30-Second Typing Test
Run a focused 30-second typing test to check WPM and accuracy, with results calculated and saved locally on this device.
Tap or click here, then start typing
Type the target text exactly. Paste is disabled. Backspace corrections are allowed and tracked. The timer starts with the first committed character.
Target text: the be to of and a in that have I it for not on with he as you do at this but his by from they we say her she or an will my one all would there their what so up out if about who get which go me when make can like time no just him know take people into year your good some could them see other than then now look only come its over think also back after use two how our work first well way even new want because any
Ready. Tap or click the text area, then start typing.
What the 30-second test measures
The shortest length that starts to behave like a real measurement, and the usual choice for frequent progress checks.
Thirty seconds is long enough to include several distinct word patterns, so the score stops being dominated by whichever handful of words you happened to get. It is the shortest duration where repeating the test a few times gives a tight cluster of results rather than a scatter. That makes it a practical daily check, though it still flatters bursty typists relative to a longer test.
When to choose this length
Good for
- Daily progress checks without a long time commitment
- Comparing two keyboards or layouts back to back
- Building confidence before attempting a longer test
Trade-offs
- Still favours short bursts over sustained rhythm
- A difficult word cluster can still skew the result noticeably
Accuracy at this length: Watch whether accuracy falls in the second half. A drop in the closing seconds usually means your comfortable pace is slightly below the pace you are attempting.
Reading your score
These bands are guidance for deciding what to work on next, not measured population statistics. The documented figures behind them, including why the commonly quoted 40 WPM average is misleading, are on the average typing speed page.
- Under 25 WPMBuilding the basics
- Usually means you are still looking at the keyboard. Accuracy drills pay off far more than speed attempts at this stage.
- 25–39 WPMFunctional
- Comfortable for everyday messages and notes. This overlaps the transcription average from the 1999 study.
- 40–59 WPMSolid
- Fast enough that typing rarely limits your thinking. This is at or above the band that study called fast.
- 60–79 WPMStrong
- Within the documented professional range and sufficient for most roles that list a typing requirement.
- 80–99 WPMFast
- Matches the requirement for positions that specify 80–95 WPM.
- 100+ WPMVery fast
- Above most published job requirements. Sustaining it on a longer test with punctuation is the real challenge.
Questions about the 30-second test
- Is 30 seconds long enough for a typing test?
- It is long enough for a repeatable personal check, and short enough to take often. For anything you intend to quote, such as a job requirement, prefer one, three, or five minutes because those lengths include the fatigue and concentration effects that a 30-second sample misses.
- How often should I take a 30-second test?
- Once or twice a day is plenty, taken at a similar time and on a similar keyboard. Testing repeatedly in one sitting mostly measures how warmed up you are. Progress in typing shows up over weeks, not within a session.
Try other durations
Results are comparable only when the duration, corpus, and scoring version all match, so pick one length and stay with it when tracking progress.
See exactly how results are calculated in the scoring methodology, or convert your score with the typing speed converter.