diff --git a/assets/l10n/intl_en.arb b/assets/l10n/intl_en.arb
index 8ba82fe36..99e2345bb 100644
--- a/assets/l10n/intl_en.arb
+++ b/assets/l10n/intl_en.arb
@@ -4828,6 +4828,8 @@
   "ttsDisbledTitle": "Text-to-speech disabled",
   "ttsDisabledBody": "You can enable text-to-speech in your learning settings",
   "noSpaceDescriptionYet": "No space description created yet.",
+  "tooLargeToSend": "This message is too large to send",
+  "exitWithoutSaving": "Are you sure you want to leave without saving?",
   "enableAutocorrectPopupTitle": "Add your target language keyboard by going to:",
   "enableAutocorrectPopupSteps": "  \u2022 Settings\n  \u2022 General\n  \u2022 Keyboard\n  \u2022 Keyboards\n  \u2022 Add New Keyboard",
   "enableAutocorrectPopupDescription": "Once the language is selected, you can click the small globe icon on the bottom left of your keyboard to activate the newly installed keyboard.",
diff --git a/lib/pages/chat_list/client_chooser_button.dart b/lib/pages/chat_list/client_chooser_button.dart
index f056c1069..2387f9788 100644
--- a/lib/pages/chat_list/client_chooser_button.dart
+++ b/lib/pages/chat_list/client_chooser_button.dart
@@ -291,6 +291,7 @@ class ClientChooserButton extends StatelessWidget {
           showDialog(
             context: context,
             builder: (c) => const SettingsLearning(),
+            barrierDismissible: false,
           );
           break;
         case SettingsAction.joinWithClassCode:
diff --git a/lib/pangea/analytics_summary/learning_progress_indicators.dart b/lib/pangea/analytics_summary/learning_progress_indicators.dart
index 728ce1a21..1d536c399 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/analytics_summary/learning_progress_indicators.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/analytics_summary/learning_progress_indicators.dart
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ class LearningProgressIndicatorsState
                     onTap: () => showDialog(
                       context: context,
                       builder: (c) => const SettingsLearning(),
+                      barrierDismissible: false,
                     ),
                     l2: userL2?.langCode.toUpperCase(),
                   ),
diff --git a/lib/pangea/choreographer/widgets/it_bar.dart b/lib/pangea/choreographer/widgets/it_bar.dart
index e25627673..9eaba2beb 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/choreographer/widgets/it_bar.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/choreographer/widgets/it_bar.dart
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ class ITBarState extends State<ITBar> with SingleTickerProviderStateMixin {
                               onPressed: () => showDialog(
                                 context: context,
                                 builder: (c) => const SettingsLearning(),
+                                barrierDismissible: false,
                               ),
                             ),
                           ),
diff --git a/lib/pangea/choreographer/widgets/language_permissions_warning_buttons.dart b/lib/pangea/choreographer/widgets/language_permissions_warning_buttons.dart
index cdbad2fb8..789f34685 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/choreographer/widgets/language_permissions_warning_buttons.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/choreographer/widgets/language_permissions_warning_buttons.dart
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class LanguagePermissionsButtons extends StatelessWidget {
                   showDialog(
                     context: context,
                     builder: (c) => const SettingsLearning(),
+                    barrierDismissible: false,
                   );
                 },
             ),
diff --git a/lib/pangea/choreographer/widgets/start_igc_button.dart b/lib/pangea/choreographer/widgets/start_igc_button.dart
index b29753276..8363e7278 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/choreographer/widgets/start_igc_button.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/choreographer/widgets/start_igc_button.dart
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ class StartIGCButtonState extends State<StartIGCButton>
         showDialog(
           context: context,
           builder: (c) => const SettingsLearning(),
+          barrierDismissible: false,
         );
         return;
       case AssistanceState.notFetched:
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@ class StartIGCButtonState extends State<StartIGCButton>
         onLongPress: () => showDialog(
           context: context,
           builder: (c) => const SettingsLearning(),
+          barrierDismissible: false,
         ),
         child: Stack(
           alignment: Alignment.center,
diff --git a/lib/pangea/learning_settings/pages/settings_learning.dart b/lib/pangea/learning_settings/pages/settings_learning.dart
index 3c26fd9e7..6e3624202 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/learning_settings/pages/settings_learning.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/learning_settings/pages/settings_learning.dart
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import 'package:fluffychat/pangea/learning_settings/utils/language_list_util.dar
 import 'package:fluffychat/pangea/spaces/models/space_model.dart';
 import 'package:fluffychat/pangea/toolbar/controllers/tts_controller.dart';
 import 'package:fluffychat/pangea/user/models/user_model.dart';
+import 'package:fluffychat/widgets/adaptive_dialogs/show_ok_cancel_alert_dialog.dart';
 import 'package:fluffychat/widgets/future_loading_dialog.dart';
 import 'package:fluffychat/widgets/matrix.dart';
 
@@ -42,6 +43,47 @@ class SettingsLearningController extends State<SettingsLearning> {
     super.dispose();
   }
 
+  // compare settings in _profile with the settings in the userController
+  // if they are different, return true, else return false
+  bool get haveSettingsBeenChanged {
+    for (final setting in _profile.userSettings.toJson().entries) {
+      if (setting.value !=
+          pangeaController.userController.profile.userSettings
+              .toJson()[setting.key]) {
+        return true;
+      }
+    }
+    for (final setting in _profile.toolSettings.toJson().entries) {
+      if (setting.value !=
+          pangeaController.userController.profile.toolSettings
+              .toJson()[setting.key]) {
+        return true;
+      }
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // if the settings have been changed, show a dialog the user wants to exit without saving
+  // if the settings have not been changed, just close the settings page
+  void onSettingsClose() {
+    if (haveSettingsBeenChanged) {
+      showOkCancelAlertDialog(
+        title: L10n.of(context).exitWithoutSaving,
+        okLabel: L10n.of(context).submit,
+        cancelLabel: L10n.of(context).leave,
+        context: context,
+      ).then((value) {
+        if (value == OkCancelResult.ok) {
+          submit();
+        } else {
+          Navigator.of(context).pop();
+        }
+      });
+    } else {
+      Navigator.of(context).pop();
+    }
+  }
+
   Future<void> submit() async {
     if (selectedSourceLanguage?.langCodeShort ==
         selectedTargetLanguage?.langCodeShort) {
@@ -55,11 +97,11 @@ class SettingsLearningController extends State<SettingsLearning> {
       languageMatchError = null; // Clear error if languages don't match
     });
 
-    if (formKey.currentState!.validate()) {
-      if (!isTTSSupported) {
-        updateToolSetting(ToolSetting.enableTTS, false);
-      }
+    if (!isTTSSupported) {
+      updateToolSetting(ToolSetting.enableTTS, false);
+    }
 
+    if (formKey.currentState!.validate()) {
       await showFutureLoadingDialog(
         context: context,
         future: () async => pangeaController.userController.updateProfile(
diff --git a/lib/pangea/learning_settings/pages/settings_learning_view.dart b/lib/pangea/learning_settings/pages/settings_learning_view.dart
index 73fb7c3b9..970a910c2 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/learning_settings/pages/settings_learning_view.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/learning_settings/pages/settings_learning_view.dart
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ class SettingsLearningView extends StatelessWidget {
             ),
             leading: IconButton(
               icon: const Icon(Icons.close),
-              onPressed: Navigator.of(context).pop,
+              onPressed: controller.onSettingsClose,
             ),
           ),
           body: ListTileTheme(