People who search for a GSTR-3B download usually have one of three jobs: keep a copy of what was filed, give a copy to a bank or a client, or check the ITC they claimed against GSTR-2B. All three start with the same PDF, so this guide first gets you the right one and then shows how to read it. The menu paths come from the GSTN user manuals; where those manuals do not say something, this page says so instead of guessing.
The two routes to a filed GSTR-3B PDF
| When | Where you click | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Right after filing | DOWNLOAD FILED GSTR-3B, on the page that opens once the status changes to Filed | PDF with the watermark of the final Form GSTR-3B |
| Any time later | Services > Returns > View Filed Returns, then the Download link | Signed PDF of the filed return, generated on request |
GSTN’s own FAQ describes the second route in one line: “You can download the Signed PDF of the Filed Returns by clicking on the Download link under Download Signed Form column.” Both routes need you to be logged in to the GST portal for the right GSTIN.
Route 1: download it right after filing
This is the step at the very end of the GSTN manual on creating and filing GSTR-3B. The steps below start at the dashboard so you can follow them from the beginning.
- Log in to the GST portal and click Services > Returns > Returns Dashboard.
- Select the financial year and the period (month, or the last month of the quarter for a quarterly filer) and click SEARCH.
- File the return with DSC or EVC. When the success message appears, click OK. The status of Form GSTR-3B changes to Filed.
- Click DOWNLOAD FILED GSTR-3B. The PDF it generates bears the watermark of the final Form GSTR-3B.
- To see it again on screen, click Back, select the same year and period, click SEARCH and click VIEW GSTR3B. The status shows as Filed.
Save the PDF at once under a clear name, such as GSTR3B_27AAAAA0000A1Z5_092026.pdf. It is the only copy that shows exactly what you filed, and a filed GSTR-3B cannot be revised.
Route 2: download an older return from View Filed Returns
This route is for last month, last year or a client you took over. It follows the GSTN manual on viewing filed returns.
- Log in and click Services > Returns > View Filed Returns.
- Select the Financial Year, Return Filing Period and Return Type from the drop-down lists. For a quarterly filer, pick the quarter; for a monthly filer, pick the month. If you leave the return type blank, GSTN says GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B are listed for a normal taxpayer.
- Click SEARCH. The results show a View link to open the filed return and a Download link for the signed form.
- Click the Download link, then the button on the next page that generates the signed PDF.
- Wait. The portal shows an acknowledgement that the process may take up to 5 minutes. After that time, come back to the same page and click the button again to download the file. If you click before the request is complete, the portal shows a warning.
A note on the screens: the worked screens in GSTN’s View Filed Returns manual use Form CMP-08 as the example, so the button label for GSTR-3B may read slightly differently on your screen. GSTN’s manual gives the wait as up to 5 minutes in that example.
Filed, draft and system generated: three different PDFs
The portal produces more than one GSTR-3B PDF, and mixing them up is the most common mistake when a bank or an auditor asks for “the 3B”.
| Copy | How you get it | Watermark or label | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filed GSTR-3B | DOWNLOAD FILED GSTR-3B after filing, or the signed PDF from View Filed Returns | Final Form GSTR-3B | Proof of what you filed |
| Draft preview | PREVIEW DRAFT GSTR-3B before payment | Draft, because the liabilities are not yet offset | Checking your entries before you pay |
| System generated GSTR-3B | SYSTEM GENERATED GSTR-3B button on the GSTR-3B page | Summary of values auto-populated from GSTR-1/1A and GSTR-2B, with a detailed breakup | Seeing what the system computed, not what you filed |
GSTN’s manual advises downloading the preview and reviewing it “with patience” before payment, because once you click MAKE PAYMENT/POST CREDIT TO LEDGER and pay, you cannot make any changes to the form. The values themselves are explained in GSTR-3B meaning and format.
Button disabled? If you have not filed your monthly GSTR-1 or GSTR-1A for the selected month, the system generated GSTR-3B button will be disabled.
Common problems and what to do
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No Download Filed GSTR-3B button | The status is not Filed yet: the return is saved or paid but not filed, or you selected the wrong period | Check the status on the GSTR-3B tile and the period you searched. Once it is Filed, use the button or View Filed Returns. |
| No GSTR-3B tile for the month | You are a quarterly filer and selected the first or second month of the quarter | Select the last month of the quarter, for example June or September. GSTN says the tile is not available for M1 or M2. |
| The signed PDF does not download | The request is still being generated | Wait up to 5 minutes, then click the same button again. |
| SYSTEM GENERATED GSTR-3B button is disabled | GSTN says it is disabled if the monthly GSTR-1/1A for that month is not filed; its answer also mentions GSTR-2B | Check that your GSTR-1/1A for the month is filed and, for the ITC side, that GSTR-2B has been generated. Then try again. If it stays disabled, check the current wording in GSTN’s FAQ. |
| System generated PDF shows only interest values | GSTR-1 is not filed and GSTR-2B is not generated for the month, but interest from the previous period exists | Wait for the 14th, when GSTR-2B is generated, and for the supplier-side data. Do not file from the PDF alone. |
| Values did not auto-populate | You already had saved data in GSTR-3B before GSTR-1/1A was filed or GSTR-2B was generated | GSTN says the system generated PDF still has the complete data. Use it as your reference. |
| After you submit, every value shows as zero | Payment was made without saving the entries first | GSTN says you must always save the form before payment. Check the status and the figures before filing, and take your CA’s advice. |
| You found an error after filing | A filed GSTR-3B cannot be revised | Adjust in the GSTR-3B of a subsequent period, with your CA’s advice. |
Save before you pay: GSTN says that closing a partly filled GSTR-3B without clicking Save loses the entries, and that a payment made without saving can leave the form showing zero after submission. Click SAVE GSTR3B after each table, and download the draft preview before MAKE PAYMENT.
