Learn to touch type

A free course in 18 short lessons. You start on the home row and finish typing full sentences without looking at the keyboard.

Your progress
Start the course
Streak0
Practised today

Lessons

  1. 1Home row, left hand (A S D F)
  2. 2Home row, right hand (J K L ;)
  3. 3G and H, the index finger stretch
  4. 4E and I, the middle fingers go up
  5. 5R and U, index fingers reach up
  6. 6T and O
  7. 7N and M, the bottom row begins
  8. 8W and Y
  9. 9C and comma
  10. 10V and B
  11. 11P and Q, the little fingers reach up
  12. 12X and Z
  13. 13Period and slash
  14. 14Capital letters with Shift
  15. 15Numbers 1 to 5
  16. 16Numbers 6 to 0
  17. 17Punctuation and symbols
  18. 18Full sentences

Find the home row without looking

Look closely at the F and J keys on your keyboard. Most keyboards have a small raised line or dot on both. Rest your left index finger on F and your right index finger on J, and the other fingers fall into place next to them: A S D F on the left, J K L ; on the right. Whenever you lose your place, feel for the two bumps. The numeric keypad has the same kind of mark on 5, where your right middle finger rests.

How each lesson works

Every lesson has three short exercises: the new keys on their own, a mix with keys you already know, and real words. Pass an exercise with at least 92% accuracy. In the last exercise you earn up to three stars, depending on your speed.

Which finger types which key

Each colour is one finger, and both hands use the same colours. Keys with a line underneath are the home row, where your fingers rest. Both thumbs rest on the space bar, and you can press it with whichever thumb feels natural.

Little fingerRing fingerMiddle fingerIndex fingerThumbs

Your weakest keys

Based on your tests and lessons in this browser. The redder the key, the more often you miss it.

    Practise your weak keys

    A short session built from the keys you miss most, based on your own results.

    Start weak-key practice

    What is touch typing?

    Touch typing means typing without looking at the keys, using all ten fingers. Each finger has its own keys, and your fingers always return to the same starting point, called the home row. Once your fingers know the way, you can keep your eyes on the screen and type faster with fewer mistakes.

    How long does it take?

    Most people need a few weeks of short daily practice to feel comfortable. Ten to fifteen minutes a day works better than long sessions now and then. Expect to be slower than your old way of typing for the first week or two. That passes, and then your speed keeps growing.

    Tips for learning faster

    • Don't look at your hands. Use the on-screen keyboard instead.
    • Accuracy first. Speed comes by itself when your fingers stop correcting mistakes.
    • Keep your wrists straight and your fingers curved, resting lightly on the home row.
    • Take a short typing test now and then to see your progress.

    More tests