How to Go From 40 WPM to 80 WPM in 30 Days — A Step-by-Step Plan

Going from 40 WPM to 80 WPM in just 30 days is an ambitious goal. For some typists, it may be achievable; for others, it may take longer. Your starting technique, typing accuracy, keyboard familiarity, practice consistency, and previous experience all affect how quickly you improve.

The important thing is not simply to type faster every day. You need a structured approach that develops typing speed and accuracy together.

If you currently type around 40 WPM, you already have a foundation. The next step is to eliminate inefficient finger movements, develop better muscle memory, reduce common errors, and gradually increase your comfortable typing pace.

This 30-day plan provides a practical roadmap for working toward 80 WPM typing speed without relying on random typing tests or simply forcing your fingers to move faster.

Important: 80 WPM in 30 days is a target, not a guarantee. If your accuracy falls significantly while your speed increases, prioritize accuracy and adjust the timeline.

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What Does 40 WPM to 80 WPM Actually Mean?

WPM stands for words per minute. In most typing tests, one “word” is standardized as five characters, including spaces.

Moving from 40 WPM to 80 WPM means doubling your measured typing speed.

At 40 WPM, you’re producing approximately:

200 characters per minute

At 80 WPM:

400 characters per minute

That’s a substantial improvement.

However, your goal shouldn’t be to force yourself to type twice as fast immediately. Instead, break the target into smaller milestones:

40 → 45 → 50 → 55 → 60 → 65 → 70 → 75 → 80 WPM

These smaller targets make your progress easier to measure.

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Can You Really Go From 40 WPM to 80 WPM in 30 Days?

Yes, it is possible for some people, but it depends heavily on your current skill level and typing technique.

Someone who already has good touch-typing fundamentals but is stuck around 40 WPM may improve relatively quickly.

Someone who uses hunt-and-peck typing, frequently looks at the keyboard, or has accuracy below 90% may need more time.

Your first objective should therefore be to identify why you’re currently at 40 WPM.

Ask yourself:

• Do I use touch typing?
• Do I look at the keyboard?
• What is my average accuracy?
• Which keys do I frequently miss?
• Do I use the correct fingers?
• Do I pause between words?
• Do I make many backspace corrections?
• Can I maintain my speed for several minutes?

Your answers will determine where you should spend most of your practice time.

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The Most Important Rule: Accuracy Before Speed

If you want to increase typing speed, don’t make the mistake of trying to type as fast as possible from Day 1.

Accuracy is the foundation of sustainable speed.

For example:

40 WPM at 98% accuracy

is a much better starting point than:

40 WPM at 82% accuracy.

Why?

Because the first typist already has good control. They mainly need to develop faster movement and rhythm.

The second typist needs to reduce errors before aggressively increasing speed.

As a general training target, try to maintain at least 95% accuracy during speed practice.

If your accuracy suddenly falls below that level, slow down and regain control.

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Your 30-Day 40 WPM to 80 WPM Plan

The program is divided into four stages:

Days 1–7

Build accuracy and technique

Days 8–14

Develop speed and rhythm

Days 15–21

Push toward 65–70 WPM

Days 22–30

Train for 75–80 WPM

Each stage has a different purpose.

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Days 1–7: Build Your Foundation

During the first week, don’t worry about reaching 80 WPM.

Your goal is to make your typing movements more efficient.

Day 1: Establish Your Baseline

Take a 1 Minute Typing Test and record:

• WPM
• Accuracy
• Errors
• Test duration

Take three tests and calculate your average.

Don’t use your highest score as your baseline.

Your average is more useful.

For example:

Your starting point would be approximately 40 WPM.

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Day 2: Check Your Finger Placement

Review the basic touch-typing position.

Your fingers should return to the home row:

A S D F — J K L ;

The raised marks on the F and J keys help you locate the correct position without looking down.

Spend 15–20 minutes practicing proper finger placement.

Don’t chase speed.

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Day 3: Identify Your Weak Keys

During your typing tests, look for repeated errors.

Maybe you frequently confuse:

• E and R
• I and O
• C and V
• N and M
• P and O

Write down your five most common problem areas.

Then practice them individually.

Targeted practice is more useful than spending the entire session repeating words you already type correctly.

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Day 4: Practice Common Letter Combinations

Practice frequently occurring combinations such as:

• th
• he
• in
• er
• an
• re
• on
• at
• en
• nd
• ti
• es

The objective is to make common combinations automatic.

This can help reduce the mental effort required to type common words.

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Day 5: Stop Looking at the Keyboard

If you still look down frequently, begin eliminating the habit.

Keep your eyes on the screen.

If you forget where a key is, pause briefly rather than immediately looking down.

It may feel slower initially.

That’s expected.

You’re building keyboard memory.

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Day 6: Accuracy Training

Complete several short typing exercises at a comfortable pace.

Try to achieve:

95–98% accuracy

Don’t worry if your WPM falls below 40.

This is deliberate training.

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Day 7: Weekly Test

Take three one-minute tests.

Compare your average with Day 1.

