Quick answer: ETS launched a redesigned TOEFL on January 21, 2026 with five major changes: scoring shifted from 0-120 to a 1-6 band scale aligned with CEFR, the Listening section removed note-taking, Reading and Listening became multistage adaptive, three new question types replaced older tasks (Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, Take an Interview), and total test time dropped from about four hours to 90 minutes. Universities are accepting both scoring systems during the 2026-2028 transition period, with official 0-120 comparable scores included on every score report. Pre-2026 preparation materials that rely on note-taking strategies, old task templates, or the 0-120 score scale are largely obsolete.
The TOEFL iBT redesign launched January 21, 2026 affects every part of the test. Scoring changed from a 0-120 total to a 1.0-6.0 band scale in 0.5 increments, aligned with CEFR levels. The Listening section no longer allows note-taking. Reading and Listening use a multistage adaptive format where Module 1 performance determines Module 2 difficulty. Three entirely new question types were introduced: Complete the Words (Reading), Read in Daily Life (Reading), and Take an Interview (Speaking). Additional task changes include Build a Sentence (Writing), Write an Email (Writing), and Listen and Repeat (Speaking). Total test time dropped from approximately four hours to 90 minutes. Every one of these changes is covered in depth in the linked section guides below.
ETS replaced the 0-120 composite score with a 1.0-6.0 band scale. Each section (Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing) receives its own band in 0.5 increments, and your overall score is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest 0.5. The change aligns TOEFL with CEFR levels used by European and Asian universities. During the 2026-2028 transition period, every score report includes both the new band and the comparable 0-120 score, so universities can evaluate using either scale. For full conversion tables and what each band means, see the TOEFL score converter, the TOEFL 2026 score guide, and our guide to what counts as a good TOEFL score in 2026.
The old TOEFL took approximately four hours including check-in and breaks. The 2026 format runs approximately 90 minutes of actual testing time: Reading (~30 minutes), Listening (~30-35 minutes), Speaking (~16 minutes), and Writing (~23 minutes). The shorter duration means less endurance training is needed, but pacing per question is tighter because each section contains fewer items with higher individual weight. For detailed preparation timelines calibrated to the new format, see our TOEFL preparation timeline guide and the study plan generator.
Both Reading and Listening use a multistage adaptive format across two modules. Your performance in Module 1 determines the difficulty of Module 2. Strong Module 1 performance routes you to a harder Module 2 with access to higher band scores. Weak Module 1 performance routes to an easier Module 2 where the maximum achievable score is capped. This means the first module is disproportionately important: treating it as a warm-up is a strategic error. For section-specific adaptive strategies, see the Reading guide and the Listening guide.
The Listening section no longer allows note-taking. This is one of the most disruptive changes for students who prepared under the old format, where note-taking was actively taught as a core strategy. Without notes, students must rely on active listening, short-term memory, and the ability to process information in real time. The practical shift is from transcription-based comprehension to structural listening: focusing on the shape of the argument or narrative rather than trying to capture every detail. The Listening guide covers adapted strategies in detail.
A Reading task where you see a short academic paragraph with 10 incomplete words and type the missing letters. It tests vocabulary, spelling, and reading comprehension simultaneously. This task replaced traditional vocabulary-in-context questions. Practice with 15 interactive Complete the Words exercises.
A Reading task where you read short practical texts (emails, notices, announcements, schedules) and answer 2-3 comprehension questions. It tests the kind of functional reading university students do every day outside of academic papers. Practice with 20 interactive Read in Daily Life exercises.
A Speaking task where a pre-recorded interviewer asks you 4 questions on one theme. You have 45 seconds to answer each with zero preparation time and no notes. This replaced the old template-based Speaking tasks and specifically rewards spontaneous, natural spoken English. Practice with 4 audio Take an Interview exercises.
Other 2026 task changes include Build a Sentence (arrange word blocks into grammatically correct sentences, replacing the old Writing Integrated task), Write an Email (7-minute email response to a campus scenario), and Listen and Repeat (echo spoken sentences for pronunciation assessment). For Writing-specific guidance, see the Writing guide. For Speaking strategies covering both new task types, see the Speaking guide.
