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Typing Speed Test

Choose a passage and a length - 30 seconds, 1 minute or 2 minutes - and start typing. The test measures your speed in words per minute and your accuracy, highlights mistakes as you go, and explains how the score is worked out.

Free, no signupNo daily limitRuns in your browser - nothing you enter is uploadedUpdated

1:00Time left
0WPM (live, gross)
100%Accuracy

How the score is worked out

Typing speed is measured in words per minute (WPM), where a "word" is a standard 5 characters, spaces and punctuation included. That way a passage full of long words and one full of short words are scored on the same scale.

  • Gross WPM = characters typed ÷ 5 ÷ minutes. Raw speed.
  • Net WPM = gross WPM − uncorrected errors ÷ minutes. Speed after a penalty for each mistake left in.
  • Accuracy = correct characters ÷ characters typed.

Mistakes you fix with backspace do not count as errors - they only cost the time it took to fix them.

Getting faster

Accuracy first, then speed: slow down until you make almost no mistakes, keep your eyes on the text rather than the keys, and practise a few minutes every day rather than an hour once a week. The "hard" passages add numbers and symbols, which slow almost everyone down.

Worked example

In a 1-minute test you type 250 characters and leave 4 mistakes.

gross WPM = 250 ÷ 5 ÷ 1 = 50 net WPM = 50 − 4 ÷ 1 = 46 accuracy = 246 ÷ 250 = 98.4%

In a 30-second test the same 125 characters give the same 50 WPM, because minutes = 0.5.

What this calculator does not do

  • Scores depend on the passage: text with numbers and punctuation is slower to type than plain words.
  • Results are not saved or ranked.
  • It measures typing on this keyboard and device only; phone keyboards and autocorrect change results.

Frequently asked questions

How is words per minute calculated?
By convention a word is 5 characters, including spaces. Gross WPM = characters typed ÷ 5 ÷ minutes. 250 characters in one minute is 50 WPM.
What is net WPM?
Net WPM subtracts a penalty for mistakes left uncorrected: net = gross − errors ÷ minutes. It rewards accuracy, so it is the better measure of usable speed.
What is a good typing speed?
That depends on the job and the person, but as a rough guide many people type about 35-45 WPM, and around 60-70 WPM or more is fast for everyday typing. Accuracy above 95% matters more than raw speed.
Does backspace count?
You can correct mistakes with backspace. Only the characters on screen when the time runs out are scored, so corrected mistakes cost time but not accuracy.
When does the timer start?
On your first keystroke in the box, so you can read the passage first. It is worked out from the clock, not by counting ticks, so it stays accurate.

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Step-by-step guide: How to test and improve your typing speed →

Built and checked by Taimur Hassan Siddiqui, who has more than ten years in computer-science education. The formulas on this page are covered by an automated test suite, and the worked example on this page is one of its cases. Last updated 7 October 2026.