Typing test
Type the text below as quickly and accurately as you can. The timer starts with your first key, and your speed and accuracy appear as soon as time is up.
Runs in your browser. What you type is not sent or saved.
Your typing speed
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- Accuracy
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- Raw speed
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- Correct characters
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- Mistakes
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How the score is worked out
Typing speed is measured in words per minute (WPM). Because words differ in length, typing tests count every five characters, including spaces, as one word. If you type 250 correct characters in one minute, that is 250 ÷ 5 = 50 WPM. In a 30-second test the same 125 characters also give 50 WPM, because the count is scaled to a full minute.
WPM counts only correct characters. Raw speed counts everything you typed, right or wrong, so the gap between the two shows how much your mistakes cost you. Accuracy is the share of characters you got right. Letters are checked word by word: if you miss a letter, only that word is marked wrong, not everything after it.
| Correct characters | Test length | WPM |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 30 seconds | 40 |
| 200 | 1 minute | 40 |
| 300 | 1 minute | 60 |
| 450 | 1.5 minutes | 60 |
| 1,200 | 3 minutes | 80 |
How mistakes change your score
Mistakes cost you twice: the wrong letters don't count toward WPM, and they pull accuracy down. In each row below someone typed 250 correct characters in one minute and made a different number of mistakes:
| Correct | Mistakes | WPM | Raw speed | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250 | 0 | 50 | 50 | 100% |
| 250 | 10 | 50 | 52 | 96.2% |
| 250 | 25 | 50 | 55 | 90.9% |
| 250 | 50 | 50 | 60 | 83.3% |
Raw speed goes up with every key you press, but WPM stays put, because only correct characters count. Typing faster while making more mistakes doesn't raise your score.
What your speed means in practice
How long everyday writing takes at different speeds, without stopping to think or fix anything:
| Text | 20 WPM | 40 WPM | 60 WPM | 80 WPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A text message (20 words) | 1 min | 30 sec | 20 sec | 15 sec |
| An email (150 words) | 7.5 min | 3.8 min | 2.5 min | 1.9 min |
| A one-page letter (400 words) | 20 min | 10 min | 6.7 min | 5 min |
| A school essay (1,000 words) | 50 min | 25 min | 17 min | 13 min |
What is a good typing speed?
The largest study of typing so far measured 168,000 volunteers who took an online typing test. The average typist reached 52 words per minute and the fastest about 120 (University of Cambridge; the study is Dhakal and others, CHI 2018). The same study found that people who had taken a typing course typed much like those who hadn't, and that some self-taught typists using fewer than ten fingers were as fast as touch typists.
There is no official standard beyond that. Jobs that are mostly typing, such as data entry or transcription, often state a minimum WPM in the job ad, sometimes with an accuracy figure too. If you are preparing for one, test with the 3-minute option, because short tests are easier to sprint, and compare your WPM, not your raw speed. For everyday use, the most useful comparison is with your own earlier results.
How to type faster
- Keep your fingers on the home row (A S D F and J K L ;) and return to it after each key.
- Look at the screen, not the keyboard. It feels slower for a few days, then much faster.
- Slow down a little to stop making mistakes. Fixing a typo costs more time than typing carefully.
- Practice for ten minutes a day rather than an hour once a week.
- Use the 3-minute test to measure real progress: a 30-second test is easy to sprint and rewards luck.
Sentences or common words?
Sentences are 16 short passages written for this test, 55 to 63 words each, with capital letters, commas and full stops, like everyday writing. Common words is a random list of short, everyday lowercase words with no punctuation, which most people type faster. Use sentences to see your real-world speed and common words to practice rhythm. The text is different every time.
Questions
What is the average typing speed?
About 52 words per minute, in a study of 168,000 people typing on computer keyboards (see above). Speeds on a phone screen are usually lower, so compare a phone result with other phone results.
Can I use it for typing practice?
Yes. Each test uses new text, so you can repeat it as often as you like without learning the passage by heart. Common words is good for warming up and rhythm; Sentences adds capitals and punctuation. Take a 3-minute test once a day and note your WPM and accuracy to see your progress.
Is this an English typing test?
Yes. All passages and the common word list are in English, written with the letters, commas and full stops found on a standard US or UK keyboard, with no accents or special symbols.
Does it work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. Tap the box under the text to bring up your keyboard. Phone keyboards may still change words or add capitals on their own; if that happens, turn off auto-correct in your keyboard settings for a fair score. Phone speeds are usually much lower than keyboard speeds, so compare like with like.
Can I fix mistakes?
Yes. Backspace works as normal, and a corrected letter counts as correct. Going back still costs time, so it shows up in your WPM.
Is my score saved?
No. Nothing you type leaves your browser. Use Copy result to keep your score.