Foundational English skills transfer: grammar knowledge, vocabulary breadth, reading speed, and listening comprehension are all still tested. What does not transfer is task-specific strategy. Note-taking systems designed for the old Listening format are now irrelevant. Templates for the old Integrated Writing and Independent Writing essays no longer apply. Score targets framed in 0-120 terms need recalibration to the 1-6 band scale. Any preparation resource that references "Integrated Writing," "Independent Writing," or Listening note-taking strategies is built for the old format and will mislead students preparing for tests taken after January 21, 2026.
The format change shifted TOEFL's competitive positioning. The new 90-minute duration makes it shorter than IELTS (2 hours 45 minutes) and comparable to Duolingo English Test (~1 hour). The 1-6 band scale is more directly comparable to IELTS's 1-9 bands than the old 0-120 was. Most universities accept all three tests. The choice depends on your target schools, your strongest modalities, and regional preference. For a detailed comparison with a quiz that recommends the right test for your situation, see our TOEFL vs IELTS vs Duolingo comparison.
Start with the new task types: practice Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, and Take an Interview before anything else, because these are where pre-2026 intuitions fail. Then build adaptive strategy: treat Module 1 as the highest-stakes portion of Reading and Listening, not a warm-up. Plan 4 to 8 weeks of preparation at 30 to 60 minutes per day. The PrepDrills TOEFL app covers all 2026 task types with Eppy AI grading calibrated to the ETS rubric. For students targeting Band 5.0+ who want expert feedback, Epic Exam Prep offers 1-on-1 TOEFL coaching for the new format.
ETS redesigned the TOEFL on January 21, 2026 with five major changes: scoring moved from 0-120 to a 1-6 band scale, Listening removed note-taking, Reading and Listening became multistage adaptive, three new question types replaced older tasks (Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, Take an Interview), and total test time dropped from about four hours to 90 minutes.
The redesigned TOEFL launched on January 21, 2026. All test administrations from that date forward use the new format. Scores taken before January 21 remain valid for two years in their original 0-120 format.
Each of the four sections (Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing) receives a band from 1.0 to 6.0 in 0.5 increments. Your overall score is the average of the four section bands, rounded to the nearest 0.5. During the 2026-2028 transition, score reports include both the new band and the comparable 0-120 score.
Note-taking is no longer available in the Listening section of TOEFL 2026. This is one of the most significant changes from the previous format, which encouraged note-taking. Students must now rely on active listening and short-term memory. Note-taking is still allowed during Speaking preparation and in Writing tasks.
The TOEFL 2026 takes approximately 90 minutes total across all four sections, down from about four hours in the previous format. Reading is approximately 30 minutes, Listening approximately 30-35 minutes, Speaking approximately 16 minutes, and Writing approximately 23 minutes.
Yes. Universities worldwide are accepting TOEFL 2026 scores. During the 2026-2028 transition period, ETS includes both the new 1-6 band score and the comparable 0-120 score on every score report, so institutions can evaluate using either scale. After 2028, only the band scale will appear.
Partially. Foundational English skills (grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension) transfer to the new format. However, task-specific templates, note-taking strategies for Listening, and any prep targeting the old Integrated Writing or Independent Writing essays are obsolete. Practice materials must be built for the 2026 task types to be effective.
Three entirely new question types were introduced: Complete the Words (fill in missing letters in an academic passage), Read in Daily Life (read practical texts like emails and notices), and Take an Interview (record spontaneous spoken responses to an interviewer). Additionally, Build a Sentence, Write an Email, and Listen and Repeat replaced older task formats.
Reading and Listening use a multistage adaptive format across two modules. Your performance in Module 1 determines the difficulty of Module 2. Strong Module 1 performance routes you to a harder Module 2 with access to higher scores. Weak Module 1 performance routes you to an easier Module 2 where the maximum achievable score is capped lower.
Both tests are accepted by most universities. TOEFL 2026 is typically preferred for US university applications and is now shorter (90 minutes vs IELTS's 2 hours 45 minutes). IELTS may be preferred if you are targeting UK, Australia, or Canada exclusively. The choice depends on your target schools and which format suits your strengths. See our TOEFL vs IELTS vs Duolingo comparison for a detailed breakdown.
For 1-on-1 TOEFL coaching on the new 2026 format, Epic Exam Prep has trained TOEFL students for top universities since 2010.