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Duolingo, the beloved owl-guided language learning app, has paved the way for millions, myself included, to unlock new tongues. But what happens when you find yourself in locations where internet connection is either intermittent or non-existent?
Fear not, language enthusiasts! If you’re wondering how to use Duolingo offline, wonder no more. While Duolingo’s offline functionality has changed, there’s a way for you to keep learning even when Wi-Fi is out of sight.
Can you use Duolingo offline?
First off, does Duolingo work offline? The short answer is yes.
Duolingo previously allowed users to pre-download entire courses with the Duolingo Plus (now Super) subscription. It was one of the best features of the premium version.
Unfortunately, that feature flew the coop in 2021. It’s unclear why. And to be fair, it wasn’t explicitly advertised as a perk in the Duolingo Plus (now Super).
Today, users of both premium and free versions can play Duolingo offline, albeit with some limitations. We’ll go through these limitations later.
How to use Duolingo offline
Using Duolingo offline is pretty straightforward.
If you don’t have access to Wi-Fi or mobile data, the app will automatically tell you that you’re in offline mode. If you just want to test out this feature, you can turn off your Wi-Fi and mobile data connection, or simply turn on airplane mode.
You’ll see that some of your lessons are accessible while some are grayed out. You can jump right into the current level you’re in. Note that this can only be done on the mobile app and offline mode is unavailable on the desktop version.
What can you do on Duolingo offline?
Although you can use Duolingo offline, there’s really not much you can do in this mode.
You can play all the lessons at the current level you’re in. You can also finish the whole level but you won’t be able to unlock the next level until you go back online.
When I tried the offline mode, I was in the third level of Unit 8, Section 2. I was able to finish all levels in level 3 but couldn’t play level 4.
You can also review previously completed levels in the same unit and some lessons in the previous unit. In my case, I could access the last five levels in Unit 7 but earlier levels were inaccessible. I’m not sure if there’s a standard number of accessible levels in offline mode, but most sources say this is just a case of caching.
Aside from these, you can also access the Streak Calendar, Streak Goal, and Streak Society. You can also refill hearts if you have enough gems. And if you managed to get an XP boost before you lost connection, you’ll get double XP scores within the given timeframe.
Everything else is unavailable — lessons in previously completed units and sections, subsequent units and sections, alphabet lessons, character lessons, practice hub, leaderboards, stories, quests and challenges, your social feed, profile, and shop.
If you’re not a Duolingo Super subscriber, you also can’t practice to earn hearts. Switching between languages is also not available in this mode.
Can you keep your streak offline?
If you’d only be offline for a few hours and you finished a lesson on two while offline, your activity will sync and you won’t lose your streak.
But if you’re going on vacation somewhere without an internet connection, well, that’s where it gets tricky. After removing the offline download feature in 2021, Duolingo hasn’t talked about offline mode except to say that downloading is no longer an option. So, I’m not entirely sure if you can go for days sans an internet connection.
Your best bet is to stock up on streak freezes. The free app allows you to store up to two streak freezes but when you become a member of the Streak Society, you get three extra.
Again, this is something Duolingo doesn’t talk about at length. Some people became a part of the Streak Society after a 30-day streak, some after a 100-day streak, but some got on after more than 700 days. As to when exactly you can get in on this “exclusive club”, your guess is as good as mine. Still having those extra freezes will give you some reassurance if you ever find yourself off-the-grid.
Conclusion
And so, there you go — you can use Duolingo offline! You’ll be limited to your current level but it’s better than nothing.
That said, if you really want to learn languages offline, there are better apps to try. Apps like Rocket Languages, Mondly, Babbel, and Pimsleur allow you to download offline lessons so you can continue learning without an internet connection.
How to use Duolingo offline – Pin it!
