How do I check my typing speed?
- 1Choose the test length and the text language (simple text has no capitals or punctuation).
- 2Tap the text and start typing — the timer starts with your first key.
- 3Keep going until the time is up; letters turn red when they are wrong, and you can go back and fix them.
- 4Read your speed, accuracy and chart, then press Enter or tap “New text” to try again.
How is typing speed (WPM) calculated?
- 011 word = 5 characters (spaces count)
- 02Net WPM = correct characters ÷ 5 ÷ minutes
- 03Raw WPM = all keystrokes ÷ 5 ÷ minutes
- 04Accuracy = correct keystrokes ÷ all keystrokes × 100
Typing tests count a “word” as 5 characters, whatever the real words are, so short and long words are treated fairly and results can be compared. Net WPM counts only the characters that are right at the end of the test: letters that match the text, plus the space after each word you didn't cut short. Raw WPM counts every character you typed, including ones you deleted, so it shows how fast your fingers move. Accuracy is the share of keystrokes that were right — a mistake you fix still counts against it. These are close to the definitions used by popular sites such as Monkeytype.
Your typing is compared word by word: the first word you type is checked against the first word of the text, the second against the second, and so on. So a missed or extra letter only spoils one word instead of shifting everything after it. A “character” is one letter as you see it on screen: in Hindi or Urdu, a letter with its vowel signs counts once, and a letter you are still building (क before it becomes कि) is not marked wrong. The timer uses the clock, not a counter, so the time is exact even if your phone is busy.
Phone keyboards are supported: the test reads what is in the text box after each change, so autocorrect, swipe typing and Urdu, Hindi or Arabic input methods all work. Curly quotes from a phone count the same as straight ones, and Urdu or Arabic keyboard letters that look the same (such as Arabic ي and Urdu ی) are treated as the same letter.
Good to know
- Accuracy first: slow down until you are above 95 % accurate, then build speed — fixing mistakes costs more time than typing carefully.
- Keep your fingers on the home keys (A S D F and J K L ;) and try not to look at the keyboard.
- Practise for 5–10 minutes every day rather than one long session a week.
- Take the 60-second test to compare with others; short tests give higher, less steady scores.
Typing speed test — common questions
What is a good typing speed?
In a study of 168,000 volunteers the average was about 52 WPM on a computer keyboard, and most people typed between about 30 and 70 WPM. On phones the average in a similar study was about 36 WPM. Above 70 WPM on a computer is fast.
How is WPM calculated?
Every 5 characters, spaces included, count as one word. Net WPM is the correct characters divided by 5 and by the minutes taken: 240 correct characters in one minute is 240 ÷ 5 ÷ 1 = 48 WPM.
What is the difference between net and raw WPM?
Raw WPM counts every key you pressed, including mistakes you deleted. Net WPM counts only what was right at the end, so it is your real, usable speed. A big gap between them means you spend a lot of time fixing mistakes.
Can I take a typing test in Urdu or Hindi?
Yes. Choose Urdu, Hindi, Arabic or Roman Urdu as the text. Use your phone's or computer's Urdu, Hindi or Arabic keyboard; Urdu and Arabic texts are shown right to left. A letter with its vowel signs counts as one character.
Does the typing test work on a phone?
Yes. Tap the text to open your keyboard and start typing. Autocorrect and swipe typing work, though turning off autocorrect gives a fairer result. “Simple text” leaves out capitals and punctuation, which are slow to type on a phone.
How can I type faster?
Learn touch typing with all ten fingers, keep your eyes on the screen, aim for accuracy over speed, and practise a little every day. Most people improve steadily over a few weeks.
Sources
- Dhakal, V., Feit, A. M., Kristensson, P. O., Oulasvirta, A. (2018). Observations on Typing from 136 Million Keystrokes. CHI 2018
- Palin, K., Feit, A. M., Kim, S., Kristensson, P. O., Oulasvirta, A. (2019). How do People Type on Mobile Devices? Observations from a Study with 37,000 Volunteers. MobileHCI 2019
- Words per minute — the 5-character word standard
- Unicode Standard Annex #29: Unicode Text Segmentation (grapheme clusters)
Formulas last reviewed: September 30, 2026 ·How we check our formulas