Duolingo onboarding: course setup, first lesson, streaks, profile and Super offer
This captured iOS journey opens with course and experience questions, asks about learning reasons and daily time, offers a home-screen widget, forecasts three-month outcomes, then runs a short first lesson. After completion it introduces daily practice, a one-day streak and a reward-linked streak goal before asking the person to create a profile, enter age and name, choose marketing, consider Super, share contacts, add a friend and enter the course map.
The screenshots show a long staged journey, visible progress, constrained choices, immediate answer feedback, lesson results, repeated habit language, loss-framed profile creation, an upgrade comparison and contact permission. They do not demonstrate learning, habit formation, retention, faster progress with friends, conversion or course completion. The practical questions are whether the promised seven questions match the real journey, forecasts and comparative claims are attributable, daily goals and streaks remain flexible, personal data and permissions are proportionate, and free, paid and refusal routes are equally clear.
- Captured
- Capture date not recorded
- 35
- Screens
- 9
- Ingredients
- 33
- Applications
Common contexts
Business goals
What works
What the captured flow does well.
- The opening distinguishes Get started from an existing-account route and states that free learning is available.
- The setup sequence has a visible progress indicator and Back control, while the initial introduction says how many questions to expect.
- Language level, reason, daily goal and starting point are separated into focused choices, and Find my level is described rather than silently preselected.
- The widget request includes Not now, and the following screen confirms it can be added later.
- The first lesson states an approximate two-minute duration, has an exit control, combines written and spoken prompts and gives immediate answer feedback.
- Lesson completion reports XP, accuracy and time rather than only generic celebration.
- The profile, Super offer and contact request each have a visible close, skip or continue-without route.
- Marketing is asked on a separate screen with Yes, please and No thanks, and unsubscribe availability is stated.
What could improve
What deserves closer review.
- “7 quick questions” understates the overall journey: the captured flow contains more setup messages, a widget offer, a lesson, streak choices, profile fields, marketing, an upgrade and social steps before the course map.
- The acquisition-source question appears required but does not explain its purpose or provide Skip or Prefer not to say.
- Daily time options are labelled Casual, Regular, Serious and Intense, turning a scheduling choice into a judgement about commitment.
- “50 words in your first week” and the three-month outcomes do not state assumptions, calculation, proficiency measure or uncertainty; “develop a learning habit” is presented as an outcome rather than a support Duolingo can offer.
- “A streak is born” equates one completed day with a habit, and reward-linked 7, 14, 30 and 50-day goals do not show a flexible or no-goal route.
- “Don’t lose your progress” pressures profile creation after the person has invested in a lesson, without first explaining temporary storage, expiry or export options.
- The 4.2× Super-completion claim provides no sample, dates, base rate, definition of completion or adjustment for the higher motivation of subscribers; the screen also omits trial renewal price and charge date.
- “Best experience” and “learn faster together” precede contacts and friend addition without evidence, while the permission step should explain upload, matching, retention, invitations and deletion before system access.
Screen-by-screen breakdown
Follow the journey.
Each annotation distinguishes what is visible from our interpretation or hypothesis, then identifies a practical opportunity to investigate.
Screen 01
Opening free-learning and account routes
Get started is the prominent filled action while the existing-account route is outlined. This is visible choice architecture; neither route is preselected and the screenshot does not show a quicker decision or registration.
“Learn for free. Forever.” frames Duolingo around lasting free access. The statement is visible but does not describe ads, energy limits or paid features, and the screenshot does not show registration or later expectations.
Keep Get started and the existing-account route distinct. Explain what “Learn for free. Forever.” includes, where ads, limits and paid features begin and when an account becomes required; visual hierarchy is a choice structure, not evidence of registration.
Screen 02
Duo welcome message
Keep the Back control and brief introduction, but provide Skip introduction and reduced-motion alternatives. A mascot establishes brand tone; it does not prove trust, positive emotion or willingness to comply.
Screen 03
Seven-question setup promise
“Just 7 quick questions before we start your first lesson” frames setup as short and finite. The captured journey contains later widget, lesson, streak, profile, upgrade and social steps, so the scope needs to be distinguished clearly.
