# Typing speed test

Canonical: https://duckyhelper.com/tools/typing-speed-test/
Updated: 2026-10-01

Pick 30 seconds, 60 seconds or 2 minutes and type the passage; the clock starts with your first key. You get net words per minute (WPM), where a word is any 5 characters, plus your accuracy and the keys you miss most. Net WPM is gross WPM minus uncorrected errors per minute.

## How WPM is calculated

Typing tests count a word as 5 characters, spaces and punctuation included, so long and short words count fairly. Gross WPM is how fast you put characters on the screen:

$$
\text{gross WPM} = \frac{\text{characters typed} \div 5}{\text{minutes}}
$$

Net WPM takes off one word per minute for every mistake you leave unfixed. A mistake you go back and fix costs you only the time it took.

$$
\text{net WPM} = \text{gross WPM} - \frac{\text{uncorrected errors}}{\text{minutes}}
$$

**Accuracy** is the share of your keystrokes that were right the first time. A wrong key you later fix still counts as a miss, and backspace does not count at all. The test also counts which keys you miss most, by the letter you should have typed.

## Worked examples

**Example 1: a clean minute**

Problem: In a 60 second test you type 260 characters with no mistakes left.

1. Turn characters into words.

   $$
   260 \div 5 = 52 \text{ words}
   $$
2. Divide by the time, 1 minute. No uncorrected errors, so net equals gross.

   $$
   \frac{52}{1} = 52
   $$

Answer: 52 WPM

**Example 2: 30 seconds with mistakes**

Problem: In a 30 second test you type 140 characters and leave 3 mistakes. You pressed 150 character keys in all, and 6 of them were wrong.

1. Gross WPM over half a minute.

   $$
   \frac{140 \div 5}{0.5} = \frac{28}{0.5} = 56
   $$
2. Take off the uncorrected errors per minute.

   $$
   56 - \frac{3}{0.5} = 56 - 6 = 50
   $$
3. Accuracy counts every key, fixed or not.

   $$
   \frac{150 - 6}{150} = 96\%
   $$

Answer: 50 net WPM at 96% accuracy

## How to type faster

- Keep your fingers on the home row (ASDF and JKL;) and return to it after each key.
- Look at the screen, not the keys. It feels slower for a few days, then much faster.
- Go for accuracy first. Every fix costs time, so a clean 40 WPM soon becomes a clean 50.
- Practice the keys this test says you miss most, a few minutes a day.

> **Tip: Practice where you actually type**
>
> DuckyHelper's typing coach is in the Mac app: grey ghost letters appear at your caret in any Mac app you are typing in. Correct letters turn into your text, and a wrong letter turns red with a hint to delete it. The web app does not have the typing coach.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why is my net WPM lower than my gross WPM?

Net WPM takes off one word per minute for every mistake you leave in the text. Two unfixed mistakes in a one minute test cost 2 WPM; in a 30 second test they cost 4. Fixing mistakes as you go keeps net and gross close.

### Why is a word 5 characters?

It is the standard way typing tests count, so the result does not depend on whether the passage has long or short words. Spaces and punctuation count as characters, so typing "the cat " is 8 characters, or 1.6 words.

### Why can't I paste into the box?

Pasting would not measure typing, so the test blocks it. Everything else works like a normal text box: you can use backspace to fix mistakes, and the passage shows each letter in black when right and in red when wrong.

### Does it work on a Chromebook or a phone?

Yes. It runs in any modern browser with no download or sign-in. On a phone, turn off autocorrect if your keyboard still changes words, because a changed word counts as mistakes.

### Is my result saved?

No. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere. Take a screenshot if you want to track your speed over time, or take the same length test each week and compare.

## Related

- [Word counter](https://duckyhelper.com/tools/word-counter/)
- [Pomodoro study timer](https://duckyhelper.com/tools/study-timer/)
- [DuckyHelper on a Chromebook](https://duckyhelper.com/for/chromebooks/)

## Try asking Ducky

- "Coach me while I type my essay in Pages."
- "Make me a 10 minute daily typing practice plan."
- "Show me where my fingers should rest on the keyboard."

## Get DuckyHelper

Free to start. The web app works in any browser, Chromebooks included; the Mac app can also draw on your real screen. [Try it free in your browser](https://app.duckyhelper.com/?utm_source=duckyhelper.com&utm_medium=tool) or [Get the Mac app](https://duckyhelper.com/download/)