WPM & Typing 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 (a standardized word unit) 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 with your keyboard. Your WPM, accuracy, and characters per minute update live. Compare passages with similar difficulty, and use the formula below to understand what each result measures.
Calculate WPM from an existing result
Enter the correct characters remaining in your passage, including spaces, and the full elapsed time in seconds. This calculates a score from your inputs; it does not verify a typing attempt or save a practice result. Accuracy requires a keystroke history and cannot be inferred from these two values.
Calculate your WPM
Compare like for like: Use similar passages and track accuracy alongside speed. Employer requirements and scoring rules vary.
0
WPM
0
Accuracy
0
Chars / Min
0
Errors
Results
0
WPM
0
Accuracy
0
Chars / Min
0
Errors
How WPM and accuracy are calculated
WPM = (correct characters ÷ 5) ÷ elapsed minutes. For example, 250 correct characters in 60 seconds gives 50 WPM. A word is a standardized five-character unit here, not a count of dictionary words. The live result is rounded to a whole number.
Accuracy = correct character entries ÷ all character entries × 100. If you make 200 character entries and 10 are wrong, accuracy is 95%. Backspace removes the character from the current passage, but it does not erase the original error from accuracy. Correcting errors also takes time, which affects WPM.
Type with your keyboard to measure typing speed. Pasting text does not measure how fast you can type and makes a WPM result unsuitable for comparison. For a fixed duration, use the one-minute WPM test. For numeric work, use the 10-key KPH test.