10-key typing practice
Number-pad drills for data entry, accounts and spreadsheets. Turn Num Lock on, find the bump on 5 and start typing.
Quick answer: Rest your right index finger on 4, middle on 5 (the key with the bump) and ring on 6. The index covers 7, 4 and 1, the middle 8, 5 and 2, the ring 9, 6, 3 and the decimal point, and the thumb presses 0.
About 10-key practice
The numeric keypad is laid out like a calculator so that one hand can enter long columns of figures without looking. Its home row is 4 5 6, and 5 carries a raised bump, the keypad equivalent of F and J.
Ten-key speed is often measured in keystrokes per hour (KPH) rather than WPM, because the work is digits rather than words. Accuracy matters even more than on letters: a wrong digit in an invoice is not caught by any spell-checker.
Laptops without a keypad can use the number row instead; the number typing practice page covers that.
Tips
- Keep the middle finger anchored on 5 and return to it after every reach.
- Use the thumb for 0 and the ring finger for the decimal point.
- Say the digits in your head in groups of three; it keeps the rhythm steady.
10-key practice FAQ
What is 10-key typing?
Entering numbers on the numeric keypad to the right of a full-size keyboard by touch, using one hand. It is common in accounting, banking, retail and data-entry jobs.
How is 10-key speed measured?
Usually in keystrokes per hour (KPH). Each digit, decimal point and Enter press is one keystroke, so KPH is roughly characters per minute multiplied by 60. Our drill shows WPM (5 keystrokes = 1 word); multiply WPM by 300 for an approximate KPH figure.
Which finger presses Enter on the number pad?
The little finger of the right hand. The plus key above it is also usually taken by the little finger.
Can I practise 10-key on a laptop?
Only if it has a built-in number pad or you plug in an external one. Without a keypad, practise the number row instead.