You’ve learned the basics of touch typing. Your fingers know the home row. Now you want to get faster. Here are ten practical tips that will help you push your WPM higher.
1. Use All Ten Fingers
This sounds obvious, but many people who call themselves touch typists still cheat with a few fingers. Each finger has assigned keys — use them. Your index fingers handle the most keys, your middle and ring fingers each handle a column, and your pinkies cover the edges.
Check the finger assignment chart on our practice page to make sure you’re using the correct fingers.
2. Return to Home Row After Every Keystroke
This is the single most important habit. After pressing any key, your finger should return to its home position. Home row is your base camp — every expedition starts and ends there.
3. Don’t Look at the Keyboard
Your eyes should be on the screen, always. If you catch yourself glancing down, stop and reposition. Some people put a cloth over their hands to break the habit. It feels uncomfortable at first, but it works.
4. Focus on Accuracy First
Speed without accuracy is useless. If you’re typing 80 WPM but making 15% errors, you’re actually slower than someone typing 50 WPM at 99% accuracy — because you spend time fixing mistakes.
Aim for 97%+ accuracy before pushing speed. The speed will come naturally.
5. Practice Problem Keys
Everyone has keys they stumble on. For many people it’s the top row (especially numbers and symbols), or letters on the opposite hand from their dominant one.
Use the Reach Practice mode to drill the keys you find hardest. Targeted practice beats random repetition.
6. Use Rhythm, Not Speed
Fast typists don’t think about speed. They develop a rhythm — a steady, even cadence of keystrokes. Think of it like drumming rather than sprinting. Consistent rhythm leads to fewer errors and naturally increasing speed over time.
7. Maintain Good Posture
Sit up straight. Keep your wrists slightly elevated (not resting on the desk). Feet flat on the floor. Screen at eye level. Good posture reduces fatigue and lets your fingers move more freely.
8. Take Breaks
Your fingers are small muscles with tiny tendons. Typing for long stretches without breaks leads to fatigue, slower speed, and eventually repetitive strain injury. Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Stand up and stretch your hands.
9. Practice Every Day
Ten minutes of daily practice beats two hours on the weekend. Muscle memory builds through consistent, repeated exposure. Make it a habit — same time each day, like brushing your teeth.
10. Track Your Progress
What gets measured gets improved. Use the stats on our practice page to track your WPM and accuracy over time. Celebrate small wins. If you went from 30 to 35 WPM this week, that’s progress.
Bonus: Set a Goal
Having a target gives your practice direction:
| Level | WPM Goal |
|---|---|
| Beginner | 30 WPM |
| Intermediate | 50 WPM |
| Advanced | 70 WPM |
| Professional | 90 WPM |
| Expert | 100+ WPM |
Pick the level above your current one and work toward it. When you reach it, set the next one.
Start Now
The best time to start improving was yesterday. The second best time is right now.