For almost every computer-based job, typing speed directly impacts work efficiency. Writing dozens of emails daily, creating reports, communicating via messenger—fast typing is an essential skill for modern workers. Let's find out your current typing speed and how to improve it.
Typing Speed Measurement Units
WPM (Words Per Minute): The standard measurement in English-speaking countries. Measures how many words you type per minute, with one word averaging 5 characters.
CPM (Characters Per Minute): Characters typed per minute. Useful for comparing across different languages.
Accuracy: Percentage of correctly typed characters. High speed with low accuracy means more time correcting mistakes.
What's the Average Typing Speed?
Average person: 30-40 WPM. Lower than you'd expect? Studies show typing speeds have generally decreased as people became more accustomed to smartphones.
Office workers: 40-60 WPM is sufficient for most tasks. Document-heavy roles benefit from 60+ WPM.
Professional typists: 80+ WPM, with top performers exceeding 120 WPM. Court reporters and professional secretaries reach these levels.
Programmers: Speed matters less than accuracy. Most code faster than 50 WPM, but thinking time dominates actual coding.
How to Increase Your Typing Speed
Proper posture first: Sit with straight back, elbows at 90 degrees, wrists parallel to desk. Poor posture increases fatigue and decreases speed. Keyboard height matters too.
Learn home row position: Left index finger on F, right on J is the foundation. Most keyboards have raised bumps on F and J keys. Learn touch typing using all fingers.
Don't look at the keyboard: It's slower at first, but practicing without looking pays off. Keeping eyes on screen lets you catch typos immediately and dramatically improves speed long-term.
Accuracy first: Typing fast with many errors means more correction time. Start accurate, then build speed. Maintain 95%+ accuracy while increasing speed.
Effective Practice Methods
Daily consistency: 10-15 minutes daily is more effective than occasional long sessions. Muscle memory requires repetition to form.
Varied content: Repeating the same sentences only makes you good at those sentences. Practice with news articles, books, and different text types.
Focus on weak fingers: Most people have weak pinky and ring fingers. Concentrate on keys these fingers control (Q, A, Z, P, ;, etc.) to improve overall speed.
Track progress: Test and record your speed daily. Seeing improvement motivates, and plateaus signal when to change practice methods.
Keyboard Selection Matters
Mechanical keyboards are known for better feel and less fatigue than membrane keyboards. Blue switches have satisfying clicks but are loud; red or brown switches suit office environments. While expensive keyboards aren't necessary, finding one that fits your hands makes long typing sessions more comfortable.
Wrist rests reduce fatigue, and ergonomic keyboards help prevent wrist strain. If you type extensively for work, these investments are worthwhile.