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Five Parts:Learning to TypeImproving Your Typing SkillsTyping ExercisesAdjusting Your WorkstationTyping Help

Do you look at the keyboard and type each letter at unbearably slow speeds? Impress your friends and family by learning how to type faster! The following steps will increase your ability to touch type but also teach you tricks that will get your typing speed up. If you follow all the steps in this article, over time you will be able to successfully type and correct errors while looking at the screen rather than the keyboard. You can also get more specific help by checking out the sections above!


Part 1 of 4: Learning to Type

  1. 1
    Forget any previous bad habits. The first thing you need to do when learning how to type properly is to forget any previously formed bad habits. This can be tough, especially if you've been using the two finger typing method since you first came in contact with a computer, or if you're a gamer who only uses your left hand for clicking the WASD keys. However, if you want to type quickly and correctly, you'll need to throw all of that out the window and start with a clean slate. Let's begin.
  2. 2
    Place your fingers in the home position. The home position is the position in which your fingers will rest while typing. No matter what part of the keyboard you're using, your fingers will always come back to rest in this position.
    • Place your right index finger on the "J" key and let the other three fingers fall naturally onto the "K", "L" and ";" keys. Place your left index finger on the "F" key and let the other 3 finger fall naturally onto the "D", "S", and "A" keys. Both thumbs should rest on the space bar, but only the right thumb should key it.
    • You should feel a raised bump on both the "F" and "J" keys. This will allow your fingers to find the home position without having to look at the keyboard.
  3. 3
    Type each key from left to right. Type each letter covered by the fingers in the home position, going from left to right: a s d f j k l ;. You shouldn't have to move your fingers from their positions, just press the keys that they are resting on.
  4. 4
    Repeat, but this time capitalize. Do the same thing again, but this time in capital letters: A S D F J K L :. Use the shift key to capitalize, rather than caps lock. Push the shift key by moving only your pinkie and pressing and holding it while pushing the desired letter with your other hand.
    • In other words, when the letter you would like capitalized is typed with your left hand, you press the right shift key with your right pinkie.
    • When the letter you would like capitalized is typed with your right hand, you press the left shift key with your left pinkie.
  5. 5
    Become familiar with the rest of the alphabet. Learn where each letter is positioned on the keyboard and match the correct finger to the key as positioned.
    • "q" "a" and "z" are typed with the pinkie of your left hand, and your pinkie also presses the tab, caps lock, and shift button.
    • "w" "s" and "x" are typed with the ring finger of your left hand.
    • "e" "d" and "c" are typed with the middle finger of your left hand.
    • "r" "f" "v" "b" "g" and "t" are typed with the index finger of your left hand.
    • Your thumb should never leave the space bar.
    • "u" "j" "n" "m" "h" and "y" are typed with your index finger of your right hand.
    • "i" "k" and the button that has a "," and a "<" on it are typed with the middle finger of your right hand.
    • "o" "l" and the button that reads ">" and "." will be typed with your ring finger of the right hand.
    • Your pinkie of your right hand is used for typing: "p", ";", ":", "'", """ (a quotation mark), "/", "?", "[", "{", "]", "}", "\", "|", and is used for pressing the shift, enter, and backspace keys.
  6. 6
    Type your first sentence. Starting from the home position, type: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog". This sentence contains every letter in the alphabet, so it's a perfect sentence for practicing the correct finger positioning.
    • Type the sentence over and over, watching your fingers to make sure they go to the right keys and return to home position.
    • Once you begin to feel comfortable with the way your fingers are moving, try to look at the screen while you type, rather than looking at the keyboard. This is known as touch typing.

Part 2 of 4: Improving Your Typing Skills

  1. 1
    Practice touch typing. Learning how to touch type is the single most important factor in increasing the speed of your typing. In fact, as you become a better typer, looking down at the keyboard will only slow you down. At first it may be difficult, but train yourself to only look at the screen as you type.
    • It will be slow at first, and you may need to sneak a peek at the keyboard from time to time, but over time, your fingers will be able to find the right keys all by themselves.
    • A good tip is to say the name of the letter as you type it. This will help your brain to associate that letter with the accompanying finger movement.
  2. 2
    Focus on accuracy rather than speed. Of course, speed means nothing if you have to go back and correct a ton of mistakes after every sentence. This is why it is essential that you focus more on accuracy than on speed.
    • If you make a mistake, go back and correct it immediately - and try to do so without looking at the keyboard.
    • If you find you are making a lot of mistakes, then make an effort to slow down your typing until you achieve 100% accuracy.
  3. 3
    Use the entire keyboard correctly. Although you may get the hang of typing letters pretty quickly, you may still feel uncomfortable with some of the less frequently used keys, such as symbols and numbers.
    • If you don't learn how to properly use these keys while typing, you will soon find that they slow you down as you progress.
    • To avoid this, make sure to incorporate all of the less common keys into your typing practice.
  4. 4
    Type with quick and well-defined motions. Don't smash the keyboard - that is, don't just hit keys without aiming first, which usually results in pressing multiple keys.
    • Avoid thumping your fingers down each time. Your fingers and hands will soon grow weary and it'll feel like a chore instead of a tool.
  5. 5
    Learn some keyboard shortcuts. Things like copying, pasting, saving and highlighting can all slow you down as you typing. Luckily, there are some handy shortcuts you can use to achieve these actions, without lifting your fingers from the keyboard. Some of the most common ones are as follows:
    • Save: Ctrl + s
    • Copy: Ctrl + c
    • Cut: Ctrl + x
    • Paste: Ctrl + v
    • Undo: Ctrl + z
    • Highlight next letter: Shift + left arrow or right arrow
    • Highlight next word: Ctrl + shift + right arrow or left arrow
  6. 6
    Practice everyday. The best way to learn is by practicing, so even if you're still hunting and pecking for keys at the moment, take at least 10 minutes out of each day at the keyboard to devote purely to typing practice.
    • It won't take long to improve your typing and once you've got the hang of it, you'll never return to the old way!
    • Eventually begin to practice numbers and symbols, such as phone numbers and addresses and the use of the various symbols. The more complicated the keystrokes, the more advanced your typing becomes.

