Learn touch typing in 30 days

Touch typing means typing without looking at the keyboard, with each finger responsible for its own keys. Learning it feels slow at first, because you have to unlearn whatever system you use now. Most people type more slowly for the first one or two weeks and then overtake their old speed. Thirty days of short, regular practice is enough to know every letter by feel.

The plan below uses the free TypingSpark lessons. Your progress is saved as you go, and with a free account you can continue on any device.

Before day 1: measure where you are

Take a 1-minute test and a 3-minute test in your current style. Write down both numbers or keep them on your progress page. You will compare against them on day 30.

Week 1: the home row

Days 1 to 7. Work through the Home row unit: index, middle, ring and little fingers, then the inner reaches. Do one or two lessons a day and repeat any lesson where your accuracy was below 95%. Do not look at your hands; if you need to find a key, look at the on-screen keyboard. Expect to type slowly. That is the point.

Week 2: top and bottom rows

Days 8 to 14. Take the Top row and Bottom row units. Each reach starts and ends on the home row. Finish each session with five minutes of Key Blitz to practise finding single keys quickly. By the end of this week you will know every letter.

Week 3: capitals, punctuation and numbers

Days 15 to 21. Take the Capitals and punctuation unit and the Number row unit. Start using touch typing for all your everyday typing, even though it is slower for now; switching back and forth delays the habit. On day 21, take a 1-minute test and note the result.

Week 4: speed and fluency

Days 22 to 30. Take the Words to paragraphs unit, then the Typing at work unit. Each day, take one test and spend the rest of the session on weak-key practice built from your mistakes. Add a game or two for variety. On day 30, repeat the two tests from before day 1.

What to expect

• Days 1 to 10: slower than before. Accuracy matters more than speed.
• Days 10 to 20: speed returns to roughly where you started, without looking down.
• Days 20 to 30: most learners pass their old speed. Gains continue for months with regular practice.

Tips that keep the plan on track

• Practise at the same time each day. A habit is easier than a decision.
• Stop while you are still fresh. Fifteen focused minutes beat an hour of tired typing.
• Check your posture and desk setup once at the start.
• If you miss a day, continue the next day. Do not try to catch up with a double session.