Medals, previously known as achievements, are badges on a user's profile which indicate certain goals that have been achieved by the user. Currently, there are 324 medals available to be unlocked across eight different categories in total: Beatmap Packs, Skill, Dedication, Mod Introduction, Hush-Hush, Beatmap Spotlights, Seasonal Spotlights, and Beatmap Challenge Packs.
Beatmap Packs medals are medals awarded upon completion of certain Theme Beatmap Packs or Artist/Album Beatmap Packs. These medals can be obtained by clearing every beatmap all the way through at least once in any difficulty within the corresponding beatmap pack.
All beatmaps have to be cleared in the osu! game mode in order to qualify for the badge unless otherwise specified. The usage of either difficulty reducing mods or difficulty increasing mods, as well as Spun Out, is permitted.
It is worth noting however that the contents of all the Video Game Packs, Anime Packs, Internet! Packs, and Rhythm Game Packs have been dramatically altered since their first introduction in 2008. For the list of these beatmap packs in their legacy/original state, see Legacy Beatmap Packs.
Skill medals are medals awarded upon rounding off various skill-based accomplishments, be it by getting into certain combo milestones, by attaining certain ranks in the global performance point leaderboard, or by achieving either a clear or a full combo on any Qualified, Ranked, or Approved beatmap within some certain star rating ranges.
Dedication medals are medals awarded upon reaching certain play count milestones in the osu! game mode, or by reaching total hit count milestones in osu!taiko, osu!catch, and osu!mania.
See also: Game modifier
Mod Introduction medals are medals awarded upon clearing any Qualified, Ranked, or Approved beatmap with their corresponding game modifier (mod). These medals are meant to encourage newer players to try out each mod and explore what the game has to offer. Do note, however, that if players play with multiple game modifiers at a time, the player is not eligible to earn any of the game modifier medals for that play.
All Mod Introduction medals are eligible to be unlocked in any game mode unless otherwise specified.
Hush-Hush medals are "secret" medals awarded for pulling off very specific feats, which are not explicitly told to the player (hence the name). These feats can range anywhere from completing a beatmap under peculiar circumstances to setting a score with an unusual mod combination. Despite their secretive nature, there are hints laying around to help all the curious medal hunters in their sleuth as follows:
As the Hush-Hush medals are meant to be secret achievements of some sort, the unlock requirements are not directly specified; however, players are welcome to work together in order to figure out how to obtain all the Hush-Hush medals out there.
There is also a subcategory called "Hush-Hush (Expert)". The difference is that medals in it do not allow usage of any difficulty reduction or special mods.
Beatmap Spotlights medals are medals awarded upon completion of certain beatmap packs released as part of the Monthly Beatmap Spotlights. In order to unlock the medals in this category, a player needs to play through all the maps in any of the four game mode packs that are being contested on the corresponding Beatmap Spotlights ranking chart. The following mods are permitted for use:
Although the Monthly Beatmap Spotlights have been discontinued as of April 2018 in favour of the Seasonal Spotlights, all of the medals pertinent to it are still able to be obtained to this day.
Seasonal Spotlights medals are medals awarded upon completion of certain beatmap packs released as part of the Seasonal Spotlights. In order to unlock the medals in this category, a player needs to play through all the maps in any of the four game mode packs that are being contested on the corresponding Seasonal Spotlights ranking chart. The following mods are permitted for use:
Although the Seasonal Spotlights have been discontinued as of early 2020 in favour of the current Beatmap Spotlights system, all of the medals pertinent to it are still able to be obtained to this day.
Beatmap Challenge Packs medals, or alternatively referred to as Skill Packs medals, are medals awarded upon clearing the hardest difficulty present on all beatmaps featured in certain Theme Beatmap Packs or Artist/Album Beatmap Packs without any difficulty reduction or special mods enabled. These beatmap packs are specifically curated to test each player's comprehension of various gameplay aspects around a specific skill level, e.g. within a particular star rating or difficulty cap range.
All beatmaps in the pack have to be cleared in the osu! game mode in order to qualify for the badge unless otherwise specified.