WPM & Accuracy Calculator

Words per minute, or WPM, is the standard unit for measuring typing speed. It's calculated by dividing the number of correctly typed characters by five (the average length of a word, including the space after it) and dividing again by the number of minutes elapsed. A WPM number on its own can be misleading, though, which is why this calculator always pairs it with accuracy.

Accuracy is the percentage of your keystrokes that were correct on first entry. It's calculated cumulatively: every character you type is checked against the passage, and every mistake counts against your accuracy even if you go back and fix it with backspace. This matters because it's easy to inflate your apparent WPM by typing quickly and carelessly, then correcting errors after the fact. Tracking both numbers together gives a realistic picture of how you actually type under normal conditions.

This calculator gives you a short passage to type. You can type it directly with your keyboard, or paste matching text if you want to test how your accuracy holds up when copying from another source. Your WPM, accuracy, and characters per minute update live as you go, and you can compare your result against typical benchmarks below.