Typing Speed Test: WPM, Accuracy, and What's Considered Fast
WPM (words per minute) measures how fast you type. Here it is timed from your first key to the last character of the passage, and only correct characters count. A 2018 study of about 168,000 volunteers (Aalto University and Cambridge) measured an average of 52 WPM.
Standard WPM uses 5 characters as one 'word' β so 250 characters per minute = 50 WPM. This test reports net WPM: only characters that match the passage count, so a typo is worth nothing. Accuracy matters as much as raw speed.
Typing speed benchmarks
| WPM | Level |
|---|---|
| 10β20 | Beginner / hunt-and-peck |
| 40β60 | Around the average (52 WPM in the 2018 study) |
| 60β70 | Comfortable touch-typist |
| 70β90 | Fast / professional typist |
| 100+ | Very fast |
| 150+ | Competitive level |
Tips to improve
- β’Touch type β fingers stay over home row, eyes on screen
- β’Practice accuracy first, speed comes naturally
- β’Use proper hand position (left hand: ASDF, right: JKL;)
- β’Take regular breaks β fatigue tanks both speed and accuracy
- β’Practice with real text rather than random word generators for natural rhythm
Extended FAQ
Does typing fast in Korean Hangul use the same WPM scale?
Korean speed is νμ: key presses per minute on the 2-set (λλ²μ) keyboard, so ν (γ Β·γ Β·γ΄) is 3. English WPM Γ 5 is also presses per minute, so 250 νμ is roughly 50 WPM. This test counts Korean that way.
Are my typing scores stored?
Only your best score per language, in this browser. Nothing is sent anywhere.