What is the best free way to learn touch typing?

No study has compared free typing tools, so there is no proven best one. For most adults starting from scratch, a structured course that teaches the keys one row at a time is the sensible free choice. TypingClub fits that description, and its homepage says the service is free for individuals ¹. Once the basics are in place, a free adaptive drill such as Keybr is a useful second tool. The rest of this page explains how to choose and how to practice.

Choose a course that keeps one finger on each key

The strongest evidence on what to look for comes from a motion-capture study of everyday typists. It found three predictors of high speed, and the first is that a letter is always pressed by the same finger ². A free course helps only if it keeps that mapping fixed. Check that its lessons add keys by finger and return you to the home row after each press. Our question on finger placement sets out the map.

Feedback matters too, and so does a fixed schedule. One published touch-typing program ran 14 lessons held every two weeks ³. Prefer a free tool that shows which keys cost you errors, rather than only a total score at the end.

TypingClub is the simplest structured start

TypingClub's homepage says the service is free for individuals and schools, with an optional paid school edition ¹. A learner working alone does not need the school edition. Check the free terms on the homepage before you start, because pricing can change.

Keybr adapts to your weakest keys, but it is a drill rather than a course

Keybr's own project README says it generates lessons that focus on the learner's weakest keys ⁴. A 2021 Popular Science roundup described Keybr as available online for free, with ads and optional registration ⁵. Keybr's site did not load fully in our check, so confirm the current terms before you commit.

No study has tested whether an adaptive drill beats a fixed course. Treat Keybr as practice for accuracy on the keys you already know, and use a course to learn new keys.

No study compares free sites, so structure and daily practice decide the result

In a two-year study of elementary pupils, one group spent the first year on free web-based activities and then moved to a structured program in the second year ⁶. It tested children rather than adults, and it compared two programs rather than free and paid tools in general, so it does not settle which free site is best.

A course on its own does not carry over into everyday typing. A 2003 paper notes that earlier research found that success in touch-typing training does not guarantee that people keep touch typing in daily use ⁷. The practical answer is to type your own writing with the keyboard covered, not only the lessons.

What to do: a free plan in five steps

1. Home row first. Use a course's first lessons and learn A, S, D, F and J, K, L and semicolon before any other keys.
2. Short, regular sessions. The studies do not test how long each session should be, so the length is practical advice, not a finding.
3. Hide the keyboard. Cover the keys or look only at the screen, so you learn key positions by feel, not by appearance.
4. Add a drill. Once the home row comes without a look, Keybr is one free option for accuracy practice on your weakest keys.
5. Type your own text. Each week, track typing accuracy and words per minute on the same test, so the numbers stay comparable.

Speed should follow accuracy. Practicing with many errors builds the habits you later have to undo, so slow down if your error rate climbs.

When a free course is not enough

• You already type fast with two or three fingers. The gain may be small. Our question on whether touch typing is worth learning covers that choice.
• You need a teacher or a class to stay on track. A self-study course has no one to check your finger position. An adult class may suit you better.
• You mainly need text on the page. Speech may be the better input for drafting. Our free online dictation page lets you try it in your browser.
• The learner is a child. Children follow a different timeline. See our question on touch typing for kids.

For the full picture, read our guide to touch typing, our answer on how long it takes, and our overview of typing and writing speed.