How the one minute typing test works
Press Start test and start typing. You have 60 seconds. The text keeps coming, so you never run out of words, and when the minute is up the test stops by itself. Correct characters turn dark, mistakes show in red and Backspace works. Your score is words per minute multiplied by accuracy over the minute.
Why one minute is the standard length
Typing speed is measured in words per minute, so a test of exactly one minute needs no conversion. The number of standard five-character words you get through is your WPM.
A minute is also a practical length. It is long enough that a fumbled first word does not ruin the result, and short enough to fit several runs into a break. A fixed time has one more advantage over a fixed passage. Every run lasts the same, whether you type at 30 WPM or 90 WPM, so your results are easy to compare with each other.
How to pace a timed minute
Think of the minute in three parts.
The opening seconds. Settle in. Start slightly below your top speed and get the first line clean. An early error costs more than a careful start.
The middle. Hold a steady rhythm and keep your eyes one word ahead. Do not look for the clock. Checking it breaks your reading and costs you words.
The final seconds. Resist the sprint. A rushed finish adds errors, and accuracy is multiplied into the score.
Stamina and burst speed
You can type a familiar phrase much faster than you can type a full minute of new text. The first is burst speed. The second is stamina: the pace you can hold when the words keep coming and you cannot predict them.
| Quality | Burst speed | Stamina |
|---|---|---|
| Shows up in | Short phrases and familiar words | A full minute or longer |
| Limited by | Finger speed | Focus, reading ahead and tension |
| Built by | Drilling common words | Timed runs at an even pace |
If your pace falls away late in the minute, drop your shoulders and loosen your wrists.
Use it as a daily check
Run the minute three times and note the average. Your runs are stored in the Your scores panel. For a plan built around short sessions, see typing test practice. For a fixed passage instead of a fixed time, use the main typing test.