1. Measure where you are
Take the typing test three times and write down your average WPM and accuracy. Then take a 1 minute test with real sentences. These two numbers are your starting point; check them again every week.
2. Stop looking at the keyboard
The biggest single jump in speed comes from touch typing: typing without looking down. Each glance at the keys breaks your reading of the text. Rest your fingers on the home row (A S D F and J K L ;), find the bumps on F and J, and keep your eyes on the screen even when you make mistakes.
3. Accuracy first, then speed
Slow down until you reach 95% accuracy or more. It feels slower, but every mistake costs you the wrong key, the backspace and the right key: three presses instead of one. Once you are accurate, speed follows.
4. Practise little and often
Ten to fifteen minutes a day works better than an hour once a week. Your hands learn movements through repetition with rest in between. A good session: two short word tests, one passage test, and one test in a new setting.
5. Type words, not letters
Fast typists do not think about single letters. Common words like the, and and that become one movement. Practising the most common words, which is what the one-minute test uses, builds those patterns. Read a word or two ahead of the one you are typing.
6. Keep a steady rhythm
Look at your consistency score and the chart after each test. Big drops usually mean hard words or hesitation. An even pace is faster over a full test than bursts and stalls.
7. Push in short bursts
Once you are accurate, take 15-second tests at a speed just above your comfortable pace. Then go back to longer tests at normal speed. Short sprints stretch what feels normal.
8. Add capitals, punctuation and numbers
Real text is harder than lowercase words. Turn on punctuation and numbers on the home page, use the paragraph tests, and practise the shift key with the opposite hand to the letter.
9. Set up your desk
- Sit straight with your feet flat and your elbows at about a right angle.
- Keep your wrists level and let them float; do not press them into the desk while typing.
- Put the screen at eye height so you do not drop your head.
- Take short breaks. Tired hands make more mistakes.
A four-week plan
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Home row and touch typing, slowly. Ignore speed. |
| 2 | All letters without looking. Target 95% accuracy on 30-second tests. |
| 3 | Common words and 60-second tests. Start pushing speed in short bursts. |
| 4 | Punctuation, numbers and 3-minute paragraph tests. Compare with week 1. |
See where you stand: take the one-minute typing test.
Start the test →Questions
How long does it take to type faster?
Most people who practise 10 to 15 minutes a day notice a difference within two to four weeks. Switching to touch typing makes you slower for the first week or two before it makes you faster.
Is it worth learning touch typing as an adult?
Yes, if you type every day. Typing without looking frees your eyes for the screen and lets your speed keep growing. See our touch typing guide.
Does a better keyboard make you type faster?
A little, if your current keyboard is uncomfortable or misses keys. Technique and practice matter far more. Check that every key works with the keyboard test.
Should I practise speed or accuracy?
Accuracy first. Slow down until you make almost no mistakes, then raise your speed a little at a time. Errors that become habits are hard to unlearn.