Everyday Tools
Typing Speed Test
Type the passage shown below to measure your typing speed in words per minute and how accurately you copy the text. Timing starts on your first keystroke and stops when you finish the passage or reach 60 seconds.
Calculation inputs
Start typing the passage to begin. The test ends at the last character or after 60 seconds.
Results
Speed (net WPM)
0
Accuracy
100.0%
Time elapsed
0.0s
- Gross WPM
- 0
- Characters typed
- 0 of 146
- Correct characters
- 0
- Mistyped characters
- 0
- Time remaining
- 60s
About this calculator
This typing speed test shows you a short passage and measures how quickly and accurately you copy it. Timing starts the moment you press your first key and stops when you reach the end of the passage or the 60-second limit, whichever comes first.
How it works
- One word = 5 typed characters, the standard used in typing tests
- Gross WPM = (characters typed ÷ 5) ÷ minutes elapsed
- Net WPM = (correct characters ÷ 5) ÷ minutes elapsed
- Accuracy % = correct characters ÷ characters typed × 100
Notes and assumptions
Timing begins with your first keystroke, not when the page loads, so you can read the passage first.
Every keystroke stays in your browser; nothing is uploaded, saved, or shared.
How it works in plain English
Typing speed is reported in words per minute, but a typing word is not a dictionary word. The long-standing convention is that one word equals five typed characters, including spaces and punctuation. Counting this way keeps scores comparable no matter whether a passage happens to use short words or long ones, which is why every standard typing test uses the same five-character rule.
Two speeds are shown. Gross words per minute divides every character you typed by five and then by the minutes that have passed, so it measures raw keyboard pace. Net words per minute does the same calculation using only the characters that match the passage, so mistakes pull the figure down. Net speed is the more useful number, because typing quickly while making errors creates work rather than saving it.
Accuracy is the share of your keystrokes that matched the passage at that position, shown as a percentage. As you type, correct characters in the passage turn one colour and mistyped ones are highlighted, so you can see where you drifted. The timer only begins with your first keystroke, giving you time to read the passage first, and each restart loads a different passage so you are not simply memorising one piece of text.
The formula
- 1 word = 5 typed characters (including spaces and punctuation)
- Gross WPM = (characters typed ÷ 5) ÷ minutes elapsed
- Net WPM = (correct characters ÷ 5) ÷ minutes elapsed
- Accuracy % = (correct characters ÷ characters typed) × 100
Worked example
Suppose you type 240 characters of the passage in 48 seconds, and 228 of those characters match the text exactly. First convert the time: 48 seconds is 0.8 minutes. Gross speed is 240 ÷ 5 = 48 words, divided by 0.8 minutes, which gives 60 gross words per minute.
Net speed uses only the correct characters: 228 ÷ 5 = 45.6 words, divided by 0.8 minutes, which is 57 net words per minute. Accuracy is 228 ÷ 240 = 0.95, or 95 percent. The twelve mistyped characters cost roughly three words per minute, which shows how a small accuracy slip trims a score. Slowing down slightly and clearing those twelve errors would have produced a higher net result than typing faster with them.
Typical typing speeds by experience level
| Level | Approximate net WPM |
|---|---|
| Beginner / hunt and peck | 10-25 |
| Average computer user | 35-45 |
| Comfortable touch typist | 50-70 |
| Professional typist / transcriptionist | 70-95 |
| Competitive typist | 100+ |
Commonly cited ranges used in typing instruction
Frequently asked questions
Why is a word counted as five characters?
Because real words vary wildly in length, counting them directly would make a passage of short words look faster than one of long words. Using a fixed five characters per word, spaces and punctuation included, keeps results consistent between passages and matches the convention used by typing tests and typing courses generally.
What is the difference between gross and net speed?
Gross speed counts every key you pressed, so it shows raw pace regardless of mistakes. Net speed counts only the characters that match the passage, so errors reduce it. Net speed is the figure most people quote, because typed text that has to be corrected afterwards is not really finished work.
Does the timer start as soon as the page opens?
No. Timing begins with your first keystroke, so you can read the passage, get comfortable, and start when you are ready. It ends automatically when you reach the final character of the passage or when sixty seconds have passed, and the results stay on screen until you start a new attempt.
Is a good score more about speed or accuracy?
Accuracy usually matters more. Every mistyped character has to be found and fixed later, which costs more time than it saved. Most typing instruction suggests aiming for around 95 percent accuracy or better first, then letting speed build gradually as the correct movements become automatic.
Is anything I type saved or sent anywhere?
No. The whole test runs inside your browser. Your keystrokes, timings, and scores are held in the page only while you are using it, are never uploaded, and disappear when you refresh or leave. There is no account, no sign-up, and nothing stored between visits.
How can I improve my result?
Practise short sessions regularly rather than one long one, keep your fingers on the home row, and resist looking down at the keyboard. Start slowly enough that you rarely make mistakes, since accurate movement patterns are what eventually become fast. Running a new passage each time also stops you memorising the text.