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United States · English test

How to take the Duolingo English Test: website, desktop app and setup

You take the Duolingo English Test (DET) in Duolingo’s desktop app, on your own computer, with your phone set up beside you as a second camera. Everything starts at the official website, englishtest.duolingo.com, where you sign up with your email, log in and buy the test. After that you download the Duolingo English Test desktop app and start whenever you’re ready.

  • 2 MbpsDownload speed you need, plus 1 Mbps up
  • 241 MBApp size on a Mac, 49 MB on Windows
  • No bookingNo test dates, times or test centers
Log in to the Duolingo English Test

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

How to take the Duolingo English Test, step by step

  1. Go to englishtest.duolingo.com and sign up for free with a valid email address.
  2. Log in, buy your test and choose when you want your results.
  3. Download the desktop app and install it. On Windows, if Microsoft Defender SmartScreen warns you, click More Info, then Run Anyway. On a Mac, drag the app into your Applications folder, and allow the microphone and camera if asked.
  4. When you’re ready, open the app and log in with your DET username and password.
  5. Follow the setup. You scan a QR code to install the DET mobile app on your phone, which then scans your room and both ears and films your screen and keyboard. You also do a liveness check and show your photo ID.
  6. Take the test. When you finish, wait until the app says your test has uploaded before you close it.
What the test costs →

What does the Duolingo English Test desktop app need?

  • A computer with a working microphone, speakers and a camera at the top center of the screen. Duolingo’s guide gives install steps for Windows and Mac.
  • A wired internet connection if you can. Duolingo doesn’t recommend a mobile hotspot, because hotspots can be unstable.
  • A smartphone on Wi-Fi, fully charged or plugged in, set on a stable surface to your side with your screen and keyboard in view. It stays in place for the whole test.
  • Your physical government-issued photo ID. A photo or copy of it won’t do.

Close every other program before you start, including browsers, Skype or Discord, streaming software and remote desktop tools. The test is canceled if you try to open another app or plugin during it.

Do you need to book a Duolingo English Test?

No. There are no fixed test dates or times and nothing to register for in advance, so there are no slots to book. You can test anywhere you can be alone in a quiet, bright room, and it doesn’t have to be your home. Just start within 21 days of buying the test.

Duolingo English Test rules

Proctors check every session for these, and breaking one can stop your result being certified:

  • Look at the screen. Glancing at the keyboard while you type is fine.
  • Don’t take notes, record questions, or read or memorize answers from anywhere else.
  • Don’t speak until the test tells you to, and don’t talk to anyone.
  • Be alone in the room for the whole test.
  • Don’t use headphones or earbuds, and keep your ears, eyes and mouth visible.
  • Use one keyboard, one mouse and one phone camera, and no virtual private network (VPN), virtual machine or assistive software.
  • Remove extra screens, devices and paper, and don’t touch or block the phone camera.

What happens if a rule is broken, and how to appeal, is in the guide’s FAQ.

What happens if you break a rule →

Duolingo English Test login and support

You log in at englishtest.duolingo.com, with the button at the top of this page. That’s also where you buy tests, find the desktop app download, see your results and send them to schools.

For help, Duolingo points you to its FAQ at englishtest.duolingo.com/faq, the Help button on its website, or email at englishtest-support@duolingo.com. Its Official Guide gives no phone number.

Sources: Duolingo · Duolingo English Test blog and 1 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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