You might see something like:

Day 1: 40 WPM

Day 7: 44 WPM

That’s progress.

Don’t expect to double your speed during the first week.

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Days 8–14: Start Increasing Speed

Now that your technique is more stable, you can begin adding speed training.

Your target for the end of Week 2 could be around:

50–60 WPM

Again, this is a guideline rather than a guarantee.

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Use Short Speed Bursts

One effective method is to use short periods of faster typing.

For example:

30 seconds normal speed

then:

15 seconds faster speed

then:

30 seconds normal speed

Repeat several times.

During the fast interval, try to increase your speed without completely losing accuracy.

This teaches your fingers to operate at a faster pace.

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Practice With a Metronome-Like Rhythm

Many typists slow down because they type individual words at different speeds.

Instead, try to establish a consistent rhythm.

Think:

tap-tap-tap-tap

rather than:

fast-fast-stop-fast-stop

A consistent rhythm can make longer typing sessions feel more natural.

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Days 15–21: Push Toward 65–70 WPM

This is where your training becomes more challenging.

Your target is no longer just accurate typing.

Now you’re learning to maintain speed for longer periods.

Practice Longer Tests

Instead of relying only on one-minute tests, try:

• 2-minute tests
• 5-minute tests

You can use our 5 Minute Typing Test to practice maintaining speed and accuracy over a longer period.

Longer tests expose weaknesses that short tests may hide.

You may be able to hit 70 WPM for 30 seconds but struggle to maintain 60 WPM for five minutes.

Endurance matters.

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Reduce Backspace Dependence

Backspace is useful, but excessive correction can disrupt your typing rhythm.

If you make a small mistake during practice, focus on understanding why it happened.

Was it:

• Wrong finger?
• Poor hand position?
• Typing too quickly?
• Losing concentration?
• Confusing similar keys?

Fix the underlying problem rather than simply correcting the visible typo.

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Days 22–30: Train Toward 80 WPM

The final stage focuses on speed endurance and controlled high-speed typing.

At this point, you should already have a stronger foundation.

Your daily objective is to gradually approach:

70 → 72 → 75 → 78 → 80 WPM

Don’t force 80 WPM on every attempt.

Instead, use multiple attempts and monitor your average.

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The Daily 30-Minute Typing Routine

If you have 30 minutes per day, use this structure.

5 Minutes: Warm-Up

Type common words and sentences at a comfortable pace.

Focus on accuracy.

10 Minutes: Accuracy Practice

Practice difficult words and key combinations.

Aim for 97%+ accuracy.

10 Minutes: Speed Practice

Complete short timed exercises.

Push your speed slightly above your normal comfortable level.

5 Minutes: Performance Test

Take a timed typing test and record:

• WPM
• Accuracy
• Errors

This gives you a measurable daily performance score.

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What If Your Accuracy Drops?

Suppose you normally type:

60 WPM at 97% accuracy

but when you push for 70 WPM you get:

70 WPM at 84% accuracy

Don’t consider that a successful improvement.

You’ve increased speed but sacrificed too much accuracy.

Instead, try:

63 WPM at 97% accuracy

Then:

66 WPM at 97% accuracy

Then:

69 WPM at 96–97% accuracy

Gradual progress is more sustainable.

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Touch Typing Is Essential for Reaching 80 WPM

If you want to reach 80 WPM typing speed, touch typing is one of the most useful skills you can develop.

Touch typing means using specific fingers for specific keys without constantly looking at the keyboard.

It allows you to rely on muscle memory.

If you’re still using two or three fingers, reaching 80 WPM may be considerably more difficult.

You can learn more about the technique in our guide to touch typing practice.

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How to Increase Typing Speed Without Losing Accuracy

The key is controlled progression.

Don’t try to increase your WPM by 20 points in one session.

Instead, increase your target gradually.

For example:

Current: 40 WPM

Week 1 target: 45 WPM

Week 2 target: 55 WPM

Week 3 target: 65 WPM

Week 4 target: 75–80 WPM

Your actual results may differ.

Some people may progress faster, while others may need several additional weeks.

The goal is consistent improvement rather than hitting an arbitrary number on a specific day.

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Use WPM Tests to Track Your Progress

A WPM typing test provides an objective way to measure your performance.

Take your tests under similar conditions.

For example:

• Same keyboard
• Same test duration
• Similar difficulty
• Similar environment

Then record your results.

A simple progress table could look like this:

This is only an example. Your results may look completely different.

The important thing is to track the trend.

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Common Mistakes That Stop You From Reaching 80 WPM

1. Typing as Fast as Possible Every Day

Constant maximum-speed testing doesn’t necessarily improve your technique.

You need controlled practice as well.

2. Ignoring Accuracy

If you’re making too many mistakes, increasing speed will reinforce bad habits.

3. Looking at the Keyboard

This prevents you from developing strong muscle memory.

4. Using the Wrong Fingers

Improper finger positioning creates unnecessary movement.

5. Practicing Only One-Minute Tests

Short tests don’t fully develop typing endurance.

