How to type faster
Typing speed is a skill you can train like any other. These ten habits make the biggest difference.
- Keep your fingers on the home row. Rest them on A S D F and J K L ; (feel the bumps on F and J) and return there after every key.
- Use the right finger for every key. Each finger owns a column. TypingStreak's animated hands show which finger goes where.
- Stop looking at the keyboard. It feels slower for a week, then much faster for good.
- Get accuracy first. Aim for 95% or more; speed follows on its own.
- Drill your weak keys. Most lost time comes from a handful of keys and key pairs. TypingStreak finds them and builds a drill.
- Type in a steady rhythm. Even keystrokes beat bursts and pauses.
- Read ahead. Look at the next word while you finish the current one.
- Practise little and often. 15 minutes a day beats two hours once a week; set a daily goal and keep your streak.
- Sit well. Wrists level, elbows at about a right angle, screen at eye height.
- Make it fun. Mix lessons with typing games and races.
Check your progress with a typing test once a week.
A simple practice plan
Practise 15 to 20 minutes a day, five days a week:
- 5 minutes: your next touch typing lesson, for new keys.
- 5 minutes: a drill of your weakest keys.
- 5 minutes: a typing game or a page of a classic book, for real text.
- 1 minute: a speed test, once a week, to see your progress.
Common questions
How long does it take to type faster?
With 15 to 20 minutes of practice a day, most people learn every key by touch in two to four weeks and gain 10 to 20 WPM over the next two or three months.
Should I practise speed or accuracy?
Accuracy. Type at a speed where you make few mistakes, aim for 95% or more, and let speed come with practice. Rushing builds habits you later have to unlearn.
Does a better keyboard make you type faster?
A comfortable keyboard helps a little, but technique matters far more. Touch typing with the right finger for every key is what makes the big difference.