Finger Trainer
Which finger types which key
Rest your left fingers on A, S, D and F and your right fingers on J, K, L and ;. Your index fingers find the bumps on F and J. Each finger presses the keys straight above and below its home key. The index fingers also take the next column in (T, G, B, 5 and Y, H, N, 6), and the pinkies take everything out to the edges.
| Finger | Keys |
|---|---|
| Left pinky | ` 1 Q A Z Tab Caps Shift |
| Left ring finger | 2 W S X |
| Left middle finger | 3 E D C |
| Left index finger | 4 5 R T F G V B |
| Either thumb | Space Alt Alt |
| Right index finger | 6 7 Y U H J N M |
| Right middle finger | 8 I K , |
| Right ring finger | 9 O L . |
| Right pinky | 0 - = P [ ] \ ; ' / Delete Enter Shift |
See every key in the printable finger chart
How to retrain your fingers
- Start at the home row, even if you already type fast. Old habits hide in the keys you know best.
- Keep your eyes on the screen. The lit key and finger replace the glance down at your hands.
- Be right before you are fast. A stage passes at 95% accuracy. Speed comes from keys you no longer have to think about.
- Read the line under the text when you miss. It names the finger the wrong key belongs to, so you notice which finger strayed.
- Use the opposite Shift: right Shift for left-hand letters, left Shift for right-hand ones. The trainer notices which one you hold.
- Practise your weak keys. After a few rounds the trainer finds the keys you miss or reach slowest and builds rounds from them.
- Turn hints down as you improve: to When I pause, then Off.
- Practise a little every day. Short daily sessions build the habit better than a long one now and then.
Questions
Which finger presses B?
Your left index finger. B is in the column below G and T, which the left index finger covers.
Which finger presses Y and 6?
Your right index finger. Some courses give 6 to the left hand; this chart splits the hands between 5 and 6, as between T and Y.
Which Shift key should I use?
The one on the other side: right Shift for letters your left hand types, left Shift for your right hand's. The typing hand stays on its keys.
Which thumb presses the space bar?
Either. Pick the one that feels natural and use it every time; many typists use the thumb of the hand that did not type the last letter.
How do I stop looking at the keyboard?
Watch the screen: the keyboard drawn here shows the next key, so you never need to look down. When a row feels easy, set hints to When I pause.
How is speed measured?
In words per minute, counting five characters as a word, from your first key to your last. Accuracy is the share of key presses that were right.
Is my progress saved?
Yes, in this browser only. There is no account and nothing is sent anywhere. Download a backup on the Progress tab to move it to another browser.
Does it work on a phone?
Practice needs a physical keyboard: a laptop, a desktop, or a tablet with one attached. The finger chart works on any screen.