RD Service not ready: complete fix guide (Mantra, Morpho, Startek)

What the error means

An Aadhaar fingerprint scanner needs two pieces of software on your PC: the device driver, which lets Windows see the USB device, and the RD (Registered Device) service, which talks to the authentication application — CSC, AePS, banking or eKYC portals. "RD Service not ready" (or "Device not ready") means the application reached your PC, but the RD service did not report a working, registered device.

The causes fall into four groups: a USB or driver problem, a stopped service, a validity problem (date, subscription or whitelisting), or an L0 device that is no longer supported. Work through the steps below in order.

Step 1: Confirm you have an L1 device

Read the model on the label under the scanner:

• Mantra: the MFS110 is the L1 model. The MFS100 is an L0 device, and Mantra's download portal no longer lists an RD service for it.
• Morpho (IDEMIA): the MSO 1300 E3 RD L1 is L1. The plain MSO 1300 E3 is L0.
• Startek: the FM220U L1 is L1. The plain FM220U is L0.

UIDAI set the sunset for L0 fingerprint registered devices at 30 June 2025, or the end of the device certificate's validity if that came earlier. If your scanner is L0, no reinstall will bring it back — read our guide on L0 vs L1 devices.

Step 2: Check the USB connection

1. Plug the scanner into a rear USB port of a desktop PC. Avoid USB hubs, extension cables and front-panel ports.
2. Open Device Manager (right-click Start → Device Manager). The scanner should appear without a yellow warning sign. If it shows as an unknown device, the driver is missing — go to Step 5.

Step 3: Restart the RD service

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Find your device's RD service in the list — its name includes the maker or the model.
3. Right-click it and choose Restart. If it is stopped, choose Start.
4. Reload the page in your application and try the capture again.

Step 4: Check date, time and subscription

• Date and time: a wrong clock stops the RD service from validating. Open Settings → Time & language, turn on Set time automatically, then restart the RD service.
• RD subscription: the RD service comes with a validity period. Mantra includes a one-year RD service subscription with the MFS110 and charges for renewal, handled through its Servico helpdesk. Morpho devices can be de-whitelisted when the subscription is not renewed — check your validity on rdserviceonline.com. Access Computech (Startek) sells renewals on acpl.in.net.

Step 5: Reinstall in the right order

If the steps above don't help, reinstall cleanly:

1. Uninstall the RD service and the device driver from Settings → Apps, then restart the PC.
2. Download fresh copies only from the maker's own site (links below).
3. Install the driver first, then the RD service. Right-click each installer and choose Run as administrator.
4. Restart, plug the scanner into a rear USB port and test again.

Where to download:

• Mantra MFS110: mantratec.com/Download/User → Aadhaar authentication → MFS110 (L1). You must register with your mobile number and enter an OTP before the downloads unlock. The driver and the RD service are separate files.
• Morpho MSO 1300 E3 RD L1: rdserviceonline.com → Download → Windows L1 RD Service.
• Startek FM220U L1: acpl.in.net/RdServiceNew.html → Windows L1 RD Service setup, Windows Support Tools setup, and the FM220U L1 driver for your Windows (x64 or x86).

Maker-specific fixes

Morpho MSO 1300 E3 RD L1

rdserviceonline.com offers three Windows variants: HTTP, HTTPS (localhost) and HTTPS (127.0.0.1). If you installed a different variant from the one your application expects, the application can't reach the service. The site's APP-RD compatibility list tells you which one to use. If the device asks for a One Time Token or suddenly stops working, check its RD validity first. If you connect through a proxy, set it in the RD service's mc_configuration.xml as the manual describes. If the device driver doesn't install by itself, install it from C:\Morpho\MorphoSmart USB Driver\usbBioDriver.inf and restart.

Startek FM220U L1

Access Computech's page has three separate downloads — the RD service, the Support Tools and the driver — and you need all three. Pick the driver that matches your Windows: open Settings → System → About and read System type (64-bit or 32-bit).

Mantra MFS110

Install the MFS110 driver before the RD service, and run the RD service installer as administrator.

Keep the RD service updated

In its letter of 16 April 2025, UIDAI asked all requesting entities to make sure the RD service of existing L1 fingerprint devices is upgraded to the latest version. If your application says the RD service is outdated, download the current one from the maker's site.

Never use "patched" RD services

Installers shared in WhatsApp groups, YouTube descriptions or file-sharing sites — especially ones that promise to make an L0 device work or to skip the renewal — do not come from the maker and can carry malware. Use only the makers' own sites, which we link from each device page: Mantra MFS110, Morpho MSO 1300 E3 RD L1 and Startek FM220U L1.