What Exactly is UPI AutoPay?
UPI AutoPay, a feature introduced by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), allows you to authorise recurring payments directly from your bank account using any UPI-enabled app. Think of it as a digital standing instruction. It’s commonly
used for monthly expenses like OTT subscriptions (Netflix, Hotstar), mobile recharges, insurance premiums, and even loan EMIs. When you sign up for a service, you approve a one-time mandate with your UPI PIN, setting a maximum amount and frequency (e.g., monthly). After that, the merchant can automatically debit the specified amount without you needing to enter a PIN for each transaction.
The Subscription Trap: Why You Must Check Your Mandates
The convenience of AutoPay is also its biggest risk. Many users sign up for free trials or services, approve a UPI mandate, and then forget about it. When the trial ends, the automatic billing begins, silently draining money from your account for a service you may no longer use. Over time, these small, forgotten debits can add up to a significant amount. Regularly reviewing your active mandates is crucial for good financial hygiene. It helps you identify and cut off unnecessary expenses, detect any unauthorised approvals, and ensure you are only paying for what you actively use. It’s a simple check that can save you from unexpected financial leakage.
How to Find and Cancel AutoPay on Google Pay
Finding your active mandates on Google Pay is straightforward. First, open the app and tap your profile picture at the top right. From there, select the 'Autopay' option. You'll see different tabs like 'Live', 'Pending', and 'Completed'. Your active, ongoing payments are listed under the 'Live' tab. To cancel a service, tap on the specific mandate you want to stop. You will see an option to 'Cancel autopay'. Tap it and confirm the action by entering your UPI PIN. The mandate will then be revoked, stopping all future payments to that merchant.
Managing AutoPay Settings on PhonePe
On PhonePe, you can access your AutoPay settings by tapping your profile picture on the home screen. In the 'Payment Management' section, find and tap on 'AutoPay'. This screen will display all your active mandates. Select the service you wish to stop. You’ll be presented with options, including 'Delete AutoPay' or 'Remove Autopay'. Tapping this and confirming with your UPI PIN will cancel the automatic payment instruction. PhonePe also offers an option to 'Pause' a mandate, which temporarily halts payments without permanently cancelling the instruction.
Stopping Automatic Payments on Paytm
For Paytm users, start by tapping your profile icon in the top left corner of the app. From the menu, select 'UPI & Payment Settings'. Scroll down to find and tap on 'UPI Automatic Payments' or a similar option. This will show you a list of all your active AutoPay mandates. Choose the one you want to cancel, and on the next screen, scroll down and tap 'Cancel Automatic Payment'. You will need to enter your UPI PIN to finalize the cancellation, which stops future debits for that service.
Cancelling the Mandate vs. the Subscription
It is crucial to understand that cancelling a UPI AutoPay mandate only stops the payment instruction within your UPI app. It does not necessarily cancel the underlying subscription with the merchant. To fully end your obligation, you should also log into the merchant's website or app and formally cancel your subscription there. Failing to do so might lead to the merchant considering your account still active, which could result in payment requests or issues later on. For complete peace of mind, always cancel on both ends: the payment mandate in your UPI app and the service itself with the provider.
