Quick Answer

Typing speed, measured in words per minute, improves fastest when you use proper touch typing and practise regularly rather than looking at the keys. Average speeds sit around 40 words per minute, with skilled typists well above. Because typing becomes an automatic motor skill through repetition, short daily practice builds accuracy first, then speed follows naturally.

To improve your typing speed, learn touch typing, prioritise accuracy before raw speed, and practise for about ten focused minutes a day. Typing is one of those skills almost everyone uses every day and almost nobody deliberately practises. Yet getting faster and more accurate at the keyboard saves real time and makes everything from emails to essays less of a chore. The good news is that typing speed is very trainable, and you can make noticeable progress in a few weeks. This practical guide covers what counts as a good speed, how to measure yours, the techniques that actually work, and the common mistakes that hold beginners back (National Library of Medicine).

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Average typing speeds

It helps to know where you stand. The average typing speed for an adult is somewhere around 40 words per minute. A speed of 50 to 60 words per minute is solidly above average and comfortable for most work. Professional typists and fast touch typists often reach 70 to 100 words per minute or more. Accuracy matters just as much as raw speed (National Library of Medicine), since every mistake you go back to fix costs you more time than typing a little slower would have.

Do not be discouraged if you are below the average. Most people who have never trained typing hover in the 20 to 40 range, and that is exactly the group that improves fastest once they start practising properly.

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How to measure your typing speed

You cannot improve what you do not measure, so start with a baseline. A typing test gives you two key numbers: your words per minute, which is your speed, and your accuracy, which is the percentage of characters you typed correctly. Take the typing speed test, note both numbers, and retest every week or two. Watching the numbers climb is genuinely motivating, and it tells you whether your practice is working.

Techniques to improve

A handful of proven techniques make the biggest difference:

  • Learn touch typing. This is the single most powerful change. Touch typing means typing without looking at the keyboard, using all ten fingers with each finger responsible for certain keys. It feels slow and awkward at first, but it is the foundation of real speed.
  • Use the home row. Rest your fingers on the middle row of keys, with your index fingers on the two keys that usually have a small bump. Every other key is reached from this home base, and returning to it keeps your typing consistent.
  • Prioritise accuracy first, then speed. Train yourself to type correctly before you try to type fast. Speed built on sloppy accuracy just means more corrections. As accuracy becomes automatic, speed follows naturally.
  • Practise little and often. Ten focused minutes a day beats one long weekly session. Typing is muscle memory, and muscle memory is built through frequent repetition.
  • Look at the screen, not your hands. Force yourself to keep your eyes on the text. It is frustrating early on but it is the only way touch typing becomes second nature.

Common mistakes to avoid

A few habits quietly hold people back. The most common is hunting and pecking, typing with two fingers while staring at the keyboard, which puts a hard ceiling on your speed no matter how much you practise. Another is chasing speed at the expense of accuracy, which feels productive but creates a stream of errors to fix. A third is practising inconsistently, doing a big session once and then nothing for two weeks, which never lets muscle memory form. And finally, many people give up during the awkward early phase of touch typing, right before it starts to pay off. Push through that phase and the reward is a skill you keep for life.

What realistic progress looks like

If you practise for ten to fifteen minutes a day and focus on accuracy first, you can expect to see clear improvement within a few weeks. Many beginners add ten or more words per minute over a month or two of consistent practice. The gains are fastest at the start, then settle into steadier improvement as you approach your comfortable ceiling. The key is patience through the early awkwardness and consistency thereafter. Retest yourself regularly, celebrate the climbing numbers, and enjoy the quiet satisfaction of getting faster at something you do every single day.

Why touch typing is worth the effort

Beyond raw speed, touch typing gives you something less obvious but more valuable: it frees up your attention. When you no longer have to think about where the keys are, your mind is free to focus entirely on what you are trying to say. Writing becomes smoother because your fingers keep pace with your thoughts instead of interrupting them. This is why the early awkwardness of learning to touch type pays off so well. You are not just getting faster, you are removing a small mental tax you pay every single time you sit down to write. For anyone who types for work or study, that is a quiet but genuine upgrade to everyday life.