A quick, honest typing speed test
This free typing test gives you one minute of common English words and measures how many you type correctly. When the time is up you see your typing speed in words per minute (WPM) and your accuracy, and your best score is saved in your browser.
It is a fair way to check your typing speed before a job application, to track progress while learning to touch type, or just to see how fast you really are.
What is a good typing speed?
On a computer keyboard, around 50 words per minute is average, 60 to 70 is good, and 80 or more is fast. In a study of 168,000 typists, the average was 52 WPM and the fastest reached about 120. On phones, a separate study of more than 37,000 people found an average of 36 WPM. Our guide, what is a good typing speed, covers the research and how to improve.
How your score is calculated
Typing tests count every five characters, including spaces, as one word, so long and short words are treated fairly. This test only counts words you type correctly, and it also shows your accuracy, the share of words you got right. That way a fast but careless run does not look better than it is.
How to type faster
- Learn the home row. Rest your fingers on ASDF and JKL; and let each finger cover its own keys. This is the basis of touch typing.
- Look at the screen, not the keyboard. Every glance down costs time.
- Get accurate before you get fast. Corrections are slow. Aim for 95% accuracy or better, then push the speed.
- Practice in short daily sessions. Ten minutes a day works better than a long session once a week.
A little typing history
The QWERTY layout used on most keyboards dates back to typewriters designed by Christopher Latham Sholes in the 1870s. Other layouts exist, such as Dvorak and Colemak, but the evidence that they make typists much faster is mixed, and QWERTY remains the standard. The biggest gains come from technique and practice, not from changing layout.
How to play Typing Test
- A block of common English words appears above the typing box.
- Type each word and press Space to move to the next one.
- The 60-second timer starts with your first key press.
- Only correctly typed words count toward your words per minute.
Typing Test tips
Accuracy first
A wrong word earns nothing, so a steady pace with few mistakes beats rushing. Speed follows once your fingers stop hesitating.
Look at the words, not the keys
Glancing down breaks your rhythm. Keep your eyes on the next word and trust your hands, even if it feels slower at first.
Test more than once
Your first run is often a warm-up. Take the best of three tests as your real typing speed.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good typing speed?
The average adult types around 40 words per minute. 60 WPM is good, and 80 WPM or more is fast. Professional typists often reach 90 to 120 WPM.
How is WPM calculated?
We count the characters of every correct word, plus the space after it, and divide by five, the standard length of a word. That number, per minute, is your WPM.
Can I take this typing test on a phone?
Yes. It works with an on-screen keyboard, but phone scores are usually lower than on a physical keyboard, so compare like with like.
