HomeDuolingo Switches from Hearts to Energy System
Duolingo is shaking things up by ditching the hearts system in favor of a new "energy" mechanic. This shift aims to transform the learning experience from one that penalizes errors to one that feels more encouraging and adds a fun, gamified twist.
In the old system, every mistake during a lesson would cost you a heart. To get your hearts back, you'd have to watch ads, spend Duolingo's Gems currency, or simply wait for them to replenish over time.
With the new energy system, each exercise will cost you one unit of energy, and a mistake will also deduct one energy. However, you'll earn bonus energy at a randomized rate for completing lessons consecutively. This means you can do more lessons without running out of steam, and according to Moses Wayne, a senior staff engineer at Duolingo, the data supports this. "We feel like this is a way that we can motivate you to focus on things you’re getting right rather than penalizing for the things that you’re making mistakes on," Wayne told The Verge. He also mentioned that the aim was to "gamify the experience a bit more."
GIF: Duolingo
A full energy bar now contains 25 units of energy, a significant increase from the previous five hearts. Just like hearts, energy will regenerate over time, Wayne explained. You can also purchase additional energy using Gems. Subscribers to Super Duolingo and Duolingo Max will enjoy unlimited energy, much like the unlimited hearts they had before, according to Duolingo spokesperson Monica Earle.
Wayne highlighted a key advantage of the energy system: "In an energy world, that’s really not going to happen because we’re not penalizing you for mistakes anymore." He noted that Duolingo's overall metrics indicate users are engaging much more with the app now than they did under the hearts system.
The rollout of the energy system will start on iOS devices over the coming weeks and months, with plans to extend it to Android later in the year. If you use Duolingo on both iOS and Android, you'll notice that the Android version will stick with hearts, while the iOS version will switch to energy. These won't sync up, Wayne said.
Adding to the excitement, Duolingo's CEO recently declared that the company is shifting to an "AI-first" approach and has doubled its language course offerings thanks to AI.
Related article
Bumble eliminates swipe feature, CEO says
Could the growing frustration with dating apps finally end the swipe? For Bumble, it appears so.During an Axios interview on Thursday, Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Heard confirmed the company is removing swiping — the signature feature of 2010s dating ap
Match Group slows hiring to fund growing AI adoption
You may assume the headline from Match Group’s first-quarter earnings is Tinder’s comeback. After several quarters of decline, the dating app’s revenue has posted a slight uptick.However, a comment from the chief financial officer stands out: the com
BuzzFeed unveils AI content apps to generate new revenue
BuzzFeed, the U.S.-based media company known for its quizzes, listicles, and a brief Pulitzer-winning journalism division, is repositioning itself for the AI era. At least, that is the narrative.
At the SXSW conference in Austin, BuzzFeed co-founder
Related Special Topic Recommendations
Text-to-speech
Top AI TTS Apps for Dyslexia: Support Learning and Reading Efficiency for Students
Discover the 2026 latest top-rated AI TTS apps curated for dyslexia support. Our expert rankings compare free vs paid tools, highlighting powerful features for enhanced reading efficiency and learning. Explore must-try, game-changing solutions to unlock student potential. Start your journey at XIX.AI.
10 tools
xix.ai
Comic Creation
Top AI Generators for Shonen Manga: Create High-Octane Action Sequences & Energy Effects
Discover the 2026 best AI generators for Shonen manga at XIX.AI. Our top-rated, curated list features powerful tools for creating high-octane action sequences and dynamic energy effects. Compare free vs paid options with real-world tests. Unlock your creative potential and start crafting epic manga today!
15 tools
xix.ai
Business
Best AI Expense Trackers: Scan Receipts & Categorize Corporate Spend Automatically
2026 Latest Best AI Expense Trackers: Top-rated tools to scan receipts & categorize corporate spend automatically. Discover powerful, game-changing solutions for effortless expense management, accurate financial tracking, and streamlined compliance. Our curated, weekly-updated comparison of free vs paid options helps you find the perfect fit. Unlock your AI edge with XIX.AI's expert picks.
10 tools
xix.ai
Business
Best AI Recruiting Tools: Screen Resumes & Automate Candidate Interview Scheduling
Discover the 2026 latest top-rated AI recruiting tools on XIX.AI. Our curated list features powerful, game-changing solutions for screening resumes and automating candidate interview scheduling. Compare free vs paid options with real-world tests and weekly updated rankings. Find your perfect hiring assistant and streamline your recruitment today!
10 tools
xix.ai
Productivity
AI Personal Wellness & Focus Coaches: Manage Burnout & Boost Mental Energy Levels
Discover the 2026 best AI personal wellness and focus coaches on XIX.AI. Our curated rankings feature top-rated, game-changing tools to manage burnout and boost mental energy. Compare free vs paid options with real-world insights. Unlock your path to peak productivity and well-being today.
10 tools
xix.ai
chatbot
Top-Rated AI Romantic Chatbots: Build Long-Term Relationships with Consistent Personalities
Discover the 2026 latest top-rated AI romantic chatbots for building genuine, long-term connections. Our curated list features powerful, consistent personalities, free vs paid comparisons, and real-world tests. Find your perfect companion and start building today at XIX.AI.
10 tools
xix.ai
Comments (4)
0/500
![FrankRodriguez]()
Finally! The hearts always stressed me out too much to actually practice regularly. This energy thing sounds way more motivating, kinda like how video games give you stamina. Not sure if it'll make me learn faster though, maybe just play more 😂 Time will tell. Good move by Duolingo to keep things fresh.
