It started with a simple goal: say goodbye to that Duolingo account you’d forgotten about. But for many users, what should’ve been a simple log-out-and-delete dance turned into a maddening trip through a digital maze of incorrect passwords, bizarre errors, and unexpected heroics.
TL;DR: Users trying to delete their Duolingo accounts were stuck due to “incorrect password” errors—even when their passwords were right. A surprising workaround involving a password reset and cookie clearing did the trick. The internet, as always, came through with a creative fix. And in the end, Duo didn’t have to cry (but a few humans did).
The Great Duolingo Farewell Struggle
Most people use Duolingo to learn something new. Spanish. French. High Valyrian, maybe. But in 2024, a wave of users just wanted to leave.
For various reasons, people decided to delete their accounts. Maybe they outgrew it. Maybe they just needed to Marie Kondo their inboxes. But when they tried, they ran into something strange.
“Password Incorrect.”
Again.
And again.
People were sure they typed the password correctly. Some even logged out and back in successfully. But every time they clicked that nice red “Delete Account” button, they hit that error wall.
It didn’t make sense.
Reddit to the Rescue
The issue boiled over on forums like Reddit and Quora. Users shared stories, like warriors who’d faced the same mighty beast.
“I KNOW my password! I literally just logged in! Why won’t Duolingo let me delete my account??” – a mildly furious owl survivor
Eventually, someone did what any digital detective would: experiment. And after repeating the process enough times, they cracked it.
The Unexpected Fix Everyone Was Waiting For
Here’s where the story gets weird. The fix that worked for most users wasn’t a customer service miracle or some hidden button in the account settings. It came down to three simple steps.
The Fix:
- Reset your password—yes, even if you know it.
- Clear your browser cookies and cache.
- Log back in with the new password and try deleting your account again.
That’s it.
Why it worked? No one knows exactly. Some say it’s a session token issue. Others think Duo had a glitch in the account verification step. Either way, that simple combo did the trick for tons of frustrated users.
[ai-img]frustrated user, computer screen, duolingo logo[/ai-img]
The Internet Has Reactions, Obviously
This kind of bug? It was bound to become a meme.
- Memes of Duo the Owl holding people hostage (“You can’t leave!”)
- Videos with dramatic music showing failed password entries
- Entire blog posts theorizing that Duo had become sentient
Fans and former fans alike couldn’t stop talking about it. One creative TikTok even re-enacted the password failures using interpretive dance.
How Users Described the Experience
Social platforms got flooded with unique ways to explain the ordeal. Here are some fan favorites:
- “It’s like breaking up with someone who doesn’t accept the breakup.”
- “Imagine a door that lets you in just to trap you inside.”
- “I love that I had to reset a password I knew, to delete something I hated.”
It turned into digital therapy. People bonded over their shared struggle, laughed about it, and yeah, finally escaped. Eventually.
Why Deleting Was So Hard In The First Place
Okay, time for a quick tech moment. Here’s what experts think went wrong:
- Duolingo might have tied account deletion permissions to a stricter authentication loop.
- If your login had expired or was tied to cookies, the system didn’t recognize you as truly logged in.
- Even if the password was right, outdated session info caused the system to throw an error.
So resetting the password generated a fresh session. Clearing cookies removed old code. And bingo—you got through the digital wall.
Lessons Learned: For Users and Developers
This little tale isn’t just a funny mishap. It’s a lesson in user experience, too.
For users:
- Resetting your password really can fix surprisingly weird problems.
- Always clear your cookies when things go sideways.
- You’re not alone—someone on the internet has had your exact problem.
For developers:
- Don’t make deletion harder than signing up.
- Double-check security loops tied to sensitive settings.
- Provide error messages that actually help—“Invalid session,” maybe, instead of “Incorrect password.”
[ai-img]programmer, bug fix, computer code, duolingo[/ai-img]
Did Duolingo Respond?
Eventually, Duolingo posted a vague notice saying they were “looking into reports of login and deletion issues.” Fair enough. But the real fix didn’t come from inside HQ—it came from shared user knowledge.
As of now, it seems the issue gets patched here and there. But if it ever comes back, now you know what to do.
The Bright Side
In the end, it brought people together. Helped users learn a bit more about how the web works. And gave the owl a tiny reputation boost—not for being helpful, but for being hilariously clingy.
Also, shout out to the random Redditor who discovered the trick first. You, internet stranger, are the true MVP.
One More Thing…
If you’re trying to delete your Duolingo account right now and landed here while searching for relief, take a breath. You’re not cursed. You’re not alone.
Just follow the three-step fix above, and you’ll be free in minutes.
Final Thoughts
Funny how even the simplest internet actions can hide bizarre bugs and wild stories. Account deletion should be easy. Sometimes it isn’t.
But hey, at least we got some memes out of it.