Typing Speed Test
Start typing the passage below and the timer begins. Your speed and accuracy update live.
- Words per minute
- 0
- Accuracy
- 100%
- Time left
- 60s
- Characters
- 0
How typing speed is measured
Words per minute counts every five correct characters as one word, including spaces. This convention exists because real words vary enormously in length — counting actual words would let someone typing "a an it is" score higher than someone typing "extraordinary". Accuracy is measured separately, as the share of keystrokes that matched. The two matter together: 80 wpm at 85% accuracy is slower in practice than 60 wpm at 99%, because every error costs time to find and fix.
How fast is fast?
| Speed | Level |
|---|---|
| Under 20 wpm | Hunt and peck |
| 30–40 wpm | Typical adult |
| 40–50 wpm | Comfortable touch typist |
| 60–70 wpm | Professional standard; many admin roles ask for this |
| 80–95 wpm | Fast — top few percent |
| 100+ wpm | Competitive territory |
For context, the record on standard keyboards sits above 200 wpm on short passages. Sustained speeds over 120 wpm are rare and almost always come from years of touch typing rather than natural aptitude.
Getting faster
The gains come in a predictable order, and most people stall because they skip the first one.
- Learn touch typing properly. Fingers on the home row, eyes on the screen. It will feel much slower for a week or two, then overtake your old speed permanently.
- Prioritise accuracy over speed. Errors cost more time than slow keystrokes, and practising at 99% accuracy builds better habits than racing at 90%.
- Practise in short sessions. Fifteen focused minutes beats an hour of fatigue.
- Do not look down. Cover your hands if you have to. Glancing is the single biggest thing that caps progress.
- Work on the awkward pairs. Most people have a handful of specific transitions they consistently fumble. Drill those rather than generic passages.
How to use the Typing Speed Test
- Choose a test length and difficulty.
- Click into the box and start typing. The timer starts on your first keystroke.
- Type the passage as it appears — correct characters turn green, mistakes turn red.
- The test ends when the time runs out or you finish the passage.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good typing speed?
Around 40 wpm is average for an adult. 60 to 70 wpm is a common professional standard, and anything above 80 puts you in the top few percent.
How is WPM calculated?
Correct characters divided by five, divided by elapsed minutes. The five-character convention makes scores comparable regardless of whether the passage happens to use long or short words.
Do mistakes count against my speed?
Yes. Only correct characters count toward WPM, so errors reduce your score directly as well as showing in the accuracy figure.
Why is my speed lower here than on other tests?
Tests differ in how they handle errors. Some count all typed characters regardless of accuracy, which inflates results. This test counts only correct characters, which is the stricter and more meaningful measure.
How long does it take to learn touch typing?
Most people reach their previous speed within two to three weeks of consistent practice, and exceed it clearly by two months. The temporary slowdown at the start is what stops most people, and it is worth pushing through.
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Last reviewed September 4, 2026. Results are estimates for general information only.