Part 3 of 4: Typing Exercises

  1. 1
    Practice typing random sentences. Here are some traditional typing lines that help you to master the art of typing. Repeat each line numerous times, without looking at the keyboard, then move on to the next one. This will help you to "memorize" the keys themselves, rather than the pattern of individual words.
    • Pack my box with five dozen liquid diet cans or jugs.
    • Crazy Fredericka bought many very exquisite opal jewels.
    • Sixty zippers were quickly picked from the woven jute bag.
    • Amazingly few discotheques provide jukeboxes.
    • Heavy boxes perform quick waltzes and jigs.
    • Jackdaws love my big sphinx of quartz.
    • The five boxing wizards jump quickly.
    • How quickly daft jumping zebras vex.
    • Quick zephyrs blow, vexing daft Jim.
    • Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.
    • Waltz, nymph, for quick jigs vex Bud.
    • Blowzy night-frumps vex'd Jack Q.
    • Glum Schwartzkopf vex'd by NJ IQ.
  2. 2
    Use an online typing program. There are many programs available to teach you typing in quick spurts here and there. Some involve word games, some will have you re-typing paragraphs, while others will have you typing along with an audio clip. Some are free, some cost money; do an online search for one that suits you.

Part 4 of 4: Adjusting Your Workstation

  1. 1
    Set up an ergonomically correct workstation. Ergonomics is all about the efficiency and comfort of your work environment. It focuses both on your position and posture. Ergonomics addresses the fact that how you sit can affect your typing efficiency. A bad position can result in more errors and slower typing.
    • Make sure that your keyboard is at a comfortable height for your fingers. Your hands should be about level with your sides while you type; maybe a little above.
    • Keep your wrists elevated. This can be helped by using a wrist support if you can't remember to do it self-supported. There are a range of supports available, such as a cushion or foam bar, or you can improvise by placing a book that raises your wrist to a height this is almost equal with the height of the keyboard. You'll move faster and have fewer errors.
    • Sit up straight and put your feet flat on the ground.
  2. 2
    Consider switching to a Dvorak keyboard. At first, you'll almost definitely be using a traditional QWERTY keyboard, but there's also the option of switching to a Dvorak keyboard.
    • However, if you share your computer with others or if you frequently switch computers, you may find the changed layout will be confusing.
    • More information on typing on Dvorak keyboard can be found here.


  • Use the small plastic, elevated "tabs" on the "F" and "J" keys to keep your fingers located in the right spot as you're typing. You can feel them with the forefingers as you're typing, as you're between words, etc.
  • Do not look down as you type. Instead, make a cheat-sheet on a piece of paper and put it at monitor level so you can glance over at it if you get stuck.
  • If you're trying to receive a typing certificate, try (if possible) practicing on a regular keyboard and not a laptop keyboard. The letters on some laptop keyboards can be closer together than the ones you'll be using to take the typing test.
  • Learning to type takes a lot of effort, time, and patience. Keep at it!
  • Relax your shoulders and sit up straight.
  • If you have a hard time not glancing at the keyboard, buy a typing cover or simply cover the keyboard with a white, clean, and bendable sheet.
  • Use a special typing accelerator software to reduce a number of keystrokes and typos. You can find some free or demo programs.
  • If you want to make typing easier, improve your hand-eye coordination. It helps if you play guitar or another instrument that requires your hands.


  • While using acronyms can allow you to type faster, it may diminish the quality of your typing and turn into a bad habit that is hard to break! Avoid practicing with Internet and mobile slang such as "LOL", "BFF", etc. Practice without using pseudo-words (i.e. consonants and vowels together), as they may hinder your future typing speed.
  • Never slouch. Not following proper posture might cause slower typing, carpal tunnel syndrome, or repetitive strain injury. Take regular breaks and walk around a bit to straighten out.

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