Typing speed helps with exams, jobs and everyday work. The good news is that it improves quickly with short, regular practice.
Know your starting point
Take a typing test first and write down your words per minute (WPM) and accuracy. As a rough guide:
- Around 40 WPM is average.
- 60 WPM or more is fast.
- Many data-entry and office jobs ask for roughly 30 to 40 WPM, but always check the advert.
The four-week plan
Week 1: accuracy first. Type slowly and aim for 95% accuracy or better. Sit upright, rest your wrists lightly and look at the screen, not the keyboard.
Week 2: all ten fingers. Use the correct finger for each key, even when it feels slow. This is the habit that makes high speed possible later.
Week 3: rhythm. Try to keep a steady beat instead of typing in bursts. Steady typing is faster than fast-then-stop typing.
Week 4: longer tests. Move from 1-minute to 3 and 5-minute tests so you build stamina.
Ten minutes a day
- Two minutes of warm-up on easy text.
- Two short tests, noting your score.
- Three minutes on the words you get wrong most often.
Common mistakes
- Looking at the keyboard on every key.
- Rushing and leaving many errors, which costs more time in corrections than slow, clean typing.
- Practising for one long session a week instead of a little every day.
Typing in other languages
The test is available in several languages. Make sure your device keyboard is set to the language you practise, and add a layout in your system settings if needed.
Once you reach your goal, keep a short test in your weekly routine so the speed stays.