Search "how to get Duolingo hearts back and remove ads" and you'll find posts promising a hidden switch or workaround. There isn't one documented in Duolingo's own materials. Duolingo has been phasing out Hearts in favor of a resource system called Energy, and ad-free access shows up in the company's public consumer materials as a subscription benefit.
Here's the short version: you can recover Hearts or Energy through several documented free options, but the sources cited in this guide don't describe a free setting that disables the standard ads shown to non-subscribers. There's also no confirmed way to switch an Energy-based account back to Hearts on your own.
Duolingo describes Energy as a "learning-power" system designed to replace Hearts, the older setup where free users lost one heart after a mistake. When the company publicly explained Energy in 2025, it was still being tested with a limited number of users rather than presented as a completed rollout.
For ads, Duolingo's current public materials identify an ad-free experience as a benefit of its subscription plans. Duolingo's investor materials say Super removes ads, while Max includes Super's benefits along with additional AI-powered features.
This guide covers how to check which system your account has, the legitimate free options for stretching your lessons, and what's actually confirmed about removing ads.
Do You Have Hearts or Energy Right Now?
Open a lesson and look at the resource meter. A Hearts-based account uses the familiar heart icon and a five-heart limit, while the Energy rollout described by The Verge uses a larger battery-style meter with 25 units when full.
That size difference matters because Energy doesn't drain the way Hearts did. Under Hearts, mistakes cost a heart. Under Energy, each exercise uses one unit whether the answer is right or wrong, according to Duolingo's Q2 2025 shareholder letter. Getting multiple answers right in a row can earn Energy back.
It's a different math problem, not just a rebrand.
The rollout has also changed over time. In May 2025, The Verge reported that Energy was appearing on iOS first, with Android planned for later, and that someone using the same account could still see Hearts on Android and Energy on iOS without the meters syncing.
That was a snapshot from the rollout, not a description of what every account looks like today. Duolingo's current public materials still use both Hearts and Energy terminology in different places, so check your own app rather than assuming your operating system determines which system you have.
Can You Switch Duolingo Energy Back to Hearts?
Duolingo describes Energy as a replacement for Hearts, but its published materials don't document a user-controlled opt-out or reversal process.
You'll find posts online claiming that reinstalling the app, rolling back to an older version, or changing your account's region brings Hearts back. The sources reviewed here don't document those methods as supported fixes.
If you try one and it appears to work, that's not proof it will work for another account. Duolingo frequently tests product changes with subsets of users, so account behavior can differ without a public setting that explains why.
How to Get Duolingo Hearts Back, or Energy, for Free
Several refill options are documented for Hearts and Energy, though your app may not surface every option in exactly the same way:
Watch a rewarded ad. Duolingo says Energy users can watch a rewarded ad to recover some Energy, while reporting on the older Hearts system documented the same general option for earning Hearts.
Spend Gems. Duolingo's in-app currency can be used for a refill instead of waiting.
Wait for the meter to recharge. Duolingo says Energy fully recharges in about a day, similar to Hearts.
Duolingo's public materials don't provide one permanent tap sequence for every version of the app, and the interface changes frequently. Use the refill choices your app presents when your resource meter runs low rather than relying on instructions written for an older version.
If your account is still using Hearts, another mechanic applies specifically to that system. Duolingo's language-learning guide says that after five mistakes, free learners can complete a practice lesson to earn a heart back. Gems are another documented way to restore Hearts.
If you're on Energy, getting answers right can also extend your session. Duolingo says multiple correct answers in a row can restore Energy, and its shareholder letter confirms that Energy is designed to reward successful streaks rather than charge an additional penalty for wrong answers.
Reviewing mistakes at the end of a lesson also doesn't use Energy, according to Duolingo.
The company says the switch was partly prompted by data showing beginners were twice as likely to run out of Hearts during a lesson. Duolingo says its own testing showed Energy helped more learners finish lessons and improved engagement. Those are company-reported results rather than an independent audit.
Can You Remove Duolingo Ads for Free?
Duolingo's public consumer materials don't document a free setting or workaround that disables the standard ads shown to non-subscribers.
The company itself says ads help fund its free service, while Super Duolingo provides an ad-free experience. Duolingo Max includes the benefits of Super, so it also removes those standard ads.
Watching a rewarded ad to refill Hearts or Energy is a separate experience from the ads free users encounter after learning sessions. Duolingo's own materials distinguish between optional rewarded ads used for resource refills and the regular advertising its subscriptions remove.
Super subscribers also get unlimited access to the relevant resource system instead of having to refill Hearts or Energy. The Verge reported during the Energy rollout that both Super and Max subscribers received unlimited Energy in the same way subscribers previously had unlimited Hearts.
Duolingo Max has changed enough that older descriptions need caution. Duolingo's Max overview currently describes it as including Super's benefits plus AI-powered features such as Video Call and Roleplay.
However, Duolingo told investors in 2026 that it had started expanding Video Call access to Super subscribers. That means the exact feature line between Super and Max is evolving, so check the subscription screen in your own app before choosing a tier based on one specific AI feature.
The Family Plan also covers more than one account. Duolingo's Family Plan guidance describes six Super accounts under one plan, meaning the plan manager plus up to five additional members.
Duolingo's older Super launch announcement also advertised a two-week free trial, but that information dates back several years. Trial availability, pricing, and billing terms can change, so check the subscription screen in your app for the offer attached to your account.
Hearts and Energy Options at a Glance
The details above boil down to four common questions:
Restore Hearts: use a rewarded ad when offered, spend Gems, wait for the meter to recharge, or complete a practice lesson under the Hearts mechanics described by Duolingo.
Restore Energy: use a rewarded ad, spend Gems, wait for a recharge, or earn Energy back through successful-answer streaks and other rewards Duolingo makes available.
Switch Energy back to Hearts: Duolingo does not document a user-controlled method. Reinstalling, downgrading, or changing regions should be treated as unsupported claims rather than guaranteed fixes.
Remove standard ads: Duolingo documents ad-free use as a Super benefit, with Max inheriting Super's benefits. The sources reviewed here don't provide a free switch for disabling standard ads.
What to Do Now
Open the app and check your resource meter before doing anything else. A Hearts meter means your account is still using the older system, while a battery-style Energy meter shows that your account has moved to Energy.
To keep learning for free, use the refill options the app actually offers: watch a rewarded ad when available, spend Gems, wait for a recharge, or use the system-specific rewards described above.
If ads are the real issue, Duolingo's public materials don't document a free setting for turning them off. Check your app's subscription screen for the current Super and Max benefits, Family Plan terms, trial availability, and pricing, since Duolingo's subscription features and experiments can change over time.
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