![PaulSanchez]()
The new energy system sounds way more fun than losing hearts! Makes me wanna keep learning without the stress. 😎
![JoseJackson]()
The new energy system in Duolingo sounds like a game-changer! I always hated losing hearts for small mistakes—it felt like getting detention for misspelling a word. This seems way more forgiving and fun, like leveling up in a game instead of being punished. Can't wait to try it out! 😎
![EricLopez]()
I love how Duolingo's new energy system makes learning feel less like a punishment! 😄 It’s like they’re saying, ‘Keep going, you got this!’ instead of slapping your wrist for every mistake.
Duolingo is shaking things up by ditching the hearts system in favor of a new "energy" mechanic. This shift aims to transform the learning experience from one that penalizes errors to one that feels more encouraging and adds a fun, gamified twist.
In the old system, every mistake during a lesson would cost you a heart. To get your hearts back, you'd have to watch ads, spend Duolingo's Gems currency, or simply wait for them to replenish over time.
With the new energy system, each exercise will cost you one unit of energy, and a mistake will also deduct one energy. However, you'll earn bonus energy at a randomized rate for completing lessons consecutively. This means you can do more lessons without running out of steam, and according to Moses Wayne, a senior staff engineer at Duolingo, the data supports this. "We feel like this is a way that we can motivate you to focus on things you’re getting right rather than penalizing for the things that you’re making mistakes on," Wayne told The Verge. He also mentioned that the aim was to "gamify the experience a bit more."
GIF: Duolingo
A full energy bar now contains 25 units of energy, a significant increase from the previous five hearts. Just like hearts, energy will regenerate over time, Wayne explained. You can also purchase additional energy using Gems. Subscribers to Super Duolingo and Duolingo Max will enjoy unlimited energy, much like the unlimited hearts they had before, according to Duolingo spokesperson Monica Earle.
Wayne highlighted a key advantage of the energy system: "In an energy world, that’s really not going to happen because we’re not penalizing you for mistakes anymore." He noted that Duolingo's overall metrics indicate users are engaging much more with the app now than they did under the hearts system.
The rollout of the energy system will start on iOS devices over the coming weeks and months, with plans to extend it to Android later in the year. If you use Duolingo on both iOS and Android, you'll notice that the Android version will stick with hearts, while the iOS version will switch to energy. These won't sync up, Wayne said.
Adding to the excitement, Duolingo's CEO recently declared that the company is shifting to an "AI-first" approach and has doubled its language course offerings thanks to AI.
Bumble eliminates swipe feature, CEO says
Could the growing frustration with dating apps finally end the swipe? For Bumble, it appears so.During an Axios interview on Thursday, Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Heard confirmed the company is removing swiping — the signature feature of 2010s dating ap
Match Group slows hiring to fund growing AI adoption
You may assume the headline from Match Group’s first-quarter earnings is Tinder’s comeback. After several quarters of decline, the dating app’s revenue has posted a slight uptick.However, a comment from the chief financial officer stands out: the com
BuzzFeed unveils AI content apps to generate new revenue
BuzzFeed, the U.S.-based media company known for its quizzes, listicles, and a brief Pulitzer-winning journalism division, is repositioning itself for the AI era. At least, that is the narrative.
At the SXSW conference in Austin, BuzzFeed co-founder
Discover the 2026 latest top-rated AI TTS apps curated for dyslexia support. Our expert rankings compare free vs paid tools, highlighting powerful features for enhanced reading efficiency and learning. Explore must-try, game-changing solutions to unlock student potential. Start your journey at XIX.AI.
10 tools
xix.ai
Discover the 2026 best AI generators for Shonen manga at XIX.AI. Our top-rated, curated list features powerful tools for creating high-octane action sequences and dynamic energy effects. Compare free vs paid options with real-world tests. Unlock your creative potential and start crafting epic manga today!
15 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best AI Expense Trackers: Top-rated tools to scan receipts & categorize corporate spend automatically. Discover powerful, game-changing solutions for effortless expense management, accurate financial tracking, and streamlined compliance. Our curated, weekly-updated comparison of free vs paid options helps you find the perfect fit. Unlock your AI edge with XIX.AI's expert picks.
10 tools
xix.ai
Discover the 2026 latest top-rated AI recruiting tools on XIX.AI. Our curated list features powerful, game-changing solutions for screening resumes and automating candidate interview scheduling. Compare free vs paid options with real-world tests and weekly updated rankings. Find your perfect hiring assistant and streamline your recruitment today!
10 tools
xix.ai
Discover the 2026 best AI personal wellness and focus coaches on XIX.AI. Our curated rankings feature top-rated, game-changing tools to manage burnout and boost mental energy. Compare free vs paid options with real-world insights. Unlock your path to peak productivity and well-being today.
10 tools
xix.ai
Discover the 2026 latest top-rated AI romantic chatbots for building genuine, long-term connections. Our curated list features powerful, consistent personalities, free vs paid comparisons, and real-world tests. Find your perfect companion and start building today at XIX.AI.
10 tools
xix.ai
Finally! The hearts always stressed me out too much to actually practice regularly. This energy thing sounds way more motivating, kinda like how video games give you stamina. Not sure if it'll make me learn faster though, maybe just play more 😂 Time will tell. Good move by Duolingo to keep things fresh.
The new energy system sounds way more fun than losing hearts! Makes me wanna keep learning without the stress. 😎
The new energy system in Duolingo sounds like a game-changer! I always hated losing hearts for small mistakes—it felt like getting detention for misspelling a word. This seems way more forgiving and fun, like leveling up in a game instead of being punished. Can't wait to try it out! 😎
I love how Duolingo's new energy system makes learning feel less like a punishment! 😄 It’s like they’re saying, ‘Keep going, you got this!’ instead of slapping your wrist for every mistake.
