You can delete a language from Duolingo in two taps on mobile or three clicks on desktop

Open Duolingo and go to your profile (the person icon at the bottom right on mobile, or your avatar at the top right on desktop). Tap or click the gear icon for Settings. Scroll down to find the language you want to remove, then tap or click the trash icon next to it. Confirm the deletion when the app asks. The language and all your progress in it will be gone when ready.

Deleting a language does not affect your account or your progress in other languages. You can add it back later if you change your mind, though you will start from the beginning again.

Key Takeaways

  • The delete button is a trash icon next to each language name in your Settings menu, not buried in a separate section.
  • Deleting a language removes all your lessons, streaks, and progress in that language permanently.
  • You can add the language back to your account at any time, but you will restart from lesson one.
  • Deleting languages does not free up phone storage — Duolingo stores your data on its servers, not on your device.

Where to find the delete button on mobile

On iPhone or Android, open Duolingo and tap the person icon at the bottom right of the screen. This opens your profile page. Tap the gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner of your profile. You will see a list of all the languages you are learning, each with a trash icon to the right of its name.

Tap the trash icon next to the language you want to remove. A popup will ask you to confirm — tap "Delete" or "Remove" to finish. The language disappears from your home screen when ready.

Where to find the delete button on desktop

On a computer, click your avatar (usually your profile picture or initials) in the top right corner of the Duolingo home page. Click Settings from the dropdown menu. Scroll down to the Languages section, where you will see all your active languages listed with a trash icon next to each one.

Click the trash icon next to the language you want to delete. Confirm the deletion in the popup that appears. The language will no longer show on your home page or in your learning queue.

What happens to your progress when you delete a language

All your lessons, exercises, and streak in that language are deleted permanently. If you were on day 47 of a streak in Spanish, that streak ends and cannot be recovered. Your XP (experience points) earned in that language stays on your account, but you lose access to the lessons themselves.

Deleting a language does not affect your progress in any other language you are learning. If you are learning Spanish and French, deleting Spanish leaves your French lessons and streak untouched.

How to add a language back after deleting it

Go to your profile and tap or click the plus icon (or "Add a new language" button, depending on your device). Search for the language you want to learn and select it. Duolingo will start you at lesson one, even if you previously completed hundreds of lessons in that language.

Your old progress data is not recoverable, so you will be rebuilding from the start. This is why some people take a screenshot of their progress before deleting a language if they think they might return to it later.

Why you might want to delete a language

The most common reason is to focus on fewer languages at once. Duolingo's algorithm pushes you to practice all your active languages regularly, so learning five languages at the same time means each one gets less daily practice. Deleting languages you are not actively using lets you concentrate on one or two.

Some people delete a language because they completed their goal with it and do not want to maintain a daily streak. Others delete it because they started learning the wrong language by accident — for example, learning Spanish from Portuguese instead of from English, which changes the lessons you see.

Deleting a language does not free up phone storage

Duolingo stores your lessons, progress, and account data on its servers, not on your phone or computer. Deleting a language from your account does not make the Duolingo app take up less space on your device. If you want to free up storage, you would need to uninstall the entire Duolingo app.

The app itself is usually between 100 and 300 megabytes depending on your device and how many lessons you have downloaded for offline use. Deleting individual languages from your learning list does not change that.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a language and keep my streak in other languages?

Yes. Your streak only counts languages you are actively learning. When you delete a language, your streak in every other language stays exactly the same. If you have a 100-day streak in French and you delete Spanish, your French streak remains at 100 days.

What if I delete a language by accident?

You can add it back when ready by going to your profile and selecting the language again. You will start from lesson one, but you can do that right away. Duolingo does not have an undo button, but adding the language back takes less than a minute.

Does deleting a language affect my friends or my leaderboard rank?

No. Your leaderboard rank is based on XP earned across all your languages in the current week. Deleting a language does not remove the XP you already earned, and it does not change your standing in any leagues or competitions you are in.

Can I delete a language on mobile but keep it on desktop?

No. Your Duolingo account is the same across all devices. When you delete a language on your phone, it is deleted from your account everywhere — desktop, tablet, and any other device you use. The change syncs within a few seconds.

Will I lose my Duolingo Plus features if I delete a language?

No. Deleting a language does not affect your Duolingo Plus subscription or any of its features like offline lessons, ad-free learning, or unlimited hearts. Your subscription stays active for all remaining languages.