Make the scope accurate: distinguish the seven course questions from the later lesson, streak, profile, marketing, upgrade and social steps. Show an estimated duration and let people skip non-essential questions.
Screen 04
Choose a course
A scrollable course list is grouped “For English speakers”, and Continue is unavailable until one item is selected. This is visible choice architecture; the screenshot does not establish popularity ordering, overload or a default.
Keep search, language labels and a visible selection state for the long list, and explain why courses are ordered as shown. Continue should remain unavailable until selection, but no first item is a default unless it is actually preselected.
Screen 05
Optional acquisition-source question
The acquisition-source question presents a long required-looking list and no visible Skip or Prefer not to say. This is a constrained choice; channel names do not establish credibility, social proof or course relevance.
Explain that the answer is for attribution rather than course personalisation, add Skip and Prefer not to say and keep Other available. Do not treat channel names as evidence of popularity, credibility or trust.
Screen 06
Choose current Italian experience
Five ordered self-descriptions represent increasing Italian experience. This is a visible choice structure; whether it reduces ambiguity or correctly places the learner requires later assessment evidence.
Keep the ordered descriptions, but explain how the answer changes the starting level and allow reassessment later. Avoid treating self-report as a proficiency test or promising personalisation that is not shown.
Screen 07
Response to experience choice
After the experience answer, “we’ll build on what you know” responds to the prior choice. This is system feedback, but the screen does not show what changes or whether the resulting course is personalised.
State the selected level and what “build on what you know” changes, with Edit available. The message is system feedback; it should not imply extensive personalisation or make an unverified claim about reduced effort.
Screen 08
Choose reasons for learning
Reasons such as “Spend time productively”, “Boost my career” and “Just for fun” frame motives in value-laden ways. The screenshot does not show how answers affect content or motivation.
Explain whether several reasons can be selected, whether this changes lessons and where answers can be edited. Replace judgemental “Spend time productively” with a neutral description and include Prefer not to say.
Screen 09
Transition to a daily routine question
“Let’s set up a learning routine” introduces the next decision while a progress bar shows the wider setup sequence. This is staged disclosure; it does not establish ownership, investment or completion.
Name the next decision and keep Back or Skip available instead of using an unexplained interstitial. Visible journey progress can orient people, but it does not establish investment, ownership or motivation.
Screen 10
Choose an optional daily time target
Five minutes is the first numerical reference in an ordered set up to twenty minutes. It is a possible anchor; only comparative data can show whether it changes target selection.
Daily targets are paired with Casual, Regular, Serious and Intense. This frames choosing more time as greater seriousness, but the screenshot does not show which option people select or whether the labels improve learning.
Replace Casual, Regular, Serious and Intense with neutral time labels, include No daily target and explain reminders and later editing. Do not equate selecting more minutes with being a more committed learner.
Screen 11
First-week vocabulary forecast
After a daily-time choice, Duolingo forecasts “50 words in your first week”. This is outcome feedback about the choice, but its calculation, definition, uncertainty and achieved learning are not shown.
Show how 50 words is calculated from the selected time, define what “word” and “first week” mean and present a range with assumptions. Keep Edit available; a forecast is feedback, not proof of learning.
Screen 12
Optional home-screen widget
Add widget is a large filled action while Not now is a smaller text action. This is visible choice architecture with a refusal route; the screenshot does not show cognitive dissonance, commitment or later use.
Keep Not now visible and explain exactly what the widget displays, how often it changes and whether it exposes activity on a shared device. Do not use the brighter Add widget action to imply that refusal is less committed.
Screen 13
Widget refusal confirmation
Keep the neutral confirmation and say where the widget can be added later. Continue immediately without a second persuasive pitch; declining a widget is not loss aversion or evidence of weaker habits.
Screen 14
Three-month learning forecast
“Here’s what you can achieve in 3 months” frames conversation, vocabulary and a learning habit as attainable outcomes. No assumptions, proficiency measures or uncertainty are shown, so these are product promises rather than demonstrated results.
