# How fast can you type? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 22, 2001, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163 "2001-05-22T04:18:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/1 "2001-05-22T04:18:23Z")
I’ve taken a couple tests recently and have averaged about 60-63 words per minute. I bet on a good day I could probably hit 70 wpm. So how fast can all of you type? What’s the fastest you’ve ever seen anyone type? ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/2 "2001-05-22T04:37:02Z")
123 wpm, but I do this for a living. Esprix ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/3 "2001-05-22T04:46:21Z")
If seeing on TV counts, I saw a woman on David Letterman who is supposedly the world’s fastest typist. Naturally, I can’t remember how fast she types. There was a funny little glitch because they brought her out to time her, but then realized they didn’t have any paper. Personally, the last time I was tested I came in at about 120 wpm, but like **Esprix** , I was doing it for a living. When I saw the woman on Letterman, just watching her hands I could tell that she typed much faster than I do. I was surprised because I assumed once you got into the 100+ range that there wouldn’t be that much of a visible difference. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/4 "2001-05-22T04:47:09Z")
Around fifty, if typing something from notes, etc. About 90-100 if I’m writing. And that’s four fingers, one thumb learned on a manual and beat the damn keyboard to death style. Sir ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/5 "2001-05-22T04:53:43Z")
About 98wpm, but that counts corrections. I can’t help it, I backspace over errors and retype them before I am even consciously aware that I’ve made them. ---
**Author:** ![Mearl\_Dox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Mearl\_Dox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mearl_Dox)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/6 "2001-05-22T05:17:17Z")
108 WPM, although I haven’t timed it in over a year. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/7 "2001-05-22T07:25:58Z")
Oh, I can go at least 70 typos per minute… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/8 "2001-05-22T07:53:35Z")
I just tested myself for fun last week. I came in at 71 wpm, with 96% accuracy. Yay. ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/9 "2001-05-22T08:01:49Z")
I recently encountered a typing-speed contest set up in a local mall. I took the test, and on the worst Piece O’Crap™ Keyboard I ever used, I scored 116wpm at 98% accuracy. I wonder what I would have gotten on a decent keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/10 "2001-05-22T08:46:34Z")
Well, the last time I took a typing test was Freshman year in High school (six years ago, for those of you who’re keeping count). I came in at 72 WPM with better than 90% accuracy (I forget the exact number). Considering the amount that I’ve typed between then and now (hell, just considering the amount I’ve typed in my SDMB posts), the practice has probably put me in the 90 WPM range. But I always list 72 WPM on my applications just because that’s the only “official” number I know. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/11 "2001-05-22T09:05:57Z")
Only about 55 wpm, but that’s with very high accuracy; if I make a typo, I usually notice it and always correct it (even when timing myself). ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/12 "2001-05-22T10:04:55Z")
Oh, I always notice when I make a typo… like a pianist, strumming the keys. I can always tell when I hit the wrong key, since it just feels “wrong”. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/13 "2001-05-22T10:28:17Z")
Only ~90 WPM, but I’m not getting paid for it. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/14 "2001-05-22T10:30:43Z")
Touch-typing: 25 wpm. Typing with two fingers: 40-60 wpm. True. ---
**Author:** ![Joyfulgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f04885/32.png) [@Joyfulgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joyfulgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/15 "2001-05-22T11:10:29Z")
49 WPM, with a 90% accuracy. Ouch. But, I only use 2 fingers, so… You can test your typing skills [here.](http://www.typingmaster.com/java/ttapplet.htm) ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/16 "2001-05-22T11:14:13Z")
I was time-tested once - in 1972. I did 30 WPM on a manual typewriter. I know I’m faster now, but I’ve never cared to find out how fast. I can touch-type now, tho… most of the time… if I don’t think about it. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/17 "2001-05-22T12:12:13Z")
My last test on an electric typewriter, I scored over 100 wpm. I occasionally type faster than my typewriter can, particularly when I’m not going for accuracy. On the computer, people who watch me say I type faster than anyone they have ever seen. See what learning to type on a clunky manual typewriter gets you. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/18 "2001-05-22T12:23:30Z")
Up to 120 wpm in bursts, average probably around 75-80 That’s on a computer. I can clear 50 on an old LC Smith mechanical upright! ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/19 "2001-05-22T19:04:07Z")
According to **Joyfulgirl** ’s link to the online typing test, I clocked in at a resounding 138 wpm, with bursts to 145. As other people have said, I don’t even visually notice when I make a typo, it just “feels wrong”. The only time my rhythm is broken is when I make a major typo- several in succession- and can’t feel how many extra characters I typed, so I have to pay attention to the screen to see how far I should backspace. I don’t use my right ring finger, my left thumb, or my left pinky finger. I can’t play the piano to save my life. I’ll type fast at Dopefests if people buy me drinks. ---
**Author:** ![Grok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/96bed5/32.png) [@Grok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grok)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163/20 "2001-05-22T21:20:02Z")
I’m apparently the fastest typing gym teacher in the world. When I was in grad school, I worked in an L-shaped office. The computers were around the corner and out of sight of the door, but everyone claimed they knew I was there by the speed of my typing. Another GA told me he had never seen anyone type that fast. What’s sad is that it’s only about 70wpm according to that online test… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-can-you-type/66163.md?page=2)