What happened to the Duolingo icon? Explained

Duolingo has some explaining to do… It’s one thing to want a new look for the app’s resident owl, but another completely different to gross its users out.

Unfortunately, the people behind the language-learning app are unconcerned about how icon changes affect folks who use it. On Aug. 29, folks started to notice that Duo was looking particularly sick. Its usual chirpy look had been replaced with a snotty nose, a fever-induced sweat, red eyes, and heavy bags under them. Admittedly, it is kind of funny to see the pushy mascot in such a sorry state, but as you can imagine, most people were unhappy about having that on their phone’s home screens. While amusing, the icon is also unpleasant to look at.

Folks took to social media to complain about this sudden change, some describing it as “disgusting,” “gross,” and even “creepy.” Meanwhile, others were more concerned about the “why” of it all. Sure, this type of thing has happened before — in Oct. 2023, the green owl icon appeared to be melting, and in April, it adopted a sad and exhausted expression — but what was the reasoning behind it this time? Duolingo must have seen some backlash coming its way as a result of this icon change, so why go for it anyway?

Why does the Duolingo owl look sick?

The question of why the Duolingo icon looks sick can be answered with a single word: marketing. According to iNews, a spokesperson for the app revealed that this change is a visual reminder for folks to use the app daily:

“Duo is quite literally sick of reminding everyone to do their lessons! But don’t worry his symptoms aren’t contagious – as long as learners keep their streaks going!”

It’s certainly a strong visual reminder, there’s no doubt about it, but that’s not the new icon’s only advantage. The change has thrust Duolingo back into the spotlight, as users have made it a point to talk about it on all social media platforms. This increases the app’s visibility and gathers attention from those who may not be familiar with it yet.

Duo has always had a strong online presence, straddling the line between funny and pushy marketing. Despite some complaints from netizens about this attention-grabbing behavior, the icon replacements usually land on the funny side. Usually. There can indeed be too much of a good thing, and Duolingo’s frequent changes to the classic green owl look to prove it.