Short answer: The label says adults start Victoza at 0.6 mg once daily for one week. This dose is meant to lower the risk of stomach side effects and does not control blood sugar in adults. After one week the dose goes to 1.2 mg once daily. If more control is needed after at least one week on 1.2 mg, it can go to the maximum of 1.8 mg daily.
This is what the FDA label says. Follow your prescriber. Your prescriber may use a different dose or pace than the label's standard schedule.
What Victoza is approved for: The label says Victoza is approved, along with diet and exercise, to improve blood sugar control in adults and children 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes. It is also approved to lower the risk of major heart events (heart death, non-fatal heart attack or non-fatal stroke) in adults with type 2 diabetes and established heart disease.
Source
VICTOZA (liraglutide) injection, for subcutaneous use, prescribing information and Medication Guide. Novo Nordisk. DailyMed, version published November 17, 2025. DailyMed setid 5a9ef4ea-c76a-4d34-a604-27c5b505f5a4
Victoza is injected under the skin of the abdomen, thigh or upper arm once a day, at any time of day, with or without meals. Changing the site or the time does not require a dose change.
The label says to rotate injection sites within the same region to reduce the risk of cutaneous amyloidosis, a skin condition.
If used with insulin, the two are given as separate injections and never mixed. They may go in the same body area, but not right next to each other.
The table below is the label's schedule, from the Dosage and Administration section. Numbers are copied exactly; the section is in brackets.
| Who | Step | Daily dose | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults | Start | 0.6 mg | Week 1 (not effective for glycemic control in adults) |
| Adults | Increase | 1.2 mg | After one week at 0.6 mg |
| Adults | Optional increase (maximum) | 1.8 mg | After at least one week at 1.2 mg, if additional glycemic control is required |
| Children 10 years and older | Start | 0.6 mg | From the start |
| Children 10 years and older | Optional increases | Up by 0.6 mg at a time | After at least one week on the current dose, if additional glycemic control is required |
| Children 10 years and older | Maximum | 1.8 mg | Maximum recommended dose |
In adults, the 0.6 mg dose is used during initial titration to reduce the risk of stomach and gut side effects; the label states it is not effective for blood sugar control in adults.
The maximum recommended dose for adults and children 10 and older is 1.8 mg once daily.
If more than 3 days have passed since the last dose, the label says to restart at 0.6 mg once daily to reduce the risk of stomach side effects, then titrate as the healthcare provider decides.
Victoza contains liraglutide, and using it with other liraglutide products is not recommended.
When starting Victoza, the label says a lower dose of a sulfonylurea or insulin may be considered to reduce the risk of low blood sugar.
No dose adjustment is recommended for kidney impairment; the label notes limited experience in end-stage kidney disease.
No dose adjustment is recommended for liver impairment, but the label says to use Victoza with caution because experience in these patients is limited.
If a dose is missed, resume the once-daily schedule with the next scheduled dose. Do not take an extra dose or increase the dose to make up for the missed dose. If more than 3 days have passed since the last dose, restart at 0.6 mg once daily.
More on this: missed a dose of Victoza.
In Dose Track you set up Victoza as a protocol with the dose and schedule your prescriber gave you. A protocol can hold dose steps, each with its own dose and length in days or weeks, so a step-up plan like the one on the label can be entered once and the app moves to the next step on its own. Reminders follow the schedule, and every dose is logged with the date and time, so you can see which step you are on and when your last dose was. The app follows what you enter; it does not choose or change a dose.
This page is what the FDA label says, in plain words. It is not medical advice. Follow your prescriber, and ask them or your pharmacist about anything here.