How to Improve Your Typing Speed: A Practical WPM Guide

Published by FawaNews Games

The average person types at around 40 words per minute. Professional typists hit 70 to 80 WPM. The gap between those numbers is not talent – it is technique and deliberate practice. Here is exactly what to work on.

Start with Home Row Position

Your left fingers rest on A, S, D, F and your right fingers rest on J, K, L, semicolon. Every key on the keyboard is one reach away from this position. If you are not touch typing from home row, learning it properly is the single biggest improvement you can make.

Accuracy Before Speed

This is the most important principle in typing improvement. Typing at 40 WPM with 98 percent accuracy builds better habits than typing at 60 WPM with 85 percent accuracy. Speed comes naturally once your fingers know exactly where every key is without looking.

Do Not Look at the Keyboard

Cover the keyboard with a cloth if you have to. Every glance down breaks your rhythm and keeps your brain from building the muscle memory it needs. It feels painfully slow at first. That is normal. Push through it.

Practice 10 to 15 Minutes Daily

Short, focused practice sessions beat long occasional ones. Ten minutes of deliberate touch typing every day will improve your WPM noticeably within two weeks. Use our Typing Speed Test to track your progress – it shows WPM, accuracy, and gives you a grade.

Work on Problem Keys

Everyone has keys they consistently miss. After each test, notice which words tripped you up. Often it is the same key repeatedly. Practice those specific reaches in isolation before retesting.

WPM Benchmarks

Under 30 WPM is beginner territory. 30 to 50 WPM is competent. 50 to 70 WPM is advanced. Over 70 WPM is expert level. Most office work is comfortable at 50+ WPM. Aim for that first, then push higher.