How to Increase Keyboard Typing Speed

Keyboard typing speed is an important component of every day life that many people neglect to properly train, even though fast typing speed can lead to dramatic increases in productivity.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Use home row. If you never learned how to use a keyboard in a formal setting, you may not be aware of the proper hand placement. Your fingers should align on the letters asdf for your left hand and jkl; on the right hand. From this position, all the other keys can be quickly accessed, leading to increased potential for typing speed.

2. Resist the urge to hunt and peck. Those used to looking at the keyboard as they type will find home row awkward as the hand positioning blocks some of the letters. In order to type fast and naturally, one should never have to look at the keyboard, except when a rarely used symbol must be used.

3. Practice typing without looking at the keyboard. Like most things in life practice makes perfect when it comes to typing speed. Typing just for the sake of learning to type faster can be boring, so integrate fun activities into your training. Talking in live chat rooms or on online games using the keyboard forces one to type quickly to communicate effectively in a real time environment, which can be must more fun and effective than transcribing words.

4. Try to type as accurately as possible, while maintaining speed. Once you start getting faster at typing without looking at the keyboard, letters will start to flow naturally. There is a tendency however, to make more errors as typing speed increases. This is especially true when typing in informative settings online, where perfect spelling and grammar is not always necessary. Even in these settings try to spell correctly and use proper punctuation; these good habits will benefit you when you have to type for something where accuracy counts, like at work.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are typing using a word processor or form that has spellcheck, it can be faster to skip over misspelled words instead of deleting them, and allowing the spell check to fix them later.
• A good way to practice home row and typing without looking is type in a dark room.

[mustafa115]

on 2/15/2009 This can help land a job, too! Thanks, good tips 5*

[kkelley89]

on 2/6/2009 I know this is the way I learned. And it didn't take too long at all! 5*

[SharonJeanne]

on 1/19/2009 Excellent tips on increasing your typing speed. 5*!

[bbrassell]

on 1/18/2009 Good tutorial. I actually taught myself to type faster with these tips years ago, and they work very well.

[AnastasiaB]

on 1/16/2009 I am a pretty fast typist - only through taking classes. This article is great - it has everything they teach you in class - without sitting in class! 5 stars and a recommend.