SummaryIn goal‐oriented adaptive algorithms for partial differential equations, we adapt the finite element mesh to reduce the error of the solution in some quantity of interest. In time‐dependent problems, this adaptive algorithm involves solving a dual problem that runs backward in time. This process is, in general, computationally expensive in terms of memory storage. In this work, we define a pseudo‐dual problem that runs forward in time. We also describe a forward‐in‐time adaptive algorithm that works for some specific problems. Although it is not possible to define a general dual problem running forwards in time that provides information about future states, we provide numerical evidence via one‐dimensional problems in space to illustrate the efficiency of our algorithm as well as its limitations. Finally, we propose a hybrid algorithm that employs the classical backward‐in‐time dual problem once and then performs the adaptive process forwards in time.