What resetting a Duolingo course does
Resetting a course in Duolingo erases your progress in that language and returns it to lesson one. Your streak, XP points, and any lessons you have completed in that course disappear. The course itself stays in your account — you are not deleting it, just clearing the progress within it.
People reset courses for different reasons: they want to review the fundamentals before moving forward, they made a mistake early on and want to start fresh, or they took a long break and feel lost in the middle. Resetting is permanent within that course, so make sure you actually want to clear that progress before you do it.
Key Takeaways
- Resetting a course erases all your progress in that language and returns it to lesson one, but does not delete the course from your account.
- You reset a course through the course settings menu, which you reach by tapping the three-dot icon next to the course name on the home screen.
- Resetting clears your streak and XP in that course only — your overall account stats and other courses are not affected.
- Once you reset, the action cannot be undone, so you cannot recover the lessons you completed before the reset.
How to reset a course on the Duolingo app
Open Duolingo and go to your home screen. Find the course you want to reset — it will show your current progress bar and the language name. Tap the three-dot menu icon (⋯) in the top right corner of that course card.
A menu will appear with several options. Scroll down until you see "Reset Course" or "Reset Progress" (the exact wording varies slightly by app version). Tap it. Duolingo will ask you to confirm — it will warn you that your progress will be erased. Tap "Reset" again to confirm. Your course is now back at lesson one.
How to reset a course on the Duolingo website
Log into Duolingo on a web browser and go to your home page. Locate the course you want to reset. Click the three-dot menu icon next to the course name or progress bar.
Select "Reset Course" from the dropdown menu. A confirmation window will appear. Click "Reset" to confirm. The course will when ready return to lesson one, and your progress bar will reset to zero.
What happens to your streak and XP when you reset
Your daily streak in that specific course ends when you reset it. If you were on a 50-day streak in Spanish, that streak counter goes to zero. However, if you have streaks in other courses, those remain unchanged.
Your XP (experience points) earned in that course are removed from your course total. If you earned 5,000 XP in Spanish before the reset, that 5,000 disappears. Your overall account XP and leaderboard standing may drop if that course was a significant part of your total points.
Your overall account streak (the number shown at the top of your home screen) is separate from individual course streaks. Resetting one course does not affect your overall streak, as long as you complete at least one lesson in any course each day.
When you cannot reset a course
Duolingo does not allow you to reset a course if you have not completed at least the first lesson. If you are on lesson one and have not finished it yet, the reset option will not appear in the menu.
If you are using an older version of the Duolingo app, the reset feature may not be available. Update your app to the latest version through your device's app store. If you still do not see the reset option after updating, contact Duolingo support through the app's help menu.
Alternatives to resetting if you want to review
If you are not sure whether you want to erase your entire progress, consider reviewing lessons without resetting. Duolingo lets you redo any lesson you have already completed by tapping the lesson in your course tree and selecting "Practice" or "Review." This way you refresh your memory without losing your progress counter.
You can also slow down and spend more time on your current level before moving forward. There is no penalty for repeating lessons or staying on the same level for weeks. Many learners find this approach less drastic than a full reset.
Recovering progress after a reset
Once you reset a course, Duolingo does not restore the deleted progress. There is no "undo" button and no way to retrieve the lessons you completed before the reset. If you reset by accident, contact Duolingo support when ready through the help menu in the app — they may be able to help, but there is no may provide.
For this reason, take a screenshot of your progress before resetting if you want to remember how far you had gotten. This does not restore the course, but it gives you a record of what you completed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does resetting a course delete it from my account?
No. Resetting clears your progress within the course, but the course stays in your account. You can start the course over from lesson one, or you can leave it alone. To remove a course entirely, you would need to use the "Remove Course" option instead, which is different from reset.
Will resetting one course affect my other courses?
No. Resetting a course only affects that language. Your progress, streak, and XP in all other courses remain the same. Your overall account streak is also unaffected as long as you do at least one lesson in any course each day.
Can I reset a course on my phone and have it reset on the website too?
Yes. Duolingo syncs across devices. When you reset a course on your phone, the reset appears on the website within a few minutes, and vice versa. You only need to reset once — it applies to your entire account.
What if I reset by accident?
Contact Duolingo support through the help menu in the app as soon as possible. Explain that you reset by accident and ask if they can restore your progress. Support cannot always recover deleted progress, but it is worth asking when ready after the reset happens.
Do I lose my achievements or badges when I reset a course?
Badges and achievements you earned before the reset stay in your account. Resetting the course does not remove them. However, any progress toward new achievements in that course starts over from zero.