homerowhero

A touch typing course

Every key, in the order your fingers can learn it.

62 lessons that start on the home row and add two keys at a time. The next key lights up, the finger that presses it lights up, and the lesson is scored until you can hit it without looking down.

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12 units 62 lessons 3 keyboard layouts 6 free, no card

A lesson, running
 

Every key is colored by the finger that presses it, here and in every lesson. The keyboard on screen is the one you are learning, so your eyes never go down to your hands.

The whole course, key by key

Nothing is introduced alone. Each lesson teaches two keys, then mixes them into everything you already have, so by the last unit every key has been typed against every other one.

Keyboard layout
  • left pinky
  • left ring
  • left middle
  • left index
  • right index
  • right middle
  • right ring
  • right pinky
Unit 1

Home Row

Free 12 wpm

Where your fingers rest. Every other key is a reach from here and back.

  • fj
  • dk
  • sl
  • a;
  • gh
  • Home Row review
Unit 2

Top Row

15 wpm

The reach up. Index fingers stretch inward, the rest go straight up.

  • ei
  • ru
  • ty
  • wo
  • qp
  • Top Row review
Unit 3

Bottom Row

18 wpm

The reach down. Slightly harder, so the drills are a little longer.

  • vm
  • c,
  • x.
  • z/
  • bn
  • Bottom Row review
Unit 4

Capitals

22 wpm

Shift with the opposite hand, and the whole alphabet in capitals.

  • Shift
  • ASDFJKL
  • ERTUIO
  • QWYPGH
  • ZXCVBNM
  • Capitals review
Unit 5

Punctuation

25 wpm

Quotes, question marks, dashes and brackets: everything a sentence needs.

  • '"
  • !?
  • -:
  • ()
  • Punctuation review
Unit 6

Numbers

25 wpm

The number row, taught from the middle out so each hand learns its side.

  • 47
  • 38
  • 56
  • 29
  • 10
  • Numbers review
Unit 7

Symbols

25 wpm

Shifted numbers and the symbols code and email are made of.

  • @#
  • $%
  • &*
  • _+
  • =[]
  • Symbols review
Unit 8

Speed Building

32 wpm

Every key is known. Now the goal is rhythm: common words, common pairs, real sentences.

  • Common Words
  • Letter Pairs
  • Sentences
  • Paragraphs
  • Speed Building review
Unit 9

Mastery

40 wpm

Full paragraphs at speed, and a capstone that proves it.

  • Paragraphs
  • Paragraphs
  • Paragraphs
  • Capstone
Unit 10

Everyday Typing

32 wpm

Email addresses, street addresses and appointment details, copied accurately.

  • Email Addresses
  • Street Addresses
  • Dates and Times
  • Everyday Typing review
Unit 11

Numbers in Context

30 wpm

Measurements, prices and scores: numbers that have to be right.

  • Measurements
  • Prices and Totals
  • Scores and Ratios
  • Numbers in Context review
Unit 12

Code and Commands

28 wpm

The remaining brackets and symbols, then small code snippets and terminal commands.

  • {}<>\|~`
  • Code Snippets
  • Terminal Commands
  • Code and Commands review
Unit 1

Home Row

Free 12 wpm

Where your fingers rest. Every other key is a reach from here and back.

  • uh
  • et
  • on
  • as
  • id
  • Home Row review
Unit 2

Top Row

15 wpm

The reach up. Index fingers stretch inward, the rest go straight up.

  • pg
  • yc
  • .r
  • ,l
  • 'f
  • Top Row review
Unit 3

Bottom Row

18 wpm

The reach down. Slightly harder, so the drills are a little longer.

  • km
  • jw
  • qv
  • ;z
  • xb
  • Bottom Row review
Unit 4

Capitals

22 wpm

Shift with the opposite hand, and the whole alphabet in capitals.

  • Shift
  • AOEUHTNS
  • PYFGCRL
  • QJKXBMWVZ
  • ID
  • Capitals review
Unit 5

Punctuation

25 wpm

Quotes, question marks, dashes and brackets: everything a sentence needs.

  • "?
  • !<
  • -:
  • ()
  • Punctuation review
Unit 6

Numbers

25 wpm

The number row, taught from the middle out so each hand learns its side.

  • 47
  • 38
  • 56
  • 29
  • 10
  • Numbers review
Unit 7

Symbols

25 wpm

Shifted numbers and the symbols code and email are made of.

  • @#
  • $%
  • &*
  • _+
  • =/
  • Symbols review
Unit 8

Speed Building

32 wpm

Every key is known. Now the goal is rhythm: common words, common pairs, real sentences.

  • Common Words
  • Letter Pairs
  • Sentences
  • Paragraphs
  • Speed Building review
Unit 9

Mastery

40 wpm

Full paragraphs at speed, and a capstone that proves it.

  • Paragraphs
  • Paragraphs
  • Paragraphs
  • Capstone
Unit 10

Everyday Typing

32 wpm

Email addresses, street addresses and appointment details, copied accurately.

  • Email Addresses
  • Street Addresses
  • Dates and Times
  • Everyday Typing review
Unit 11

Numbers in Context

30 wpm

Measurements, prices and scores: numbers that have to be right.

  • Measurements
  • Prices and Totals
  • Scores and Ratios
  • Numbers in Context review
Unit 12

Code and Commands

28 wpm

The remaining brackets and symbols, then small code snippets and terminal commands.

  • {}<>\|~`
  • Code Snippets
  • Terminal Commands
  • Code and Commands review
Unit 1

Home Row

Free 12 wpm

Where your fingers rest. Every other key is a reach from here and back.

