10 Key Typing Test

What is 10 key typing?

"10 key" means typing numbers on the numeric keypad: the block of keys on the right of a full-size keyboard, laid out like a calculator. Touch typists use one hand for it, without looking, which is far faster than hunting along the number row. It is a core skill for data entry, bookkeeping, banking, payroll and inventory jobs, where much of the day is spent entering figures.

Using a laptop without a keypad? You can still take this test with the number row, but your score will reflect number-row typing rather than true 10-key speed.

What is KPH (keystrokes per hour)?

KPH counts how many keys you press correctly in an hour, based on your pace during the test. Because a typing "word" is five keystrokes, the two measures convert directly:

KPH = WPM × 5 × 60

This test counts the separator after each correct number as a keystroke, because on a real keypad you press Enter there. Need another conversion? Use the WPM and KPH calculator.

What is a good 10 key speed?

There is no single standard. Requirements depend on the employer and the kind of data, and most listings that name a minimum also require high accuracy, because one wrong digit in a number can be costly. If you are applying for a job, check the posting or ask what test they use and for how long. Then practice at that length and track both your KPH and your accuracy.

10 key finger positions

• Turn Num Lock on before you start.
• Rest your middle finger on 5 and feel for the bump instead of looking down.
• Accuracy first: a slow, correct number beats a fast, wrong one.