Why five minutes?
A short test rewards a good start. Over five minutes, your score shows the speed you can keep up for real work: the pace you will have when writing an email or a report. Many employers use this format in their typing tests.
Tips for a long test
- Find a steady rhythm instead of rushing the first lines.
- Relax your shoulders and hands; tension slows you down.
- Do not stop after a mistake: correct it calmly and carry on.
Your certificate
At the end of a five-minute test, you can download a typing speed certificate with your name, your speed and your accuracy. Without an account, it is drawn on your device and your name is never sent anywhere. Signed in, the standard test (no punctuation or numbers, normal difficulty) gives a verified certificate: the server checks every keystroke, and the certificate gets its own page and link, to add to a CV or an application.
What employers look at
Job applications that include a typing test often ask for a minimum speed, frequently around 40 words per minute, and they look at accuracy as closely as at speed. A steady result over five minutes is the figure that counts.
How to train for it
Use the one-minute test to build speed, then come back to five minutes to see how much of it you keep. Adaptive practice works on the keys that slow you down.