How to file ITR with or without uploading Form 16 in AY 2025-26: Quick guide for salaried

In the past, employers used to provide physical copies of Form 16 to salaried taxpayers. But this practice has stopped as income tax return (ITR) can now be easily filed with a digital copy of Form 16 or even without a Form 16.

However, Form 16 still serves as a significant document for verifying details of tax deducted by the employer during the financial year. But it is more than just a tax certificate.

Form 16 is generated directly from the TRACES portal of the Income Tax Department by the employer, making it highly reliable. This form already contains digitized data on an employee's salary, deductions, and TDS.

File ITR with Form 16

You can simply upload this Form 16 on trusted tax-filing platforms and finish your return filing in a few minutes. These platforms usually charge a fee for tax return filing. But there is another way to file the return without uploading Form 16, and that too, for free, as explained below.

File ITR without uploading Form 16

You can directly file your tax return on the e-filing portal of the Income Tax Department. On this platform, you don't need to pay any tax filing fee or upload Form 16.

After logging in on the e-filing platform, you can select the tax regime, ITR form, and follow various prompts to complete the tax filing process. Most of your financial data, including various income, deductions, and TDS, is already pre-filled on the e-filing website, which you should cross-verify with your Form 16.

However, try filing your return on the e-filing website only after your employer has released the Form 16 for FY 2024-25.

In case you have income from multiple sources or you don't know how to file returns by yourself, then it is recommended to take the help of tax professionals, preferably a Chartered Accountant, for ITR filing.