Adaptive lessons start with the six letters E, N, I, T, R and L and add one letter at a time once every unlocked letter reaches your target speed with 94% accuracy.
How adaptive lessons work
Adaptive lessons start with six of the most common letters: E, N, I, T, R and L. You type real words and short practice words made only from letters you have unlocked. Every keystroke is timed.
- Each letter has its own speed. The row of letters above the text shows how fast you type each one: green has reached your target, amber is close, red needs work.
- The focus letter (outlined) is your weakest unlocked letter. About 60% of the words include it.
- A new letter unlocks when every unlocked letter reaches your target speed with at least 94% accuracy over enough keystrokes.
- Choose your target. Start at 25 or 35 WPM; raise it once you have unlocked all 26 letters.
Letters unlock in order of how often they appear in English, so the first lessons already cover most of everyday text. Your progress is saved on your device and syncs if you use a sync code.
Why this works
Repeating a small set of keys until they are automatic, then adding one more, is one of the most efficient ways to learn touch typing. You never practice a letter you cannot find yet, and you never waste time on letters you already know well.
Which finger types which key
| Finger | Left hand | Right hand |
|---|---|---|
| Index | R T F G V B 4 5 | Y U H J N M 6 7 |
| Middle | E D C 3 | I K , 8 |
| Ring | W S X 2 | O L . 9 |
| Pinky | Q A Z 1 ` Tab Caps Shift | P ; / 0 - = [ ] ' Enter Shift Backspace |
| Thumb | Space | Space |
Touch typing basics
Touch typing means typing without looking at the keyboard, with each finger responsible for its own keys. It feels slow at first because your brain has to learn new movements, but it removes the biggest limit on speed: moving your eyes between the screen and your hands. The largest study of modern typists found that the fastest typists make fewer errors and press the next key before releasing the previous one, which is only possible when your fingers find keys by feel.
More questions
How many lessons should I do per day? One or two, for about 15 minutes. Short daily practice beats long weekly sessions.
Should I learn on a laptop or an external keyboard? Either works. Learn on the keyboard you use most, since key spacing and travel differ.
When should I start taking full typing tests? After the home row and top row lessons. Testing too early can tempt you to look down to go faster.
Typing speed grades
| Grade | Speed | Faster than | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 0 to 29 WPM | 0.5% of typists | Usually looking at the keys or typing with two to four fingers. Touch typing lessons give the biggest gains here. |
| Below average | 30 to 44 WPM | 14% of typists | Comfortable for messages and short emails. A few weeks of daily practice usually moves people into the average band. |
| Average | 45 to 59 WPM | 37% of typists | The speed of a typical computer user. Meets most office requirements, including the 40 WPM federal clerk-typist standard. |
| Above average | 60 to 74 WPM | 66% of typists | Faster than about two thirds of typists. Meets typical requirements for data entry, chat support and most administrative roles. |
| Fast | 75 to 89 WPM | 88% of typists | Faster than about 9 in 10 typists. Competitive for transcription, legal and executive assistant roles. |
| Expert | 90 to 119 WPM | 97% of typists | Fewer than 3 in 100 typists reach this band. Speed is no longer the limit for any common job. |
| Elite | 120+ WPM | more than 99.9% of typists | Competition-level typing. Very few people ever sustain this speed on varied text. |
Frequently asked questions
What are adaptive typing lessons?
Lessons that start with a few letters and add new ones only when you type the current ones fast and accurately enough, always focusing on your weakest letter.
Where is my progress saved?
On your device. Use a sync code on your progress page to continue on another device.