How to Improve Your Typing Speed

Typing faster is less about moving your fingers quicker and more about making fewer mistakes, wasting less movement, and practising in a way that actually builds habits.

Guide · About 8 minutes to read

What words per minute measures

Words per minute (WPM) is the standard way to measure typing speed, but tests don't all count the same way. Many typing tutors define a "word" as five characters, including spaces, so long and short words even out. Others count whole words.

The BoardCheck typing test runs for 30 seconds and counts the words you type correctly, then scales that to a minute. A word you mistype doesn't count toward your speed at all, though it still affects your accuracy. That makes accuracy and speed hard to separate, which is the point: a fast score full of errors isn't really fast.

Comparisons between people should be taken loosely, since they depend on the test and the text. Averages for adults are often quoted somewhere around 40 WPM, with experienced touch typists commonly reaching 70 or more. What matters most is your own progress over time on the same test.

Accuracy first, then speed

Every mistake costs you twice: the wrong keystroke, then the backspace, then the retyped character. Worse, practising mistakes trains your fingers to repeat them. If your accuracy on a test is below about 95%, slow down until it is consistently higher. Speed builds on top of reliable movements, and it builds faster than you might expect once the errors stop.

Learn to touch type

Touch typing means typing without looking at the keyboard, with each finger responsible for a fixed set of keys. It is the single biggest jump most people make.

• Home row: rest your left fingers on A S D F and your right fingers on J K L ;. Most keyboards have small bumps on F and J so you can find the position without looking.
• Each finger owns a column: for example, the left index finger covers R, T, F, G, V and B. Reaching with the "wrong" finger feels faster at first but limits you later.
• Thumbs for the space bar: use whichever thumb feels natural, and keep the other relaxed.
• Return to the home row after every reach. That anchor is what lets you stop looking down.

Expect to get slower for a week or two while switching from hunt-and-peck. That dip is normal and temporary.

A practice routine that works

1. Short and regular beats long and rare. Ten to fifteen minutes a day does more than an hour once a week.
2. Warm up slowly. Start each session with a test or two at a deliberately relaxed pace.
3. Track your results. Note your speed and accuracy over time. After each test, BoardCheck shows how your speed changed during the test, where you made mistakes, and how the result compares with your previous and best tests. If you sign in, your results are saved to your account, and your rank and level grow as you practise.
4. Practise the keys you miss. If the same letters keep showing up as errors, slow down on words that contain them.
5. Stop when you're tired. Practising while fatigued trains sloppy movements.

Breaking through a plateau

Almost everyone stalls at some point. A few techniques that help:

• Slow down on purpose. Do a few tests aiming for perfect accuracy at a pace that feels too easy. It resets bad habits that crept in while chasing speed.
• Read ahead. Look at the next word while you type the current one, so your fingers never wait for your eyes.
• Type in a rhythm. Even, steady keystrokes are faster on average than bursts followed by hesitation.
• Vary the text. Practising the same passage only makes you fast at that passage.

Posture and setup

• Sit so your forearms are roughly level with the desk and your wrists aren't bent sharply up or down.
• Let your wrists float while typing rather than resting them heavily on the desk edge.
• Put the keyboard directly in front of you, with the B key roughly in line with the centre of your body.
• Take short breaks. Typing speed drops quickly when hands are tense or tired.

Does the keyboard matter?

A little, but much less than practice. A keyboard you find comfortable, with keys that register reliably, removes friction. A mechanical keyboard won't make you faster on its own. The most important thing is that every key works, so a doubled or missed letter isn't costing you points. A quick keyboard test before you start practising rules that out.