How to Type Faster: 12 Proven Tips to Increase Your WPM

Most people can double their typing speed. The average adult types around 40 words per minute, yet with a few weeks of the right practice, 60-80 WPM is within reach for almost anyone. Here are twelve techniques that actually work, in the order we recommend tackling them.

1. Measure where you are

You can't improve what you don't measure. Take a 1 minute typing test three times and write down your average WPM and accuracy. Repeat once a week so you can see progress - it's very motivating.

2. Learn to touch type

If you look at the keyboard, that's your biggest bottleneck. Touch typists keep their eyes on the screen and reach every key from memory. Switching feels slow for a week or two, but it's the only way past roughly 50 WPM. Our free touch typing lessons teach one or two keys at a time.

3. Use the right finger for every key

Each finger is responsible for a column of keys. Using the "wrong" finger might feel faster today, but it creates awkward stretches that cap your speed later. The on-screen keyboard in every lesson shows the correct finger for the next key.

4. Accuracy first, speed second

Every mistake costs you three actions: noticing it, pressing Backspace and typing the key again. A typist at 50 WPM with 98% accuracy will usually beat someone at 60 WPM with 90% accuracy in real work. Aim for at least 95% accuracy in every practice session, and slow down if you fall below it.

5. Practice your weakest keys

Everyone has a few keys that trip them up - often B, Y, Q, Z or the punctuation keys. After each test, check the "most missed keys" section of your result. Then use adaptive practice, which builds drills around exactly those keys.

6. Read ahead

Beginners read one letter at a time. Fast typists read the next word, or even the next two, while their fingers finish the current one. Try keeping your eyes one word ahead of the caret. It feels unnatural at first and then suddenly becomes automatic.

7. Type words, not letters

Common words like "the", "and", "that" and "with" should become single, fluid movements. The Top 100 words lesson drills the most common English words - together they make up about half of everything you type.

8. Keep a steady rhythm

Speed bursts followed by pauses are slower than a steady, even pace. Your result screen shows a consistency score: higher is better. Some typists practice with a metronome at a comfortable tempo to build rhythm.

9. Fix your posture

Sit up straight, keep your wrists level and let your fingers curve gently over the keys. Tension in your shoulders and forearms makes your fingers slower and leads to pain over time. See our guide to typing posture and ergonomics.

10. Practice little and often

Fifteen minutes a day beats two hours once a week. Short daily sessions give your brain time to consolidate new motor skills. Keep a streak going - your profile tracks how many days in a row you've practiced.

11. Make it fun

Practice doesn't have to be boring. Typing games and multiplayer races build the same skills while keeping you engaged. Racing against friends is one of the best ways to push past a plateau.

12. Push slightly beyond your comfort zone

Once accuracy is solid, spend part of each session typing slightly faster than feels comfortable. Accept a few more mistakes during these sprints, then return to accurate typing. This "overspeed" training teaches your fingers that faster movements are possible.

How long does it take?

Starting point	Realistic goal	Typical time
Hunt-and-peck, 20-30 WPM	40 WPM touch typing	3-6 weeks
Touch typing, 40 WPM	60 WPM	1-3 months
60 WPM	80 WPM	3-6 months
80 WPM	100+ WPM	6-12+ months

The exact time depends on how often you practice. The good news: progress at the beginning is fast, and every WPM you gain saves time for the rest of your life.