader financial information including interest, dividends, and other reported transactions.
Checking both before filing gives you the most complete picture of what the government has on record for you.
Common TDS Problems and What to Do
Missing or incorrect TDS entries are common. Most are fixable.
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, see our guide on why TDS isn't showing in Form 26AS .
Amount Mismatch
The figure in Form 26AS doesn't match your Form 16 or Form 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.
If Something Goes Wrong While Downloading
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.
Clear your browser's cache and cookies, then try again. Chrome or Firefox tend to work best with these portals.
Try a different browser. If the portal is under maintenance, check the official Income Tax website for downtime notices.
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.
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.
Review your deductions through official portals and the Easy Return app.
02 TRACES Guide How to Check TDS on TRACESFollow the complete step-by-step TRACES process.
03 Expecting a Refund? TDS Refund StatusTrack the status of your expected refund.
04 Claim Your Credit Claim TDS Refund in ITRLearn how to claim eligible TDS while filing your return.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions about downloading Form 26AS, assessment years, PAN access, and AIS.
01 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.
02 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.
03 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.
04 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.
05 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 Form 26AS vs AIS guide for the full comparison.
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 review your TDS in a simpler way.
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.
CA Sagar Batra
ICAI Registered Chartered Accountant · 10+ Years of Professional Experience · 12,000+ Tax Filings
Chartered Accountant with experience in taxation, compliance and business advisory. His work covers Income Tax, GST, TDS, tax notices, business compliance and financial documentation for individuals and businesses across India.