How the 10-key test works
Type each number shown and press Enter on the keypad to move to the next one. The numbers mix what an accounts or data-entry job puts in front of you: two- to four-digit whole numbers, amounts with a decimal point and cents, five-digit codes such as ZIP codes (some start with 0), six- and seven-digit account numbers and small decimals. They only use keys that are on the keypad, the digits and the decimal point, so your hand never has to leave it. Space also moves on, but practice with Enter: it’s the key a real 10-key test uses. To fix a digit, press Backspace on the main keyboard.
The test runs for one minute. Pick 2 or 5 minutes under Time for a steadier reading; a longer run shows whether your speed holds up.
Home position on the keypad
The keypad has its own home row: 4, 5 and 6. Your middle finger rests on 5, which usually has a raised bump so you can find it without looking, your index finger on 4 and your ring finger on 6. The layout comes from calculators and cash registers, with 7 8 9 at the top, the opposite of a phone keypad, where 1 2 3 is on top. If you mostly type numbers on a phone, expect to reach the wrong way for the first few sessions.
The on-screen keypad and the table below follow the three-finger method taught in CAERT’s lesson for schools: each key is colored by its finger, and the next key lights up as you type.
Reading your result
Keystrokes per hour is the big number next to WPM and accuracy, and the live bar shows it while you type. The keypad under the result turns red where you slipped, and the numbers you got wrong are listed next to it, so you can see whether your mistakes cluster on one finger or one column.
What employers ask for
| Employer | Job | 10-key requirement |
|---|---|---|
| City of Des Moines, Iowa (2021) | License Clerk | Pass a 10-key data entry exam at 6,000 KPH |
| Kern County, California (2021) | Fiscal Support Technician | 10-key certificate of 120 net keystrokes per minute (7,200 an hour), alongside 40 net WPM typing |
Training courses aim higher: Northcentral Technical College in Wisconsin sets its 10-key By Touch course a goal of 8,000 or more keystrokes per hour.
For jobs that test typing on records with letters and numbers mixed, use the data entry typing test; for plain words, the standard typing test.
Which finger presses which key
| Finger (right hand) | Keys |
|---|---|
| index finger | 7 4 1 0 |
| middle finger | 8 5 2 / . |
| ring finger | 9 6 3 * - + Enter |