How to Increase Your Typing Speed

Start with a honest baseline typing test

You cannot improve what you do not measure. Take one 60-second test under normal conditions — same keyboard, same posture, no warm-up race — and record corrected WPM, raw WPM, accuracy, and consistency.

• Use the same test length every week so scores are comparable.
• Write down corrected WPM and accuracy; ignore one-off personal bests.
• If accuracy is under 95%, speed work comes later — fix accuracy first.

Need a clean 60-second run right now? Start on the TypeTap typing test, then come back to the steps below.

Set a 95% accuracy floor before chasing speed

Corrected WPM punishes errors. Raising raw speed while accuracy sits at 90% often lowers the score you care about. Lock an accuracy floor first, then push tempo.

• Below 95%: slow down 15–20% and retype the same passage until accuracy holds.
• 95–97%: alternate one accuracy day and one gentle speed day.
• 98%+: you have permission to push — keep watching corrected WPM, not only raw WPM.

For why corrected WPM differs from raw WPM, see how typing speed is measured.

Raise speed with progressive overload

Treat typing like strength training: add a little load only after form is clean. Jumping from 40 WPM to 70 WPM in one session usually installs sloppy habits.

• Week target: +2 to +5 corrected WPM, not +20.
• Practise 10–15 minutes daily; stop when accuracy collapses.
• Keep home-row returns automatic — glance-free fingers beat frantic hunting.

A simple weekly progression

For daily minute targets and text choices, pair this with our typing practice tips.

Isolate weak keys that steal your WPM

Most plateaus are a handful of slow letters or digraphs — not a lack of effort. Find keys that cause hesitations or backspaces, then drill them in short bursts.

• Watch consistency: low scores often mean pauses on the same keys.
• Drill problem letters in short nonsense strings, then put them back into real words.
• Never stare at the keyboard to “save” a weak key — cover it and rebuild by feel.

Home-row placement and finger map details live in the home-row typing guide.

Use short timed sprints to lock in speed

Long grind sessions tire your hands and drop accuracy. Short sprints — 30 or 60 seconds — teach your fingers to move quickly without collapsing form.

• Warm up 2–3 minutes slow and clean, then run 3–5 timed sprints.
• Rest 30–60 seconds between sprints; quality beats volume.
• End with one calm accuracy run so the last reps stay clean.

When you want a longer read on habits and accuracy trade-offs, continue with how to type faster.