Restart a course by unfollowing it, then re-enrolling
To restart a Duolingo course from the beginning, you unfollow the course first, then enroll in it again. This resets your progress to lesson one and clears any completed lessons from your streak counter. The process takes about one minute and works the same way on the mobile app and the web version.
Restarting is useful if you want to review the fundamentals, if you switched to a different course by mistake, or if you stopped partway through and want to start fresh. Duolingo does not delete your old progress permanently — if you change your mind, you can still see what you completed before by checking your profile statistics.
Key Takeaways
- Unfollowing a course removes it from your active list but does not erase your statistics or achievements from that course.
- After unfollowing, you re-enroll by selecting the course again from the course list, which resets your lesson position to the start.
- On mobile, tap the course tile, then tap the three-dot menu and select "Unfollow"; on web, click the three-dot menu next to the course name.
- Your old progress remains visible in your profile statistics even after you unfollow, so you can track what you learned before the restart.
- Restarting does not affect your daily streak unless you stop practicing for a day after unfollowing.
Steps to unfollow on the Duolingo mobile app
Open the Duolingo app and go to the home screen. Find the course tile you want to restart — it shows the course name, your current level, and a progress bar. Tap and hold the course tile until a menu appears, or look for a three-dot icon in the corner of the tile.
Tap the three-dot menu icon. A dropdown menu will appear with options including "Unfollow" or "Stop learning." Tap "Unfollow." Duolingo will ask you to confirm — tap "Yes" or "Unfollow" again to confirm. The course tile will disappear from your home screen.
Steps to unfollow on the Duolingo web version
Log into Duolingo on a web browser and go to your home page. Locate the course you want to restart in your course list. Hover your mouse over the course name or tile until a three-dot menu icon appears on the right side.
Click the three-dot menu. A dropdown will show options including "Unfollow this course" or similar wording. Click it, then confirm when Duolingo asks. The course will be removed from your active list on the home page.
Re-enroll to restart the course from lesson one
After unfollowing, go to the Duolingo course selection screen. On mobile, tap the plus icon or "Add a new course" button. On web, click "Add a new course" or browse the available courses. Find the course you just unfollowed and tap or click it.
Duolingo will show you the course overview again, as if you were starting for the first time. Tap or click "Start" or "Begin course." You will now be at lesson one with zero progress on the course. Your streak will continue as long as you practice something that day — restarting a course does not break your streak by itself.
What happens to your old progress after restarting
Your statistics and achievements from the old course remain in your profile. If you go to your profile page and look at your statistics or course history, you will still see the lessons you completed before unfollowing. Duolingo keeps a record of everything you have learned, even after you restart.
If you change your mind and want to go back to where you were before the restart, you cannot jump directly to that lesson. You would have to complete the lessons again from the beginning. For this reason, some learners take a screenshot of their progress before restarting, so they know how far they had gotten.
Common mistakes to avoid when restarting
Do not confuse "unfollow" with "delete account" or "reset account." Unfollowing only removes the course from your active list — it does not erase your account or your other courses. If you unfollow by mistake, you can re-enroll when ready and pick up where you left off.
Do not expect to jump to a specific lesson after restarting. Once you restart, you begin at lesson one and must progress through the course in order. Duolingo does not have a feature to skip ahead to a particular lesson, even if you completed it before.
Do not restart if you are trying to fix a technical problem like a missing lesson or a broken exercise. Those issues are usually temporary bugs that resolve on their own, or they require contacting Duolingo support. Restarting will not fix a technical glitch and will erase your progress unnecessarily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will restarting a course break my daily streak?
No, restarting does not break your streak by itself. Your streak continues as long as you practice any lesson or exercise on the day you restart. If you unfollow a course and do not practice anything that day, your streak will break, but the restart itself is not the cause.
Can I restart a course and keep my old progress at the same time?
No. Duolingo does not allow you to have two versions of the same course running at once. You must unfollow to restart, which removes the course from your active list. Your old statistics remain visible in your profile, but you cannot practice both the old progress and the new restart simultaneously.
What if I unfollow a course by mistake?
You can re-enroll when ready by going to the course selection screen and clicking the course again. Duolingo will ask if you want to resume where you left off or start over. Choose "Resume" to pick up at the lesson you were on before unfollowing.
Does restarting reset my XP or achievements?
Restarting does not erase your XP or achievements. Your total XP count and any badges you earned remain in your profile. However, your progress bar for that specific course resets to zero, so you will need to complete lessons again to rebuild your course progress.
Can I restart multiple courses at the same time?
Yes. You can unfollow and re-enroll in as many courses as you want. However, Duolingo recommends focusing on one or two courses at a time for better learning outcomes. If you restart multiple courses, your daily practice time will be spread across more lessons, which may slow your progress in each one.