How the click reaction test works
Put your hand on the mouse and press Start test. The panel is red. After a random wait of about 1.5 to 5 seconds it turns green, and you click. The test records the gap in milliseconds, repeats it for five tries and shows your average.
A click while the panel is red cancels the try and it is repeated. You can click anywhere on the panel, so no aiming is involved.
Click technique
- Rest your finger on the button. It should already be touching, with no gap to close.
- Press, do not lift and strike. Lifting the finger first adds a movement before the click.
- Keep the hand loose. Tension slows the finger.
- Hold the mouse still. Let the palm and the other fingers steady it so the press goes straight down.
Mouse latency
A click is not registered the instant your finger moves. The button has to travel, the mouse has to report the press and the browser has to receive it. Mouse, keyboard or touch input typically adds 1 to 20 ms. Add the screen, and total hardware delay on an online test is usually 20 to 50 ms.
None of that is your reaction, but it is part of every score.
Wired and wireless mice
| Setup | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Wired mouse | One less possible source of delay |
| Wireless mouse | Can add delay, depending on the model |
| Laptop trackpad | Works, but keep to one input when you compare scores |
| Any mouse on a 60 Hz screen | The screen still refreshes only every 16.7 ms |
If you own both kinds of mouse, you can measure the difference yourself. Run the test five or more times with each on the same computer and compare the averages. Your own reactions are the same in both cases, so a consistent gap of 10 ms or more usually comes from the hardware. The reaction time tester page explains this check in more detail.
Reading your click score
Most people average 250 to 300 ms. Under 230 ms is fast, and under 200 ms is exceptional. Read the average, since one quick click is often partly luck.
To try the keyboard instead, see the reaction time test spacebar page. To add movement to the click, use the aim trainer.