How to Type Faster: 10 Proven Tips to Increase Your WPM

How to Type Faster: A Complete Guide

Whether you're a student, professional, or programmer, faster typing means more productivity. Here are 10 proven strategies to increase your typing speed.

1. Learn Touch Typing

Touch typing means typing without looking at the keyboard. Your fingers should "know" where each key is through muscle memory.

Start with the home row:

• Left hand: A S D F
• Right hand: J K L ;
• Your index fingers rest on F and J (they have bumps)

2. Maintain Proper Posture

Bad posture leads to fatigue and slower typing:

• Sit up straight with feet flat on the floor
• Keep your elbows at a 90-degree angle
• Position your wrists slightly above the keyboard
• Screen should be at eye level

3. Practice Regularly (Daily Is Best)

Consistent practice beats occasional marathon sessions:

• 15-20 minutes daily is ideal
• Focus on problem areas each session
• Track your progress over time
• Use our typing practice drills to target weak spots

4. Focus on Accuracy First

Speed without accuracy is counterproductive:

• Slow down if you're making many errors
• Each error costs time to correct
• Accuracy improvements naturally lead to speed gains
• Aim for 95%+ accuracy before pushing speed

5. Use All Your Fingers

Many people type with just 2-4 fingers. Using all 10 fingers:

• Reduces finger travel distance
• Allows parallel key presses
• Is faster once mastered
• Reduces fatigue

6. Learn Common Words and Patterns

The 100 most common English words make up 50% of all text:

• "the", "be", "to", "of", "and" — practice these until automatic
• Common letter pairs: "th", "he", "in", "er", "an"
• Try our common words practice

7. Practice Problem Keys

Everyone has keys they struggle with:

• Identify your slow or error-prone keys
• Create practice sessions focused on those keys
• The number row and punctuation are common problem areas
• Try our numbers practice or punctuation practice

8. Don't Look at the Keyboard

This is crucial for breaking the hunt-and-peck habit:

• Cover your keyboard with a cloth if needed
• Trust your muscle memory
• Errors are okay — you're building new habits
• It feels slow at first but pays off enormously

9. Use Online Typing Tests

Regular testing helps you:

• Track progress over time
• Identify weak points
• Stay motivated with goals
• Take our free typing test regularly

10. Take Breaks

Typing fatigue hurts speed and accuracy:

• Take a 5-minute break every 30 minutes
• Stretch your fingers and wrists
• Look away from the screen
• Typing tired leads to bad habits

Set Realistic Goals

Start Improving Today

Ready to increase your typing speed? Start with our beginner typing practice and work your way up.