21st-century EFL teachers are assumed to be properly trained to help develop future generations' language proficiency and digital literacy. Moreover, with the impact that the current pandemic has had on education, technology seems to be the only possible way to guarantee the continuity of teaching and learning. Considering that English is the most studied foreign language in Europe, it is necessary thus to analyse whether EFL teachers believe they are prepared for such a task and whether studying at a distance university improves their training in this respect. This study examines the perceptions of pre-service teachers of English studying at the Spanish National University of Distance Education regarding their digital literacy. Through a quasi-experimental, quantitative design, findings show that participants value their digital skills positively but consider they have not worked enough on their digital literacy despite studying at a distance university. Men show more positive self-perceptions than women, while respondents with less years of university experience value their digital skills more positively. Furthermore, respondents acknowledge not knowing how to assess or improve their digital literacy. The results suggest the need for distance universities like UNED to strengthen teacher training in digital skills.