Why is the Duolingo app icon melting? Viral new look owl appearance explained

The language learning app Duolingo has surprised netizens after its logo featuring its owl mascot, Duo, appears to be melting. Several users who frequently use the app have been reporting that the bird seemed to have changed its appearance on their phones this month.

In place of its usual smiling face, users saw a melted version with a drooping beak and eyes. Twitter user Lisa, @HeartandHolm, shared a screenshot of her app with the caption:

"Why is the @duolingo app bird melting?"

As netizens continued to speculate, a spokesperson for Duolingo explained the icon melting was a limited-time occurrence and was meant to encourage new learners to open the app.

"If learners have the latest version of the Duolingo app downloaded, they should see melting Duo as the app icon. The purpose of the new app icon is to encourage learners to open the app," he stated.

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"I thought mine was getting spooky for Halloween": Netizens joke about why Duolingo's owl is melting

As news of Duo's new appearance spread, netizens were quick to speculate the reason behind it. While some wondered whether it was a response to climate, others remarked it was done to fit with the Halloween season. Many even joked that the owl was upset because they did not open the app for a few days.

The news sparked some humorous reactions like:

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More about the app

Duolingo is an American company known for creating learning apps and even providing language certification. Its namesake app offers courses in over 40 languages including Spanish, Swahili, Japanese, and even the fictional language from the A Song of Ice and Fire book series, High Valyrian.

According to Statista, a data intelligence company, the app is the most popular language-learning app based on monthly downloads as of February 2023. The company uses a gamified approach for teaching lessons that incorporate interactive exercises, quizzes, and stories to make it more engaging.

While the creative marketing ploy is a hit, there are ways to remove the melting owl. If one is subscribed to the super or max version of the app then the icon can be replaced by going to the app's home screen, tapping the duo icon on the top right, and scrolling and selecting the Super app icon or the Max app icon.

If one is part of Duolingo’s Streak Society, then select the fire/streak icon from the top right corner, scroll down to the Streak Society section, and tap the change app icon. The original icon can be brought back by following the same steps.