How to type faster on a phone
To type faster on a phone, use both thumbs, hold the phone so each thumb reaches its own half of the keyboard, and aim for a steady rhythm instead of stopping to fix every slip.
2 min read · Updated · By whytyping
A touchscreen has no key edges to feel, so phone typing relies on consistent thumb movements and good aim. The habits below make the biggest difference.
Hold the phone for two thumbs
Rest the phone on your fingers with both thumbs free above the keyboard. Let the left thumb take the left half and the right thumb the right half. Each thumb then moves only a short distance, and one can travel while the other taps. Typing with one index finger means that finger has to cover the whole keyboard alone.
Keep your grip steady
Thumbs aim better from a stable base. If the phone shifts in your hands with each tap, your accuracy drops. Sitting down, or bracing your hands against something, helps more than you might expect.
Aim for the middle of the key
Most slips on a touchscreen are taps that land on the edge between two keys. Slowing slightly and aiming for key centres cuts errors, and fewer errors is where phone speed comes from.
Find an even beat
Thumb typing is quickest as a steady left-right rhythm. Bursts followed by long pauses to fix mistakes are slower overall than one calm pace.
Tune your keyboard
- Size. If your keyboard app lets you change key height, a slightly taller keyboard is easier to hit.
- Feedback. A light vibration or click on each key can help your timing. Try it on and off.
- Orientation. Portrait suits two thumbs on most phones. Landscape spreads keys further apart.
Measure without help
In everyday messaging, autocorrect and predictions hide how accurate your thumbs really are. A typing test removes that help. On whytyping, tap the text to open your keyboard. Autocorrect, autocapitalise and predictive text are off for the test, the header and menu hide while you type, and the line you are on stays above the keyboard.
A 30-second typing test is a comfortable length on a phone. Take a few and look at accuracy first.
Practise like any other skill
Short daily sessions work for thumbs just as they do for a full keyboard. Fix accuracy first and let pace follow. The same principles are covered for physical keyboards in how to type faster.
What is different on a phone
Guided lessons on whytyping teach finger positions for a physical keyboard. They still open on a phone, with a compact chip showing the next key, but they are best done with a real keyboard. Tests, drills and the Daily Challenge work fully on a phone.
Keep expectations fair
Phone and keyboard speeds are not the same scale. Compare your phone results with your earlier phone results, and treat the general ranges in what is a good typing speed as describing physical keyboards.
Questions
Is two-thumb typing faster than one finger?
For most people, yes. Two thumbs share the keyboard, so each one travels a shorter distance between keys.
Why is autocorrect off during a whytyping test?
So the score reflects what you typed. Autocorrect, autocapitalise and predictive text are switched off on the test's input field.
Can I compare my phone score with my keyboard score?
Not directly. They are different skills, so track each one against its own history.