Do you want to learn how to type fast, but aren't sure how to do it? We will explain to you which system you can use to type as quickly as possible and how you can easily learn it.

The 10-finger system: It's so easy to learn to type quickly

The best way to learn fast typing is to use the 10-finger system. As the name of the system suggests, all fingers of both hands are used. This makes many keystrokes per minute possible and lets you write your texts quickly and fluently.

Posture when writing

Your posture, i.e. how you sit in front of the keyboard and the monitor, is of fundamental importance both when learning the 10-finger system and for your health.

• Sit upright in front of the PC and keep your back as straight as possible.
• Your upper arms should form a right angle with the keyboard.
• Keep a distance of 45 to 80 centimeters from your monitor.
• You should sit so that your eyes are slightly above the monitor, so you have to tilt your gaze slightly to see the screen.

The finger position and movement

Each finger has a special position on the keyboard so that you can reach as many keys as possible with all your fingers in the shortest possible time. To take this, first place your wrists directly in front of the keyboard so that your fingers reach about the middle row of the letters. Position your fingers like this:

• The fingers of the left hand (from the little finger to the index finger) are on A, S, D and F.
• The fingers of the right hand (from the index finger to the little finger) are on J, K, L and Ö.

This is called the root or starting position of the 10-finger system. Put your thumb on the spacebar so you can quickly separate your words with a space. You can choose which one you want to use.

The little fingers press the shift key in this system. Which of the two fingers presses the key depends on the word you want to write. In general, the writing hand presses the key for the letter, while the little finger of the opposite hand presses the shift key. So if you want to write a capital E, you press the letter with your left hand and the shift key with your right hand.

To cover all the letters on the keyboard, move your fingers diagonally across the keyboard from the home position. The individual fingers in the 10-finger system have permanently assigned keys:

Left hand

Which finger?	Mapped Keys
Pinkie finger	Number 1 and 2 as well as Q, A, Y
ring finger	Number 3 as well as W, S, X
middle finger	Number 4 as well as E, D, C
index finger	Number 5 and 6 as well as R, F, V, T, G, B

right hand

Which finger?	Mapped Keys
Pinkie finger	Number 0 and P, Ö, -, ß, Ü, Ä, ´,+, #
ring finger	Number 9 as well as O, L
middle finger	Number 8 as well as I, K
index finger	Number 7 plus Z, H, N, U, J, M

Tip: To make it as easy as possible for your fingers to find their starting position again, there are small elevations on the F and J keys – this is where your index fingers are. Once your index fingers have found their position, you can align the remaining fingers with them.

Tips & Tricks for fast typing

Here are a few tips to help you learn touch typing quickly and practice typing quickly:

• Don't look at your fingers when you're looking for buttons. Try to use the bumps on the F and J keys to orient yourself.
• Let your fingers return to the starting position immediately after the keystroke. This way you can better memorize the positions of the keys.
• Copy a text and try to read only the said text and not to look at the keyboard.
• Once you're a little more confident, try planning your keystrokes ahead. Do you want to write a paragraph or capitalize a word? Then put your little finger on the right button.
• Use typing programs like TypingClub or Ratatype to help you learn.

How fast can I type?

Typing speed is usually measured in keystrokes per minute, since words per minute isn't very meaningful. This is due to the different lengths of the words.

How fast you can type depends on your keystrokes per minute. With good practice, you can achieve an average of 200 to 400 keystrokes per minute. The world record is even 955 strokes per minute. You can test how fast you are on websites like 10 Fast Fingers .

summary

• You can learn to type quickly using the 10-finger system
• The way you sit in front of the PC is important for writing and for your health
• With 10-finger system, your fingers are on the ASDF (left hand) and JKLÖ (right hand) keys. Thumbs rest on or below the spacebar, little fingers on the shift keys.
• With little tricks and tutorials, you can learn how to type fast even better
• With a lot of practice you can manage an average of 200 to 400 keystrokes per minute