Label each outcome as a forecast, state the assumed course, starting level, minutes and practice frequency and link evidence and uncertainty. Do not promise confidence, stress-free speaking or a habit as inevitable results.
Screen 15
Choose a starting level
Find my level carries a prominent Recommended badge attributed to Duo. This is an authority cue; no expertise, method or evidence for the recommendation is provided, and the option is not preselected.
Explain how Find my level works, its duration, data and error recovery, and why it is Recommended. Neither route is preselected, so keep both equally operable and let people change level later.
Screen 16
Optional first lesson: about two minutes
“2 minute lesson” provides a numerical reference for expected duration before the lesson. This is a possible effort anchor, not evidence that the person finds the lesson easy or continues.
Keep the duration and Back control, but explain sound, microphone and accessibility requirements before starting and allow the person to enter the course map without the lesson. Two minutes is an estimate, not proof of low effort.
Screen 17
First lesson: match a spoken word to an image
The first task presents one spoken and written word with four labelled image choices and keeps Continue unavailable before selection. This is a task choice structure; the screenshot does not demonstrate reduced cognitive load, recall or fluency.
Keep the written word, replayable audio and four labelled image choices, with accessible text alternatives and no colour-only state. Explain that this is one recognition task, not evidence of recall or fluency.
Screen 18
Correct-answer feedback
After a correct image choice, the selected answer remains visible and “Good job!” appears with Continue. This is observable outcome feedback; the screenshot does not show whether praise improves learning or engagement.
Keep the selected answer visible and pair praise with the correct word, translation and pronunciation replay. Announce feedback accessibly and support mistakes constructively; a positive state does not itself form a habit.
Screen 19
Lesson tip: tap a word for its meaning
A contextual overlay explains that tapping a word reveals its meaning. This discloses help at the moment it becomes relevant; whether it reduces effort or frustration requires usability evidence and accessible alternatives.
Keep the contextual tip, make it dismissible and available later and provide an equivalent keyboard and screen-reader action. Do not obscure the entire task more than necessary or assume the hint lowers effort for everyone.
Screen 20
Notice before a harder exercise
“You’re ready for hard mode! Let’s gooo!” frames increased difficulty as an achievement. The screenshot does not explain the change or show that the framing boosts motivation, and no normal-mode choice is visible.
Explain what Hard mode changes, why the person is being moved there and how to choose normal difficulty or request a hint. Enthusiastic framing should not replace consent or imply that harder work is inherently more valuable.
Screen 21
Hard exercise: build a translated sentence
Keep the task label, source sentence, available words, progress and exit route accessible. Offer pronunciation, hint and undo controls and do not use near-complete progress to pressure continuation.
Screen 22
Hard-exercise answer feedback
The completed hard exercise shows Perfect, a full progress bar, the constructed answer and Good job. This is result feedback; it does not prove effort justification, ownership or future participation.
Keep Perfect, the completed answer and Good job visible, but explain any remaining unused words and allow review before continuing. Completion feedback does not prove effort justification, ownership or future participation.
Screen 23
First-lesson results: XP, accuracy and time
Lesson completion reports 25 XP, 100% accuracy and 2:20 time before Claim 25 XP. These are concrete performance and reward signals; the screenshot does not show ownership, motivation or later learning.
Keep the three result measures and explain how XP is used and whether speed affects anything. Let people review answers before claiming XP, avoid ranking speed as inherently better and do not add sharing pressure.
Screen 24
Daily-practice introduction
“Now let’s build a habit of practicing every day” reframes one completed lesson as the start of daily practice. This is explicit framing, but one lesson does not establish a habit and a no-plan option is not shown.
Replace “build a habit” with a choice to set reminders, a flexible practice plan or no plan. Explain that consistency varies by person and that missing a day does not erase learning; one lesson cannot establish a habit.
Screen 25
One-day streak explanation
Describe a streak as a count of consecutive practice days, not a habit. Explain time zone, qualifying activity, breaks, repair and notification controls and provide Continue without a streak instead of relying on fear of loss.