6. Practicing Randomly

A structured routine is easier to follow and measure.

7. Comparing Yourself With Elite Typists

Everyone starts from a different skill level.

Focus on your own improvement.

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Does Keyboard Type Affect Typing Speed?

It can.

Keyboard layout, key spacing, switch type, key travel, and overall comfort can influence how a person types.

However, changing keyboards won’t automatically double your WPM.

Your technique is much more important.

If you’re comfortable with your current keyboard, focus on improving your typing habits before buying new equipment.

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Should You Use Mechanical or Laptop Keyboards?

Either can work.

The best keyboard is usually the one that allows you to type comfortably and consistently.

If you’re already comfortable on a laptop keyboard, you don’t necessarily need a mechanical keyboard to improve your WPM.

Your training should focus on:

• Finger placement
• Accuracy
• Rhythm
• Muscle memory
• Consistency

rather than equipment alone.

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How Much Should You Practice Every Day?

You don’t need to spend several hours practicing.

For most learners, 20–30 minutes of focused practice can be a reasonable starting point.

If you have more time, you can split practice into multiple sessions.

For example:

Morning: 15 minutes

Evening: 15 minutes

This can be easier to maintain than one long session.

The quality of practice matters more than simply accumulating hours.

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What If You Don’t Reach 80 WPM After 30 Days?

Don’t consider the program a failure.

Suppose you start at 40 WPM and reach 65 WPM.

That’s a 25 WPM improvement.

You have still made substantial progress.

You may simply need more time to reach 80 WPM.

Continue the same process:

Accuracy → consistency → speed → endurance

The exact timeline isn’t important.

Building a sustainable typing skill is.

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How to Know You’re Ready for 80 WPM

You’re ready to seriously target 80 WPM when you can consistently maintain:

• 65–70 WPM
• 95%+ accuracy
• Good touch-typing technique
• Minimal keyboard looking
• Consistent rhythm
• Low correction frequency

At that point, 80 WPM becomes a realistic stretch target rather than an unrealistic jump.

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30-Day Typing Speed Checklist

Use this checklist throughout your training:

• Establish your baseline WPM.
• Measure your starting accuracy.
• Learn proper finger placement.
• Practice the home row.
• Stop looking at the keyboard.
• Identify your most common errors.
• Practice difficult key combinations.
• Complete daily speed drills.
• Practice longer typing tests.
• Track WPM and accuracy.
• Increase speed gradually.
• Maintain at least 95% accuracy during most practice.
• Retest at the end of each week.
• Compare your average rather than your highest score.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible to go from 40 WPM to 80 WPM in 30 days?

It is possible for some typists, particularly those who already have good touch-typing fundamentals. However, it is not guaranteed. Your current accuracy, technique, practice routine, and experience all influence your progress.

How many hours should I practice typing to reach 80 WPM?

You don’t necessarily need hours of daily practice. A focused 20–30 minute session can be effective when it includes accuracy work, speed drills, and timed tests. Consistency is more important than excessive practice.

What is the fastest way to increase typing speed?

The most effective approach is to develop proper touch-typing technique, improve accuracy, practice consistently, and gradually increase speed. Simply forcing yourself to type faster can increase errors.

Should I focus on WPM or accuracy?

Focus on both, but prioritize accuracy when your error rate is high. A useful target is to maintain approximately 95% or higher accuracy while gradually increasing WPM.

Can beginners reach 80 WPM?

Yes, beginners can eventually reach 80 WPM, but the time required varies considerably. Someone starting at 40 WPM may need fewer weeks or months than someone starting from 20 WPM.

Is 80 WPM considered fast typing?

80 WPM is generally considered a strong typing speed for many everyday and professional tasks. However, the usefulness of the speed also depends on accuracy and the type of work being performed.

How can I practice typing speed at home?

You can practice using online typing exercises and timed tests. Create a daily routine that includes accuracy drills, speed bursts, longer tests, and progress tracking.

Does touch typing help you reach 80 WPM?

Touch typing can provide a strong foundation for higher typing speeds because it uses consistent finger placement and muscle memory. It isn’t the only factor, but it can make faster and more efficient typing easier to develop.

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Final Thoughts

Going from 40 WPM to 80 WPM in 30 days is an ambitious challenge, but a structured training plan gives you a much better chance of making significant progress.

Don’t spend the next month taking random typing tests and hoping your score increases.

Instead, train deliberately.

Start by measuring your baseline. Improve your accuracy. Develop proper touch-typing technique. Practice difficult key combinations. Add controlled speed drills. Gradually increase your WPM. Finally, work on maintaining your speed during longer tests.

Most importantly, don’t sacrifice accuracy just to see a bigger number on the screen.

A typist who can produce 80 WPM with 97–99% accuracy has developed a much more useful skill than someone who can briefly reach 80 WPM while making frequent mistakes.

Your 30-day journey should therefore look like this:

40 WPM → better technique → higher accuracy → faster rhythm → stronger endurance → 80 WPM.

Start with your current score today, record your results, and focus on becoming slightly better with every practice session.