.appHow to type faster
Fast typists aren't the ones who move their fingers fastest - they're the ones who don't hunt for letters. Below: what “fast” means in numbers, how to measure your speed, and how to raise it, step by step.
You can try it right now. It's a short sample, not a test - it shows how we measure speed and accuracy.
Click and start typing
fast typists never look at the keys
- WPM
- 0
- accuracy
- 100%
- errors
- 0
left index finger
What fast typing is
Typing speed is measured with two numbers at once: speed in words per minute and accuracy as a percentage. Speed alone means nothing - every error has to be deleted and typed again, so fast typing full of typos disappears in the corrections.
There's also a ceiling that no amount of two-finger practice can break: every search for a key is a pause, and every glance down breaks your train of thought. That's why, in practice, fast typing means touch typing - all ten fingers, eyes on the text. Your fingers find the keys on their own because each one has its own group of keys and keeps returning to the home row.
How fast is fast
We measure speed in words per minute (WPM). A “word” is standardized as five characters, spaces included, so 60 WPM means 300 characters a minute.
20 WPM
One in four people starting our course typed slower than this (our 2012 study of 1,700 learners).
30 WPM
63% of the same group typed slower than this.
36 WPM
Above this speed you reach the first certificate level, Junior specialist, with accuracy above 97%.
60 WPM
A good first serious goal - you'll feel the difference every working day. Above this speed you reach the Senior specialist level, with accuracy above 99%.
90 WPM
Above this speed you reach the highest certificate level, Master, with accuracy above 99.5%.
Measure your speed
The tests are free and work without an account. You type a text, and at the end you see your words per minute and accuracy - the same numbers that go on the certificate.
How the course gets you to fast typing
The course goes from the home row to full texts. Each lesson adds a few keys and practices them on texts made only of what you already know, and after each one you see your speed, your accuracy and the keys you miss.
Stage 1
Basic course
The home row and nearly every letter - the core of the method, lesson by lesson.
Stage 2
Extended course
The last letters, Caps Lock and your first full texts.
Stage 3
Advanced course
Numbers, brackets and special characters - including the numeric keypad.
Stage 4
Practice texts
Longer texts to train rhythm and stamina.
At about 20 minutes a day, you learn the basic letters in roughly two weeks. Your speed then keeps growing as you type day to day - as long as you don't go back to two fingers when you're in a hurry.
Want to see what a lesson looks like? The rhythm exercise is open to everyone, no account needed.
Frequently asked questions
- How many words per minute is fast typing?
- There's no single line, but 60 WPM with few errors is the pace at which typing stops slowing your work down. For comparison: in our 2012 study, 63% of 1,700 people starting to learn typed slower than 30 WPM. The highest level of our certificate starts above 90 WPM.
- How is WPM calculated?
- Count the characters you typed, spaces included, and divide by five - that's the standard “word”. So 300 characters a minute is 60 WPM.
- Can you type fast while looking at the keyboard?
- Up to a point. Every glance down is a pause and a lost thought, and you only notice a typo after the fact. That's why fast typing in practice means touch typing, with all ten fingers.
- How long does it take to learn to type fast?
- The basic letters take about two weeks at 20 minutes of practice a day. After that, your speed keeps growing for months, mostly through everyday typing at work or school.
- Is the typing test free?
- Yes, all tests are free. Without an account you can practice 5 times a day. A free account removes the limit and saves your results, so you can see your progress between attempts.
- What matters more: speed or accuracy?
- Accuracy, at first. Every error has to be deleted and typed again, so fast typing with errors isn't actually fast. Speed comes on its own once you type cleanly.
Start with a measurement, finish with a certificate
Try the course free for 3 days, no card needed. Then $29.99 once, for good - no subscription. Typing tests stay free.