What is 10-key typing?
10-key typing means entering numbers on the numeric keypad, the block of keys on the right of a full-size keyboard, using the touch method. Your right hand rests on 4 5 6, each finger has its own keys, and you never look down. It is much faster than typing numbers on the row above the letters, which is why jobs in accounting, banking and data entry often test it.
Find the home row by feel
Most keypads have a small raised bump on the 5 key. Rest your middle finger on it, and your index and ring fingers fall onto 4 and 6. Your little finger rests on + (or near Enter), and your thumb rests above 0. Whenever you lose your place, feel for the bump.
Which finger presses which key
- Index finger: 7, 4 and 1 (and Num Lock).
- Middle finger: 8, 5 and 2, plus /.
- Ring finger: 9, 6 and 3, plus * and the decimal key.
- Little finger: -, + and Enter.
- Thumb: 0.
No keypad? Use laptop mode
Many laptops don't have a numeric keypad. Switch on laptop mode in any lesson to practise the same numbers on the row above the letters instead. The on-screen keyboard then shows the full keyboard and which finger to use. If your keyboard has a keypad, make sure Num Lock is on.
How fast should you be?
Speed on the keypad is measured in keystrokes per hour (KPH). Many employers ask for somewhere around 8,000 to 10,000 KPH with high accuracy. Read more in our guide to 10-key speed and KPH, or measure yourself with the 10-key typing test.