Typing Test: How It Works, Good Scores and Tips

A typing test measures, in 1 to 5 minutes, how many words per minute (WPM) you type and how accurately. 40 WPM, or 200 characters per minute, is a solid everyday pace, 60 WPM and up is fast. You can take a free typing test right in your browser, no signup.

What is a typing test?

A typing test, also called a typing speed test or WPM test, is a short copy test at the computer. You type out a given text while a timer runs. At the end you get two numbers: speed and accuracy. Online, it all runs in the browser on your own keyboard.

Here's the thing: the world record is 216 words per minute. Set in 1946, on an IBM electric typewriter.

How a typing test works

1. Pick a duration. A 1 minute typing test shows your peak speed, a 5 minute typing test your sustained pace.
2. Type the text. The clock starts with your first keystroke.
3. Read your score. WPM, characters per minute and accuracy in percent.

In the Fast Forward Typing speed test you type real sentences, not random words. Wrong keys block input until you hit the right one, so your score is your error-free speed.

WPM or characters per minute?

Both measure the same thing. One word counts as 5 characters including spaces. So characters per minute divided by 5 equals WPM.

What is a good WPM score?

Short answer: 40 WPM is solid, 60 WPM is fast, 80 WPM is professional level. Trained touch typists reach 200 to 400 characters per minute in a 10 minute test.

The average depends on who gets measured. A 1999 study found 32.5 WPM for copying text. The Aalto study with 168,000 volunteers measured an average typing speed of 51.6 WPM. The result screen shows where you land right after the test.

Accuracy matters just as much. In the Aalto study, only about 1 percent of characters stayed wrong on average. And fast typists made fewer errors than slow ones, not more. Aim for at least 95 percent.

Typing tests for jobs

Some roles with a lot of writing ask for a typing test: administrative assistants, office clerks, data entry, customer support. The job ad states the exact requirement. As a rough guide: professional typists work at 43 to 80 WPM, and some positions require 80 to 95 WPM.

If you want to prove your score, add a typing certificate with WPM, accuracy and date. It fits on a resume and a LinkedIn profile.

5 tips for a better score

1. Warm up. Type loosely for two or three minutes before you measure.
2. Accuracy first. Every error costs correction time. Clean and steady beats rushed.
3. Look at the screen. The Aalto study "How We Type" recommends exactly that: eyes on the text, not on your fingers.
4. Same finger, every time. When every key is always hit by the same finger, speed goes up. That's the core of touch typing.
5. Measure regularly. One typing test a week shows your progress. More habits are in How to Type Faster.

From typing test to course

A typing test shows where you stand. Practice is what makes you faster. The placement test measures every key, and the touch typing course trains exactly what's missing. At 15 minutes a day, the basics click after 2 to 4 weeks. The complete touch typing guide walks you through it step by step.

Typing test FAQ

How long is a typing test? Usually 1 to 5 minutes. For a stable score, go for 2 or 5 minutes.

Is the typing test free? Yes. The online typing test is free and needs no account.

What's the difference between a typing test and a typing speed test? None. Both mean the same: type a text, measure speed and accuracy.

Can I take a typing test if I can't touch type yet? Yes. The test measures your current speed, no matter how many fingers you use.

What is the average typing speed? Between 33 and 52 WPM, depending on the study. A one-minute test tells you where you stand.

Sources

• Words per minute (Wikipedia) - 5 characters = 1 word, a 1999 study with 32.5 WPM for copying, two-finger typists at 27 WPM, professional typists 43 to 80 WPM, some positions 80 to 95 WPM.
• Anschläge pro Minute (Wikipedia, German) - dividing by 5 converts to WPM, trained touch typists reach 200 to 400 characters per minute in a 10 minute test.
• Observations on Typing from 136 Million Keystrokes - Aalto University and University of Cambridge, CHI 2018: 168,000 participants, average 51.6 WPM, uncorrected error rate 1.167 percent, fastest above 120 WPM.
• How We Type: Movement Strategies and Performance in Everyday Typing - Aalto University, CHI 2016: eyes on the screen, consistent finger-to-key mapping.
• Typing (Wikipedia) - the 216 WPM record, Stella Pajunas-Garnand, 1946.