  • tn
  • se
  • ri
  • ao
  • dh
  • Home Row review
Unit 2

Top Row

15 wpm

The reach up. Index fingers stretch inward, the rest go straight up.

  • fu
  • pl
  • gj
  • wy
  • q;
  • Top Row review
Unit 3

Bottom Row

18 wpm

The reach down. Slightly harder, so the drills are a little longer.

  • vm
  • c,
  • x.
  • z/
  • bk
  • Bottom Row review
Unit 4

Capitals

22 wpm

Shift with the opposite hand, and the whole alphabet in capitals.

  • Shift
  • ARSTNEIO
  • FPLUY
  • QWGJDH
  • ZXCVBKM
  • Capitals review
Unit 5

Punctuation

25 wpm

Quotes, question marks, dashes and brackets: everything a sentence needs.

  • '"
  • !?
  • -:
  • ()
  • Punctuation review
Unit 6

Numbers

25 wpm

The number row, taught from the middle out so each hand learns its side.

  • 47
  • 38
  • 56
  • 29
  • 10
  • Numbers review
Unit 7

Symbols

25 wpm

Shifted numbers and the symbols code and email are made of.

  • @#
  • $%
  • &*
  • _+
  • =[]
  • Symbols review
Unit 8

Speed Building

32 wpm

Every key is known. Now the goal is rhythm: common words, common pairs, real sentences.

  • Common Words
  • Letter Pairs
  • Sentences
  • Paragraphs
  • Speed Building review
Unit 9

Mastery

40 wpm

Full paragraphs at speed, and a capstone that proves it.

  • Paragraphs
  • Paragraphs
  • Paragraphs
  • Capstone
Unit 10

Everyday Typing

32 wpm

Email addresses, street addresses and appointment details, copied accurately.

  • Email Addresses
  • Street Addresses
  • Dates and Times
  • Everyday Typing review
Unit 11

Numbers in Context

30 wpm

Measurements, prices and scores: numbers that have to be right.

  • Measurements
  • Prices and Totals
  • Scores and Ratios
  • Numbers in Context review
Unit 12

Code and Commands

28 wpm

The remaining brackets and symbols, then small code snippets and terminal commands.

  • {}<>\|~`
  • Code Snippets
  • Terminal Commands
  • Code and Commands review

One lesson, start to finish

This is the real first lesson, F J: seven exercises, in this order, with the words the course itself uses. Every lesson that teaches keys has the same seven.

  1. 1

    Meet f and j

    Rest on the home row. f (left index) and j (right index). Look at the keyboard below, not your hands.

  2. 2

    New keys only

    Short bursts of the new keys. Return to home position after each reach.

  3. 3

    Mixed with what you know

    The new keys mixed into everything so far.

  4. 4

    Words

    Real words spelled with the keys you know.

  5. 5

    Rhythm

    Longer groups. Aim for an even beat rather than speed.

  6. 6

    Words again

    A second pass at words, a little longer.

  7. 7

    Lesson check Scored

    Everything from this lesson. This one is scored for stars.

A drill counts once you are 90% accurate on it. The lesson check counts once it passes. When all seven count, the lesson is done and the next one is waiting.

Speed comes from accuracy, never the other way around.

The whole scoring system is built on that sentence. Accuracy earns the first two stars on its own. Speed cannot earn any until accuracy has, so hitting the right key is always the fastest way through.

What each star takes
StarsAccuracySpeed
★☆☆☆☆90%Not counted yet
★★☆☆☆96%Not counted yet Passes
★★★☆☆96%Three quarters of the lesson's target
★★★★☆97%The target itself
★★★★★98%A quarter past the target

The target climbs from 12 words per minute to 40 by Mastery, then eases off for the practical units after it, where numbers and symbols slow every hand down.

  1. 12 1
  2. 15 2
  3. 18 3
  4. 22 4
  5. 25 5
  6. 25 6
  7. 25 7
  8. 32 8
  9. 40 9
  10. 32 10
  11. 30 11
  12. 28 12

Units, left to right. A number is the words per minute that unit's lessons are scored against.

What comes with the lessons

The course is the spine. These are the things around it that keep people coming back to it.

  • Drills that know your weak keys

    Every keystroke is timed and scored on its own. Drills lean on the keys you miss, and a practice mode goes at them directly.

  • Timed tests and certificates

    One, two, three and five minute tests, scored the standard way. A run at 90% accuracy or better earns a certificate you can print.

  • Stats that say something

    Speed over time, minutes a day against your goal, a per-key heat map of accuracy, streaks and badges.

  • Two games

    Word Rain and Sprint, for the days a lesson feels like homework.

  • A profile for everyone

    Up to six profiles on one account, each with its own progress, layout and settings, and one subscription covers them all.

  • QWERTY, Dvorak, Colemak

    A whole course for each, built outward from its own home row. Not a QWERTY course with the letters moved.

  • Your own text

    Paste a chapter, a speech, the vocabulary of your job, and practice on that instead.

  • Any real keyboard

    A laptop, a desktop, or an iPad with a keyboard attached. It runs in the browser and in the Home Row Hero app for Mac, iPad and iPhone.

And it is an app, not only a website

A native app for Mac, iPad and iPhone, with the whole course inside it. Every lesson runs with no network, and what you type offline counts the moment you are back on one.

See The Apps
The iPad app mid-lesson with a keyboard attached: 47 words per minute at 100% accuracy, the sentence being typed, the hands guide and the full keyboard with the space bar lit
An iPad with a keyboard attached. The same lesson, the same scoring, the same account as the browser.

Ten minutes a day.

The Home Row unit is free, 6 lessons, no card. The rest of the course is a subscription that starts with 3 days free.

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