Is typing with two thumbs faster than one finger?

Yes. In the largest measured phone study, two thumbs was the fastest way to type, at 38.02 words per minute ( WPM), and the gap to every other group was statistically significant ¹. People who typed with one finger averaged 29.2, against 37.7 for people who typed with two fingers ². The data are observational, though. They compare people who already type each way, so they do not prove that moving a one-finger typist to two thumbs will add the same speed. Our phone typing speed guide gives the full set of studies.

Two thumbs is the fastest posture, and most people use it

Two thumbs was the most common posture in the largest study. The summary of the study reports that over 74 percent of the 37,000 volunteers typed with both thumbs ³. The full paper reports that over 82 percent of participants did ⁴. Both are stated as "over" a figure, and the two write-ups give different numbers, so treat the exact share as approximate. Both agree that most people type with two thumbs.

A separate field study found the same pattern. Two thumbs was the most popular posture, at 74.5 percent ⁵. That study also found that people used several postures, so a single label per person hides a lot.

The big gap is between one finger and two

Look at the numbers side by side. Two fingers averaged 37.7 words per minute and two thumbs averaged 38.02, so the two two-digit groups sit close together. One finger averaged 29.2 ², clearly below both. The clearest difference in the data is between one digit and two, not between the two thumbs and the other two-digit option.

The study authors explain the two-thumb advantage by frequent switching between the sides of the screen, which allows preparatory movements that shorten the gaps between keystrokes ⁶. That explanation comes from earlier research. The study did not test it, so present it as the authors' interpretation.

Why the data are not a guarantee

The posture data come from an online test where people reported how they type. Nobody was assigned a posture, so the groups may differ in other ways. People who type with two thumbs could also differ in age, practice or how much they use their phones, and the study cannot separate those causes from posture.

This is why we describe the result as an association. It tells you where averages sit, not what your own speed would become after a change. A one-finger typist who switches to two thumbs may gain speed, but the study does not measure that gain directly.

What to do

1. If you already type with two thumbs, keep it. It is the posture with the highest measured average.
2. If you use one finger, try two thumbs for a week on ordinary messages. Do not judge it on the first day, when your hands are still learning the switch.
3. Measure before and after with the same passage, following the steps in how typing speed is measured. Count your errors as well as your speed.
4. Do not expect a large jump from posture alone. The two-thumb average is only a little above the two-finger average, so the study gives no sign of a large gain from changing posture alone.

For the other habits the same data support, read how to type faster on a phone. If you are curious whether swiping adds to the gain, the swipe typing question covers that separately.