Typing tips, how to make type faster and master the keyboard

1) Accuracy

I had been trying to improve my speed for months and I was not seeing much improvement. Once I slowed down and started being more accurate instead of trying to type faster I started seeing an increase in my typing speed. I feel more in control as well. I still have a way to go for my personal goal but am pleased to see that I am now improving and relaxing more.
Learn to be accurate first then improve speed. Because if you make mistakes all the time the longer it will take you to type. Every time you backspace takes longer than if you slow down just a tad so you can type accurately. I still makes a lot of mistakes but I realize when I slow down to be accurate I actually tend to type slightly faster.

2) Practice

For new typists: Practice. Get used to the home keys work to the point where you do not need to look at both what you are typing, or your fingers on the keyboard.

For advanced typists: Practice. Develop muscle memory for typing certain types of commonly used letter parings. Identify the combinations of letters for certain words that give you trouble and practice typing them in particular to the point where you no longer need to think when doing so.
My tip to improve your typing speed is to not only practice often, but practice correctly. Try to get rid of bad typing habits and replace them with good ones. For example, you should use every single finger when typing instead of relying on the use of fingers with which you're most comfortable. Full utilization of both hands is necessary to achieve your highest typing potential.

3) Stretching

When my wrists get stiff from typing, I grab my fingers with one hand and stretch out my arm to full length and pull on my fingers back slowly. I then, stretch my fingers by opening and closing them, bend my hands back and forth, and rotate my wrists.
if you feel a little sore on the fingers or knuckles, just put your arms up high, and wriggle your fingers (only do this if your fingers feel sore. ) and if your knuckles hurt just put your left hand into a fist and do the same with the right. With the bottom of your left fist, tap the knuckles on your right hand and vice versa.

4) Know your keyboard

My tip to improve your typing speed is to feel for the "F" and the "J". As most know, those are the letters you feel for first on the keyboard. As time goes by, and you learn how to type without looking, you will not even really have to "feel" for the "F" and the "J" you will just learn the keyboard.
It is also important to familiarize yourself with the keyboard you are using. - This is essential as, if you can map the keyboard out in your mind, you wont need to look away from the screen to locate the key you need. This would also minimize time spent between getting your many thoughts onto the screen before loosing them (again).
If you are typing 60 wpm or higher, and want to get better, and not get carpal tunnel: buy a mechanical keyboard. I use red switch that I bought for both gaming/typing, and after an hour of typing, my fingers still feel fine. I wouldn't recommend red for most typists--It doesn't have the feedback that other switch types have, and takes a while to get used to not bottoming out the keys all the time.

5) Rhythm

What is important is developing a rhythm, not to hurry, but to be accurate, first-priority. Speed comes naturally with practice and time. Further, one must push one's self to perform better, but acknowledging that efficiency only is established, along with effectiveness. In closing, one must learn to type only what one sees/reads; never change the words, unless, of course, it is an editing ... exercise/test. One only types what one sees or reads!

Start training

Touch typing

Touch typing is typing without looking at the keyboard. The idea is to teach your fingers the location of each keys. The F and J keys have a raised bar or a dot allowing your finger to identify them. Once you have placed your two indexes on those keys, the other fingers are placed on the keys next to them.

In order to type fast you have to be careful about which finger to use to press a key. Take a look at the drawing below. Each color match a finger. For example the left index is light green and has to type only the light green keys.

typing test tips

Certain keys are special. ASDF and JKL; are the base positions for your fingers.Your fingers go from the base position to the key that you want to press.

A good first thing to do when your learn touch typing is to memorize the keyboard and create a mental map of the associated fingers. You have to be able to press any key without even thinking. For example if I say C you have to think move the middle finger down and press C instantly. You can only achieve this through practice. You have to build up the muscle memory of each fingers.

Key ideas

* Place your indexes on F and J
* A key has to pressed by the same finger all the time
* Don't look at the keyboard, your eyes should always look at the screen
* Go practice!

Take a typing test

User tips



user46470 12 years, 2 months ago
My tip to improve your typing speed is to keep a habit of typing as accurate as you can with a certain speed kept in mind beforehand.

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user46470 12 years, 2 months ago
When my fingers hurt after too much time on the keyboard, I try twisting them, entangled with each other. And often let them rest by avoiding or at least reducing the work to be done by them.

