How to type faster: 9 tips that work

5 minute read

Getting faster at typing is mostly about removing hesitation. The tips below come from looking at thousands of keystrokes. The pattern is clear: fast typists are not frantic, they are steady.

1. Get accurate first

Every mistake costs you three actions: noticing it, deleting it and retyping. Slow down until you are above 95% accuracy, and your speed will rise on its own.

2. Practise little and often

Ten minutes a day beats an hour on Sunday. Your fingers learn through repetition spread over time.

3. Fix your weakest keys

Most typists have three or four keys that cost them far more time than the rest. Your keyboard heatmap shows which ones, and smart practice builds drills around them.

4. Watch your rhythm

Check the rhythm tab after a test. If the chart has a long tail to the right, you are pausing. Try to keep an even beat, even if it is a little slower.

5. Read ahead

Fast typists look a word or two ahead of where they are typing. Your eyes plan the next word while your fingers finish the current one.

6. Stop looking at the keyboard

Each glance down breaks your flow. If you still look, go back to the touch typing guide and the home row lessons.

7. Learn common letter pairs

Pairs like th, he, in and er appear constantly. The common letter pairs lesson trains them until they become one motion.

8. Race your own ghost

Turn on the pace caret in settings and set it to your personal best or a target speed. A visible pace to chase pulls you along.

9. Use punctuation and capitals

Real writing has them. Practising without them gives you a speed you cannot use. Turn on punctuation once you are comfortable.