Worked example: reading the filed PDF against GSTR-2B
A Pune packaging distributor files its September 2026 GSTR-3B on 19 October 2026 and downloads the filed PDF. Before it saves the PDF to the client folder, the accountant compares Table 4 with the ITC shown in GSTR-2B. The amounts are the GST on the lines, shown as one total. On the portal each line is split by tax head.
| Line in the filed PDF | Amount | Check against |
|---|---|---|
| 4(A)(3) Inward supplies liable to reverse charge | ₹14,000 | GSTR-2B, reverse charge section |
| 4(A)(5) All other ITC, net of credit notes | ₹1,86,000 | GSTR-2B, invoices less credit notes |
| 4(A) total claimed | ₹2,00,000 | 2B figure for the same lines: ₹2,00,000 |
| 4(B)(1) Reversal, blocked credit under Section 17(5) | ₹6,000 | Your own classification |
| 4(B)(2) Reversal, goods not yet received (Section 16(2)(b)) | ₹9,000 | Your receipt records |
| 4(C) Net ITC available | ₹1,85,000 | ₹2,00,000 − ₹6,000 − ₹9,000 |
Table 4(A) matches the 2B figure exactly, so no ITC is claimed above GSTR-2B. GSTN’s manual defines 4(C) as 4A less 4B(1) and 4B(2), and says that net amount is credited to the electronic credit ledger. The ₹9,000 in 4(B)(2) is the kind of reversal GSTN says can be reclaimed in 4(A)(5) later, once the condition is met.
Now the case that causes trouble. Suppose the PDF had shown 4(A)(5) as ₹2,01,000 and so 4(A) as ₹2,15,000. That is ₹15,000 above GSTR-2B. GSTN says that when the ITC claimed in GSTR-3B exceeds the ITC available in GSTR-2B beyond a pre-defined limit, you get a DRC-01C intimation, and the reply window is seven days. The downloaded PDF is the document you would use to see exactly which line went over. The reply steps are in the DRC-01C guide, and the chain from the supplier’s return to your claim is in how GSTR-2B decides the ITC in GSTR-3B.
Can you get GSTR-3B in Excel?
The GSTN pages we checked describe PDF downloads for GSTR-3B: the filed return, the draft preview and the system generated summary. We found no Excel or JSON download of the filed return on those pages, so if a client wants a spreadsheet, you build it from the PDF figures. Our GSTR-3B Excel format guide shows a working layout. For the 2B side, the portal does give an Excel file; see how to download GSTR-2B. GSTR-2B and GSTR-3B are different documents, as GSTR-2B vs GSTR-3B explains.
Frequently asked questions
How do I download GSTR-3B from the GST portal?
Straight after filing, click the Download Filed GSTR-3B button on the confirmation page. For an older return, log in, go to Services, then Returns, then View Filed Returns, choose the financial year, period and return type, click Search and use the Download link to get the signed PDF. The portal may take up to 5 minutes to prepare it.
Can I download GSTR-3B in Excel from the GST portal?
The GSTN pages we checked describe PDF downloads for GSTR-3B: the filed return, the draft preview and the system generated summary. They do not describe an Excel or JSON download of the filed return. If you want a working sheet in Excel, you have to build one yourself from the PDF figures.
What is the difference between a draft and a filed GSTR-3B PDF?
The PDF from Preview Draft GSTR-3B carries a draft watermark because the liabilities are not yet offset. The PDF from Download Filed GSTR-3B carries the watermark of the final Form GSTR-3B. Only the second one proves what you filed.
Why can I not see the Download Filed GSTR-3B button?
GSTN shows this button after the status of Form GSTR-3B changes to Filed. A return that is only saved, or paid but not yet filed, will not have it. Check the financial year and period you selected, and for a quarterly filer remember that the GSTR-3B tile appears only for the last month of the quarter.
I downloaded my GSTR-3B and found an error. Can I revise it?
No. GSTN says a filed GSTR-3B cannot be revised, and any adjustment is made while filing GSTR-3B for a subsequent period. Speak to your CA about how to adjust it in the next return.
How do I see the auto-populated GSTR-3B summary?
Click the 'SYSTEM GENERATED GSTR-3B' button on your GSTR-3B page to download a PDF showing values auto-populated from GSTR-1/1A and GSTR-2B with a detailed breakup. This button is disabled if you have not filed your monthly GSTR-1/1A.
Check the 2B side before you file
The GSTR-3B PDF shows what you claimed. To see what GSTR-2B supports, drop the month’s GSTR-2B (Excel or JSON) and your purchase register into gstr2bmatch.in. The report puts each invoice in a bucket: matched, value mismatch, in books but missing from 2B, in 2B but not in books, with likely IMS Pending invoices flagged separately, and totals the ITC at risk in rupees. It does not read or file GSTR-3B, so the PDF comparison above stays with you. Your GSTR-2B and purchase register files are read in your browser and never uploaded to any server.
If you are still preparing the return, the 14th to 20th timeline shows how to fit the 2B check into the days before the 20th, and our free GSTR-2B reconciliation Excel template covers the matching step.
Last checked: 21 October 2026. Sources: CGST Act Section 16(2)(b) (receipt of goods/services), CGST Act Section 17(5) (blocked credit), GSTN manual: creation, saving, payment of taxes and filing of Form GSTR-3B, GSTN manual: filing nil Form GSTR-3B, GSTN manual: view filed returns, GSTN FAQ: view filed returns, GSTN GSTR-3B user guide and FAQ, GSTN DRC-01C advisory.