How to Type Faster Automatically
May 12, 2023
Typing has become a fundamental part of everyday life. And even though personal messages do not need to be typed swiftly, professional life can differ.
Many people who type incredibly fast did not practice doing so. In fact, it happened automatically by typing every day. However, typing every day does not necessarily result in typing as fast as you can. In this blog, I will talk about how you can seamlessly increase your average typing speed with or without typing practice.
How to Type Faster: Basics
One does not have to spend extra time to increase their typing skills and get free typing practice. Muscle memory works through repetition, which is why many people who type fast did not practice, but they did through typing constantly.
Let's talk about a few things we can do to learn how to type faster automatically.
Don't Look
One thing that disrupts fast typing is looking at the buttons on the keyboard. Typing speed and accuracy are increased when the person does not have to think about which button is where. So next time you are typing, don't look at the keyboard. If you are making mistakes, take a glance, correct them, and continue. Over time, you will see that basic typing skills have become automatic for you.
10 Fingers
A common mistake people make when typing is using few of their fingers. It is like playing the piano with one hand. To reach your potential and increase your typing speed by an incredible amount, you need to use most of your fingers if not all of them. Each finger has a position on the keyboard which will make it easier and faster to hit a specific button if you get accustomed to the ideal positioning of your fingers. Next time you type, try to use all of your fingers to press the buttons closer to each one to improve your typing speed. When each finger gets accustomed to their positions and assigned buttons, you will be able to use 10 fast fingers efficiently and reach an impressive level of typing speed.
Shortcuts
Mastering keyboard shortcuts can cut down the time you spend typing by a large margin. To improve your typing speed and master keyboard skills, shortcuts are crucial. For example, pressing CTRL + A will select all of the text you have written, which can be used to then copy all of it by pressing CTRL + C. If you think there should be an easier way, there probably is. Do a quick search online and look at which shortcuts can make your job easier and increase your typing speed.
Autocorrect
Well, there is no way around this. When you type fast, you will make mistakes. In fact, the faster you type, the more mistakes you will make in the beginning. This is where autocorrection comes in incredibly handy. Because even if you type fast if you have to go back and correct mistakes every few seconds, typing speed becomes irrelevant. Google Docs has an autocorrect option in the "Tools" section. Next time you type, make sure you have autocorrect on to improve your typing accuracy while working on your typing speed.
Online Typing Tests
Now, this article is about seamlessly increasing your typing skills without much practice. However, I don't want to skip on some great exercises you can do if you choose to do so.
Online typing tests can be fun and extremely beneficial for increasing typing speed and accuracy. And when you're having fun, practice isn't so bad, is it?
Monkeytype
Monkeytype is a straightforward typing practice site that where you can immediately start typing and Monketype will tell you your WPM (words per minute) and accuracy.
If you have a specific thing you wish to practice like punctuation or numbers, Monkeytype provides you with the option to specifically practice those. Overall, it is a solid typing practice with so many language options, including coding languages and targeted typing tests.
TypeRacer
For those who are a little more competitive, TypeRacer is a better option. You engage in a typing race against other individuals and try to finish first. If you get into it, you can even get high scores and be placed in the scoreboard to show off your typing skills.
What makes TypeRacer a little more difficult but rewarding than other typing practice sites is that mistakes aren't forgiven. If you do not spell a word correctly, you will not be able to move on to the next one which is very difficult when typing fast. But, this can improve your typing accuracy more than any other typing practice while simultaneously improving your typing speed. Plus, a little competition is always fun, right?
10FastFingers
A simpler approach to typing tests, 10fastfingers provides multiple typing tests depending on your level of typing skill. A beginner can practice typing by customizing the practice or completely choosing the text they are going to type.
For advanced typers, 10fastfingers has advanced typing tests with a wide variety of language options, including a multiplayer typing test where you can practice your typing skills against other opponents. Or, there are global challenges and 1000 word tests that allow you to practice the 1000 most used words in a specific language which is especially beneficial if you are learning a new language.
Touch Typing
Touch typing is the act of typing by using all of your fingers while not looking at the keyboard. The term touch typing refers to finding where buttons are by feeling them with your fingers. This happens over time when you practice regularly where your finger movements are so used to the keyboard, you can feel which button is where simply by feeling.
To learn touch typing and develop muscle memory in order to improve your typing speed and hone your typing skills, you can type every day while using the correct methods and eventually, you will get there. Keep in mind the correct positions for your fingers, do not look at the keyboard and just keep typing. For work or personal use, it doesn't matter. If you keep typing, your typing skills will improve, as long as you remember the correct methods.
If you wish to learn by using touch typing software, TypingClub is a simple yet effective addition for beginner or advanced users. With free video lessons and interactive courses, you will be guided to use the proper posture and finger positioning. In time, the touch type method will become a muscle memory.
Learn to Type Faster, Slowly
Typing fast has become a race in many of the online challenges, but we are not here to compete with people who somehow type 130 WPM. Because if you have around 80-90 WPM with great accuracy, your typing skills are already at an impressive level.
When trying to improve your typing speed and develop new typing skills, slow and steady wins the race, if the race is about learning how to type faster. The biggest reason is that when trying to type faster, mistakes occur often. Accuracy becomes harder, the faster one types. But if you learn how to type faster slowly, accuracy will not drop to a critical level. Because in the end, even if you write the fastest, if you make mistakes every few words, it is pointless.
Most of the online typing tests measure your current typing speed and show it at the end. Try to focus less on speed but on accuracy. Trust that over time, your WPM will increase but to increase accuracy you will need to focus on typing correctly.
How to Type Faster: Correct Posture
Now, if we are going to learn how to type faster, we might as well go all in. Having a proper typing posture might seem overkill, but if you are going to type for hours on end, sitting correctly will save you from a lot of trouble.
- First of all, try to find a comfortable chair that will allow your elbows to be at level with the keyboard.
- Sit straight, and ease the pressure on your lower back. Relax your shoulders.
- Elbows tucked and bent 90 degrees towards the keyboard.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor.
- Lift your wrists off the keyboard to maximize their mobility.
- Your eyes should be at level with the computer screen.
A good posture is important for people who type for long hours because sitting for so long can be damaging to your body. For this reason, try to find a comfortable chair that will ease your typing experience.
Get the Right Keyboard
Now, keyboards come in all shapes and sizes. Different keyboards are designed for different purposes. For typing, you want to be able to slide your hands across the keyboard with ease.
While most guides tell you that mechanical keyboards are best, this might not be the case for learning how to type faster. Yes, mechanical keyboards are great, but their buttons are on the heavier side for typing. If you really want to type faster, pressing a button should be as light as possible. So, when you are buying a keyboard to improve your typing skills, pay attention to the buttons. They should be close to the surface of the keyboard and not have sinks around the edges.
A wrist tray can also be damaging when learning how to type faster because your wrists should be elevated for increased mobility. A wrist tray might trick you into resting your wrists and putting more weight onto them because they are comfortable. But again, these details are preference and if you are more comfortable at the expense of typing speed, be our guest.
Type, Type, Type
Last but not least, let's repeat a topic that is emphasized throughout this article. The faster typist is the one that keeps typing. You do not have to type 120 WPM to be a fast typer. In fact, typing skills aren't just about speed, but about knowing the keyboard layout, keyboard shortcuts; having incredible accuracy and speed.
If you practice not looking at the keyboard, using the shortcuts and using optimal finger positioning, there is no doubt that you will learn how to type faster. This is beneficial in many fields including professional life, researching or typing personal messages.
May 12, 2023
