Want to prove your identity with your phone at the elections? Don't forget to update the eDoklady app, otherwise it won't even launch

The elections to municipal councils and one-third of the Senate will take place on Friday, October 9, and Saturday, October 10. If you want to prove your identity with your phone instead of your ID card at the polling station, there’s one more step. The Digital and Information Agency (DIA) warns that without the latest update, the eDoklady app will not launch, and you won’t be able to use it to prove your identity. The download takes about a minute.

What needs to be done before the elections?

The update is labeled version 1.29.1 and has been available on Google Play since September 18, arriving on the App Store five days later. The release notes only mention improved performance of the verification process and minor fixes, but according to DIA, this is the last planned version before the elections. If you have automatic app updates enabled on your phone, you probably already have it. Others can find it on Google Play or the App Store – just search for eDoklady and tap Update.

Aktualizovali jsme eDoklady. 🔄

Na základě poznatků z veřejného testu eDokladů, který jsme uspořádali za pomoci @vnitro, jsme provedli úpravy, které by měly zajistit co nejbezproblémovější provoz aplikace u voleb. 💪🏻

Důležité info: Bez této aktualizace se aplikace nespustí a… pic.twitter.com/nZv5usRE5W

— Digitální a informační agentura (@agentura_dia) September 25, 2026

The installation itself is not enough. The agency recommends opening the app after the update and, with an internet connection, allowing the document itself to refresh, no later than 48 hours before the elections. Polling stations open on Friday at 2 PM, so it’s ideal to have it done by Wednesday. If the app acts up, DIA advises against uninstalling it, as this would put you at the end of the virtual queue. To be safe, also bring your physical ID card or passport.

DIA wants to prevent last year’s complications

The agency wants to prevent a repeat of last year’s parliamentary elections. Back then, on Friday, approximately 800,000 active users sent over 1.5 million document update requests within four hours. The system could not handle the load and, according to DIA, was fully functional only around noon on Saturday. The then-director of the agency, Martin Mesršmíd, subsequently offered his resignation.

This year, therefore, DIA, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, organized a public stress test on August 13, which was attended by approximately 30,000 people. According to the agency, it revealed, among other things, that only about 50% of participants had the latest version of the app on their phones. “Based on this data, we increased capacity, sped up loading, and verified communication with subsequent systems,” stated DIA director Bohdan Urban.

According to the agency, the new version will also automatically switch to a backup source in case of overload. It also supports the new iOS 27 system. It will also be possible to prove identity with eDoklady in a potential second round of Senate elections, which will take place on October 16 and 17.

Have you already updated eDoklady, or will you rather go to the elections with your ID card?

Sources: DIA, X, App Store, ČT24