Duolingo is one of the most used language-learning apps and websites in the world right now. So much so, that there are whole meme accounts dedicated to its lead mascot, Duo the owl, who is ruthless with their reminders to learn more vocab and phrases. But can you use Duolingo offline?
One of the main issues with Duolingo used to be that you had to be connected to the internet in order to take part in lessons – something that wasn’t great for people on the go. If you wanted to take five minutes on your subway commute to learn some more Spanish, it wasn’t really possible.
However, that’s a thing of the past. So, how can you use Duolingo offline?
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Can You Use Duolingo Offline?
Yes, thanks to some recent changes, all users can use the Duolingo app offline for up to approximately one hour. This gives you plenty of time to keep up your language learning and keep those precious streaks alive!
In order for this to work, you need to have used Duolingo recently so that some lessons have had the chance to get downloaded to your device.
When you have wifi, make sure to open Duolingo even if you don’t plan on using it so that when you are offline you will have more lessons to choose from.
So, if you’re on a train with time to kill and no WiFi, you can use that precious empty time to brush up on your language learning – no matter where you are!
Do I Need a Duolingo Plus or Super Duolingo Membership to Use Duolingo Offline?
While you used to need a Duolingo Plus membership (now known as Super Duolingo) to access Duolingo offline, that’s no longer the case. Duolingo has announced that standard account holders can also use Duolingo offline on the app while you’re out and about.
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Will My Progress Be Measured When Learning Offline?
One of the best things about Duolingo is the streaks and progress bars, so it’s definitely something to think about when you’re learning offline.
As you’re not connected to the internet, your progress and streaks may not update in real-time.
However, when I was completing lessons offline, my daily challenges, XP, and crowns were updating.
Can I Maintain my Streak with Duolingo Offline?
Yes, you can maintain your streak with Duolingo offline. It should update right away, even if you’re offline. But if it doesn’t, it will as soon as you get reconnected to wifi.
When you reconnect either via WiFi or mobile data, your offline progress should sync to your account. This means that as long as you resync your account the day that you do your offline lesson, your streak should be maintained.
If you’re not too concerned with keeping your streak alive, but want your completed lessons to be added to your account, you can sync at any time and they should all update.
Why Can’t I Access All My Duolingo Lessons Offline?
To save on storage, there are only certain lessons available offline as standard. This usually equates to one lesson per unlocked skill.
Your phone will automatically download the accessible offline modules before you disconnect, but the amount that you can access depends on your level. The more lessons you complete online, the more lessons will be available offline!
The reason that some skills and lessons are greyed out is that they’re not yet available in offline mode, mostly due to development and the amount of space that you have on your phone.
You won’t be able to unlock any more skills or levels in offline mode. You’ll need to reconnect so that your progress can sync, then your levels will be updated and more skills and lessons will become available to you.
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How Much Space on my Phone Do I Need?
According to Duolingo, you shouldn’t need too much free space on your phone to access offline lessons. If your phone is running slower than usual or you think you might need to free up space, you can do this in your phone’s settings, not in Duolingo’s settings.
Can I Use Duolingo Offline on Android and iOS?
Duolingo’s offline mode is available on both Android and iOS, however, the download process is a little bit different on each one.
The Duolingo app on iOS will automatically download offline lessons while you’re active in the app. On Android, lessons will be downloaded in advance when you’re not using your device.
If you’re on Android and not seeing a ton of available lessons in offline mode, close the app or turn off your device and leave it for a while, as it only downloads when it’s not in use.
For iOS, the solution is simple – complete more lessons online! As more offline lessons download while the app is active, this is the easiest way to boost the amount of available offline lessons.
What’s the Point of Super Duolingo now?
One of the main selling points for signing up for Duolingo Plus (Duolingo’s paid, upgraded version) was that you could use Duolingo offline. Now that everyone has access to this amazing feature, what’s the point of paying for this premium version?
Well, there’s a long list of perks, but the headliners are that it’s completely ad-free. You’ll have noticed if you’ve been using Duolingo for a while that ads have definitely increased in between lessons. It’s annoying for sure.
Super Duolingo members will also have access to mistake reviews and progress tests, which can be super motivating to see how much you’ve learned.