Screen 26
Choose an optional streak goal
The streak-goal screen offers 7, 14, 30 and 50 days with increasing gem rewards, then enables Commit to my goal after selection. This is reward-linked choice architecture; it is not evidence of loss aversion or consistent behaviour.
Make 7, 14, 30 and 50-day targets optional, explain gems and what happens after a missed day and offer a flexible weekly goal. Replace Commit to my goal with Save goal and preserve change, pause and removal.
Screen 28
Profile creation after the lesson
After a completed lesson, Duolingo asks for profile creation and frames it as preventing loss of progress. This is an escalation from trial use to an account request; the close route remains visible, but earlier expectation-setting and neutral storage information are needed.
“Don’t lose your progress” explicitly frames profile creation around a possible loss. This is observable loss wording, not evidence that loss aversion caused sign-up. State what progress is at risk, when and why, offer a recovery route without an account where feasible, and test comprehension, pressure and regret—not conversion alone.
Preview account requirements before the lesson. Replace “Don’t lose your progress” with the exact temporary-storage period and choices to save, export or continue temporarily; keep the close route prominent.
Screen 29
Age entry, terms and privacy
Explain why exact age is required, how it changes privacy, social and advertising features, retention and guardian handling. Summarise material terms beside the field and do not treat continued use as blanket consent beyond what is necessary.
Screen 30
Name fields and account-provider options
The name step combines manual first and last name fields with Google, Facebook and Apple routes below. This is visible choice architecture; no route is preselected, and the relationship between provider data and manual fields is unclear.
Clarify whether names are required when using Google, Facebook or Apple, what each provider shares and whether a display name can be changed. Keep provider and manual routes equally understandable with error recovery.
Screen 31
Choose promotional email
“Don’t miss out!” frames promotional email refusal as a loss before explaining inbox promotions. This is explicit marketing framing; unsubscribe availability does not establish voluntary consent or value.
Yes, please is a large filled action while No thanks is a smaller text action. This is choice architecture with no preselected option, but the hierarchy favours marketing consent and the imported description of an unchecked box was incorrect.
Replace “Don’t miss out” with message topics and expected frequency, keep No thanks as prominent as Yes, please and state how to change preferences. Unsubscribe availability does not remove the need for freely given consent.
Screen 32
Super trial comparison and completion claim
The table frames Super as the complete version by placing six checkmarks against one free feature. The comparison is visible, but it does not make Super a default and material trial renewal terms are absent.
Duolingo states that Super learners are 4.2× more likely to finish the Italian course. This uses subscriber outcomes to support upgrading, but no sample, period, base rate or adjustment for pre-existing motivation is provided; it is not evidence that paying causes completion.
Keep Skip offer visible, but state the trial renewal price, billing cadence, charge date, cancellation route and Restore Purchase. Source the 4.2× claim with sample, base rate and controls, or remove it; correlation among subscribers is not causation.
Screen 33
Optional contacts permission
Sync contacts is the large filled action and Continue without contacts is secondary, alongside an illustrated system prompt. This is permission choice architecture; purpose and data handling are underexplained, while refusal remains available.
Before the system prompt, explain which contact fields are uploaded, matching, invitations, retention, deletion and whether non-users are affected. Keep Continue without contacts equally prominent and never call contact access necessary for the best experience.
Screen 34
Review a matched contact before following
Do not preselect a person or claim that adding them makes learning faster without evidence. Show why the match appeared, protect usernames, provide search and Skip and require a deliberate follow action rather than assuming contact consent covers following.
Screen 35
Profile-created confirmation
Confirm which profile and settings were created, link Edit and privacy controls and state the next destination. Keep Continue as navigation; success feedback does not establish ownership, commitment or scarcity.
Screen 36
Course map with current lesson and account balances
The course overview reports the current unit plus streak, gems and energy and distinguishes the available lesson from locked future activities. This is visible state feedback; the screenshot does not establish scarcity, desire or continued use.
Explain current unit, lesson types, locked content, streak, gems and energy in plain language, including free and paid conditions. Provide accessible list navigation and avoid using locked visuals or time estimates solely to pressure another lesson.
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