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guppycherel 12 years, 2 months ago
When my fingers hurt after too much time on the keyboard, I...it's not my fingers, it's my energy; I just get tired, hence a drop in accuracy and wpm. Or are you all thinking about- hang nails? In that cast , yah, I'd just stop, apply pressure to hang nail, curse, then try, try, and try again. In other words practice, practice, practice. No pain, no gain. (just kiddin' folks) I enjoy typing, but have never had the pressure of typing as a paid typist. Maybe someday I will; although my wpm's aren't there yet.

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user46398 12 years, 2 months ago
What really helped me improve my typing speed is...doing a lot of typing in the darkness of night time long-haul flights between Australia and the USA.

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carolinagirl_46382 12 years, 2 months ago
What really helped me improve my typing speed is developing a rhythm, not to hurry, but to be accurate, first-priority. Speed comes naturally with practice and time. Further, one must push one's self to perform better, but acknowledging that efficiency only is established, along with effectiveness. In closing, one must learn to type only what one sees/reads; never change the words, unless, of course, it is an editing ... exercise/test. One only types what one sees or reads!

Reply
skatoulaki 12 years, 2 months ago
What really helped me improve my typing speed is...typing every day. I first learned to type through a 6-month typing course in high school a LONG time ago. In secretarial school several years later, I improved my speed, and when I became a secretary, typing became part of my everyday life at work.

Take a typing course to learn to type properly. I type so much that most of the letters on my keyboards (at home and at the office) are worn off, so I couldn't look at them even if I wanted to haha!

It takes time, time, and more time, but once you learn to type without looking at the keyboard, muscle memory takes over and you type without really thinking; your fingers type some words "automatically" and muscle memory helps you to increase your speed.

Good luck! Don't give up! You'll get there!

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user45832 12 years, 2 months ago
What really helped me improve my typing speed is... take a shoe box or some type of cardboard box and cut it out so that it covers the keyboard. Practice typing like that, without seeing your hands. Your confidence in what your fingers are doing while you are not watching them is dramatically increased by this practice.

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0cristianarias0 12 years, 2 months ago
My tip to improve your typing speed is to practice everyday and to try your best. I was once a beginner, now I am good at typing without looking.

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user46007 12 years, 2 months ago
What really helped me improve my typing speed is.......
Can't say what really helps at this stage, but something is helping alot
will see you again soon...have a headaghe now...

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mickiej 12 years, 2 months ago
What really helped me improve my typing speed is...just keep practicing and even putting pieces of paper over letters because no matter how hard I try i would always look at the keys..

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user903994 12 years, 2 months ago
When my fingers hurt after too much time on the keyboard, I... keep typing because that is who I am and I can be a computer addict... LOL

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camboy1313 12 years, 3 months ago
My tip to improve your typing speed is to... KEEP PRACTICING if you keep practicing then your typing speed will increase even practice typing not on this website if you write notes type them if your able to just practice every time you get the chance, even if it is only one game then you will improve today I had an experience where I was typing and I was getting a steady 52 wpm and the night before I went to bed angry because I was only getting a 45 wpm. So as long as you practice you will improve

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user45007 12 years, 3 months ago
What really helped me improve my typing speed is... aiming for accuracy as opposed to speed. You will notice if you focus on getting the words right, the speed comes.

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camboy1313 12 years, 3 months ago
My tip to improve your typing speed is to... Focus on accuracy and not on the speed of typing if you worry about your speed you will only fail faster than you normally would not worrying about it so focus on your accuracy and then once you get that and keep practicing you will become a faster more accurate typist :)

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ekangas81 12 years, 3 months ago
My tip to improve your typing speed is to... If you are typing 60 wpm or higher, and want to get better, and not get carpal tunnel: buy a mechanical keyboard. I use red switch that I bought for both gaming/typing, and after an hour of typing, my fingers still feel fine. I wouldn't recommend red for most typists--It doesn't have the feedback that other switch types have, and takes a while to get used to not bottoming out the keys all the time.

Reply
marcusm 12 years, 3 months ago
My tip to improve your typing speed is to...focus on accuracy, finger placement, and comfort more so than speed. The accuracy will bring confidence and confidence will bring speed.

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