Duolingo users frustrated with changes to XP Boost and daily chests

Duolingo’s latest updates to XP Boosts and daily chests are leaving users confused and frustrated. The changes, which include tweaks to the popular triple XP boost and the removal of the Early Bird and Night Owl chests, have sparked backlash across the Duolingo community.

The frustrating new “experiments”

The triple XP boost, previously unlocked and ready to use immediately, now comes with a catch: you can’t use it until the next day. Once it’s available, it automatically activates the next time you start a lesson. While this might sound convenient, many users feel it’s restrictive.

For instance, a Redditor pointed out that the forced delay means they have to avoid opening the app until they’re fully prepared to use the boost. Another user noted that you can’t choose when to activate the boost, which removes any flexibility for learners with busy schedules.

The Early Bird and Night Owl chests, which rewarded users for completing lessons during specific times of the day, have also quietly disappeared from the app. These chests were a popular way for learners to earn extra gems, streak freezes, and even XP boosts. With their removal, users lose a time-based incentive that encouraged consistent engagement and provided valuable rewards.

Here’s an alleged response a user got from Duolingo about the removal of the evening and morning bonuses:

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out about the morning and evening bonuses. I understand that these bonuses were a motivating factor for you, and I appreciate you bringing this to our attention.

I can confirm that the morning and evening bonuses have been retired as part of our continuous efforts to improve the Duolingo experience. While we understand this may be disappointing, please know that these decisions are made carefully with the goal of enhancing the overall learning experience for all our users.

We’re always exploring new and exciting features to keep our learners engaged and motivated. Although we don’t have a direct replacement for the morning and evening bonuses at this time, we do have a feature that might help you maintain your learning routine.

You can set a daily practice reminder to help maintain your learning streak. Here’s how:

1. Tap the Profile tab (face icon) in the bottom menu on the home screen
2. Tap Settings (gear icon)
3. Scroll to ‘Notifications’ section
4. Tap the phone icon to enable in-app notification and tap the envelope icon to enable email reminders
5. Edit the Reminder time and AM/PM to your preference
6. Tap ‘DONE’ on the top right of the screen when you are finished

We value your feedback and will make sure to pass it along to our product team for consideration in future updates.

Users are upset with the changes

Many users feel these changes undermine the gamified experience that keeps them motivated. One individual expressed frustration, saying, “First, practice to earn hearts goes. Now my gold chest triple XP boost has turned into a locked ‘tomorrow’ chest. It sucks for those of us who can’t play whenever we want.”

Even paying subscribers aren’t spared. One user under the Super Duolingo plan lamented that these updates have disrupted their learning flow, calling it “disappointing.” The sentiment was echoed by several others who paid for Super to enhance their experience but now feel let down by the constant changes.

These frequent experiments and updates have become a sore spot for users. One of the biggest problems recently was Duolingo’s decision to remove the option to practice lessons to earn back hearts. Some speculate the platform is testing new mechanics to improve the app or encourage subscriptions and in-app purchases.

Duolingo has yet to address the growing complaints, leaving many wondering if these changes are permanent or just part of a trial phase. Meanwhile, users are voicing their concerns on platforms like Reddit, hoping their feedback leads to improvements — or at least some clarity. 

We’ll just have to wait and see if all the push back from users forces Duolingo to change its approach with these experiments that usually always tend to negatively impact the user experience. That said, feel free to drop a comment below with your thoughts on all these new tests and changes being made to the platform.