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How to Type Faster Without Looking at the Keyboard

Easy Way to Memorize the Keyboard

The quickest and easiest way to memorize the keyboard is to place both your index fingers on the F and J keys, using them as reference points. By having your fingers fall naturally on the middle row of the keyboard, you will type faster without looking in no time.

The use of computer keyboards has become an essential part of today’s daily activities regardless of occupation. Therefore, touch typing is a valuable skill to master to increase your speed and maximize your productivity dramatically.

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Did you know that the average person types about 40 words per minute? However, it’s possible to learn how to type faster and double that speed. By improving your posture and mastering the right technique, you will become a more efficient keyboard typer.

Whether you’re a tech-savvy veteran or a computer beginner looking to acquire this skill, this simple guide will help you learn how to type without looking at the keyboard and get things done quicker in your workday.

How to Type Faster Tips and Tricks

1. Proper Posture for Typing

The first thing we need to address is your typing posture. Maintaining the proper ergonomic posture will help you type comfortably and easily, without the risk of wrist injuries. This simple step is often overlooked but crucial to become more effective.

There are three simple things to keep in mind when typing on the keyboard:

  • Back straight and aligned with your chair
  • Elbows bent at the optimal 90-degree angle
  • Feet flat on the ground

Having your hands rest near the base of the keyboard will help reduce unnecessary movement and prevent you from pressing the keys forcefully. A light stroke or touch is one of the ingredients to typing with more speed.

2. Learn How to Touch Type

Now that you are comfortable and ready to go, the next step is to learn touch typing. Watch this quick video to help you understand the basic guidelines:

Touch typing is the practice of typing without looking at the keyboard. It is having the awareness that each finger has its own designated area on the keyboard. This method is governed by muscle memory through repetition of the proper typing technique.

As we’ve mentioned in the snippet above this article, the quickest way to memorize the keyboard is to understand F and J Guidance. This is a basic guideline to help you determine the right finger positions and ensure you hit the right keys every time.

This picture shows you the right keyboard typing finger placement:

Image sourced from the YouTube video of HowTech.

As you can see in the picture above, your fingers should fall naturally along with the home-row keys or the middle row of the keyboard. Think of it as the home base for your fingers.

You should use the nearest finger to type keys outside of the home row. As a general rule of thumb (no pun intended), your thumbs are in charge of the space bar, while the pinkie finger is responsible for the shift key.

By keeping your fingers close to the base position, not only will it improve typing speed but it helps to reduce stress on the hands in the long run.

You’ll notice that the F and J keys on the best mechanical keyboards have small bumps, allowing you to identify them even when your eyes are closed. Surely this will take time, but eventually, maneuvering your fingers around the F and J keys to type other letters will become second nature.

Because we are always in the vicinity of QWERTY keyboards every day, including the one on your smartphone, the awareness will come naturally without much effort.

3. Practice Makes Perfect

Next, let’s work on building your muscle memory. Now that you understand the proper technique, the best way to learn is simply to practice and start typing.

Based on our experience, it’s better to type with the proper form while looking at the keyboard instead of forcing yourself not to look at the keyboard but struggle mightily.

Do not rush when you just started learning. Take your time when typing to avoid mistakes, and focus on limiting typos. The speed will pick up as you progress.

Think of it like learning to drive a car. You wouldn’t start out by driving in the highest gear right from the get-go, would you? Next thing you know, the simple act of driving a car becomes second nature, and you can do it without even thinking.

You’ll be amazed that when you focus on doing the right things, your hand-eye coordination will improve over time, and speed will come naturally.

With that said, you can start by opening up a blank document and typing any words that come to your mind. There’s no better way than to start learning by doing, as it allows you to hone your skills and become a master with consistent time and practice.

There are also numerous websites designed to help you learn typing in an exciting and engaging manner. You can try these exclusive typing games, as they are a great way to improve typing speed and accuracy, tailored to your current typing skills. Plus, they’re a ton of fun! 🙂

Choosing the Right-Sized Keyboard

One factor of consideration that may limit your typing speed is a keyboard that is too big. Having a keyboard that doesn’t fully support your hands can hinder, or worse, cause harm to your wrists.

Because most keyboards are catered to medium to large-sized hands, some people with smaller hands might have trouble typing properly. Your best bet is to invest in a smaller ergonomic keyboard designed to promote neutral positioning and provide support for your hands.

Smaller keyboards can also help increase typing speed because the distance between the keys is much closer, allowing minimal effort from your fingers to reach certain alphabets.

With that in mind, getting a new keyboard might take some getting used to, but it will be a non-factor once you’ve mastered the right techniques to type without looking at the keyboard. 

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Final Takeaways

To recap everything we’ve learned so far, here are some of the most important takeaways on how to type faster on the keyboard:

  1. Before anything else, sit with a proper typing posture.
  2. Use the F and J guidance to align your fingers naturally.
  3. It’s okay to look at the keyboard.
  4. Repetition of the right technique will make you more skillful.
  5. Speed will come naturally.

By learning how to type without looking at the keyboard, you are surely on your way to typing faster and becoming a more efficient computer typer.

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