Touch typing, the ability to type with all ten fingers without needing to look at the keyboard as you go, is a valuable skill if you want to dramatically increase your typing speed. If you're new to touch typing, here's a beginner's guide to get you started.
ContentsWhat is touch typing?The benefits of typingHow to get started with typingHelpful resources for typingBlank keyboardJoin the typing clubOther online toolsConclusionTouch input has nothing to do with a touch screen. Basically, typing is the ability to type with all of your fingers without needing to look at the letters on the keyboard. You achieve this not only by memorizing the location of every letter, number, and sign on the keyboard, but also by memorizing which finger controls which keys.
At first it may seem that using typing you will never be able to type as quickly and accurately as with your current two-finger system (also known as flush and peck), but that is not the case. The time you waste moving your two fingers drastically reduces your speed, and even if you're a super-fast hunter, the number of words per minute you'll be able to type is two or even three times lower than with touch input.
In other words, the investment to learn typing is well worth it, unless you plan to use the keyboard only occasionally. This is a relatively rare scenario unless your tasks can be done with the mouse only. In all other cases, even for single emails, it makes sense to ditch the -finger approach for something more advanced.
While the basics of typing aren't rocket science, there are thick textbooks devoted to it – they're mostly drills, though, and not complex theory. Basically, you need to remember which finger which keys serve, as shown in the image below for the standard QWERTY keyboard.
Although you can get a tutorial/manual and practice on your own once in a while, you can expect better results if you do it consistently. There are plenty of software online, but Typing Club is the best for beginners and more advanced touch typists. It is a free site. Just choose your language (and your preferred keyboard layout if there are multiple layouts for your language) and keep trying.
There are also several other typing websites you can use to master touch typing and improve your typing speed.
When you're a beginner, touch input feels clunky and counterproductive, but trust me, it's not. The long-term benefits of learning this skill are well worth it. Don't get discouraged quickly and don't give up just because the beginning is tough. You need a lot of practice, but once you get the hang of touch typing, you'll wonder how you ever managed without it.
