How to recharge Vi SIM card

Vodafone India acquired Idea Cellular in 2018 and became a new brand named Vodafone Idea, commonly referred to as Vi. The amalgamation resulted in better services, wider network coverage, and more value to the users. The company provides pan India mobile services on its 2G, 3G, and 4G network. It is the third-largest mobile operator in India, serving about 138 million subscribers in the country. Vi offers a plethora of plans at competitive prices. Many of its plans offer unlimited voice minutes, big data bundles, and even subscriptions to OTT platforms like Disney+ Hotstar to attract the youth. It is the only telecom company providing weekend data rollover and unlimited night data (12 am to 6 am) among all its competitors. To pick the best plans and recharge your Vi number, the company provides several methods. Let’s look into the 5 common ways to recharge your Vi number.

1. Recharge Vi Through Available Main Balance

Recharging your number from your main account balance is an offline method. You don’t require any internet connection to do this, only sufficient signal strength and enough credit balance are sufficient. However, note that this facility is available for some selected plans only. Here are the steps to recharge:

1. Dial either *199# or *121# from your Vi number. A flash message will follow.
2. Select the suitable option/plan.
3. Once you select your preferred plan, it will ask you to confirm.
4. After confirmation, the recharge amount will be deducted from your main balance account and the recharge will be successful. 

2. Recharge Through Vi Official Web Portal

Recharging through the website is an online method, so make sure you have an internet connection with fair signal strength. This method helps you to recharge quickly from anywhere and at any time. You need to have a sufficient balance in your bank account to use this method. Here is how you do it.

1. Visit the official website of Vi either from your smartphone or computer. 
2. Select whether your SIM card is prepaid or postpaid.
3. Fill in your Vi mobile number and click on the Recharge button.
4. Next, a dialog box will open asking you the amount for your recharge plan.
5. Enter the amount or select from the list of the plans (from the three dots menu in the top right corner of the page). Your phone will recharge successfully after the payment procedure completes.

3. Recharge Via UPI Applications

There are several UPI mobile applications very famous these days like Paytm, Google Pay, PhonePe, Amazon Pay, etc. These apps are a safe and secure way to recharge your Vi mobile number. Before recharging, make sure you have a sufficient balance in your bank account or UPI wallet. In case of payment from a credit card, make sure you haven’t exceeded your credit limit. The steps to recharge are more or less the same in every UPI application. Let’s see how to recharge with Paytm.

1. Open your Paytm application or visit the official website of Paytm.
2. Click on Recharge Prepaid Mobile.
3. Fill the Vi mobile number you want to recharge.
4. Enter the recharge amount or select from the list of the plans.
5. Select the Vi promo code or cash back offer (if any) you prefer.
6. Select any one mode of payment out of the available options like Debit/Credit card, Paytm Wallet, Net Banking, etc.
7. You will receive a confirmation message once the recharge is successful. 

4. Recharge using Vi Mobile App

You can download the app from Play Store if you have an android device and in the case of Apple devices, download it from the App Store. Once you download the app, log in using your Vi phone number. Steps to recharge using the Vi app are given below.

1. Open the Vi app.
2. On the dashboard, you will see your main balance, pack details, data balance, etc. Tap on the Recharge Now button.
3. You will see several lists like combo, unlimited, data, etc. Under each list you will see different plans with different tariffs. 
4. Choose your preferred plan.
5. Next, you will be asked to select the mode of payment. Select your preferred payment mode.
6. After the successful payment, your recharge plan will be active. You will receive the notification whether your plan has reloaded or not.

5. Recharge Vi with WhatsApp

A new feature has been launched by Vi to recharge your Vi number from WhatsApp. The bot will help you to recharge, taking the steps given below.

1. Dial +919654297000 and save it in your phone book as Vi Care.
2. Open the WhatsApp chat with Vi care and start the conversation with a ‘Hi‘.
3. The bot’s name is Vic. After you send ‘Hi’, it will send you a message with a three line Menu button.
4. Tap the button and select Recharge.
5. It will ask you whether you want to proceed with your Vi number. Press or reply Yes.
6. Next, it will send you an OTP on your Vi number to verify. Enter the OTP.
7. Once your number gets verified, it will send you a list of packs.
8. Select your desired pack and type its respective number in the reply box.
9. Next, you will receive several plans under the pack you have selected. Choose your preferred plan and tap the Recharge button.
10. After that, you will be directed towards the payment page where you need to select your preferred mode of payment like Credit/Debit Card, Net Banking, UPI, and Wallets.
11. After you select the mode of payment, complete the payment process.
12. Once the payment is done, your recharge will be successful. 

You can also recharge your Vi SIM from Vi Outlets, retail vendors, etc. if you don’t have an internet connection or don’t have sufficient funds in your bank account, or for some other reason. Once you recharge offline, make sure to check your Vi balance to know if your plan is active or your main balance has been credited. In the case of online recharge, if your recharge fails, you will get the refund of your deducted amount within 7 business days.