How to Set a Typing Speed Goal
Picking a target WPM is the easy part. Here's how to actually reach it, with a staged training method instead of just hoping.
Don't Have a Number Yet? Start Here
This guide assumes you already have a target typing speed in mind -- a job requirement, a class benchmark, or just a number you want to hit. If you don't have one yet and aren't sure what counts as a good typing speed for your situation, start with our WPM benchmark guide for sourced ranges by skill level and context, then come back here for the training method.
Why "Just Practice More" Doesn't Work
Practicing at your current comfortable speed mostly reinforces your current speed -- your hands get more confident at the pace they already know, not meaningfully faster. To actually move a typing speed goal, you need something external consistently pulling you slightly past where you'd otherwise settle. That's the entire function a pace caret serves here: a visible, moving target that's always just ahead of comfortable.
Using a Custom Pace Caret as Your Goal
HeroTyping's pace caret has a Custom mode built exactly for this: set it directly to your target WPM, not your current speed. From HeroTyping, open Test Settings, set Pace Caret to Custom, and enter your goal number. From that point, every test you run shows you exactly how far off that specific target you are, in real time, instead of leaving you to guess from a final score.
The Staircase Method for a Big Gap
If your goal is far above your current typing speed -- say, going from a 45 WPM average to an 80 WPM goal -- don't set the pace caret to 80 on day one. A target that far out of reach just produces a string of losing races and no useful feedback about what to actually fix. Instead:
- Set the custom target 10-15% above your current average, not your final goal.
- Practice until you're consistently beating that target across multiple sessions, not just once.
- Raise the target another 10-15% and repeat.
- Continue climbing in steps until the target reaches your original goal.
Each individual step stays achievable, which keeps the process motivating instead of discouraging -- you're always racing something just out of comfortable reach, never something wildly unrealistic.
A Realistic Timeline
Be honest with yourself about pacing here: closing a 30+ WPM gap takes sustained weeks of practice, not days, for the overwhelming majority of people. Expect to spend meaningfully more total time on this than feels proportionate to the number of WPM you're trying to add -- the last 10-15 WPM of any typing speed goal is reliably the hardest and slowest to earn, since it requires genuine technique refinement, not just more repetition of what you already do.
How to Know You've Actually Hit It
One fast test above your goal number is encouraging, but it isn't proof -- it could be a lucky run on an easy word list. A goal counts as genuinely hit once your PB-mode pace caret (racing your own tracked best) matches or exceeds your original target across three sessions in a row, not once. That's the difference between a fluke and a real, repeatable new typing speed.
Next step
Once you've genuinely hit a goal, switch the pace caret to PB mode and start racing your own best -- or if progress stalls partway there, check whether uneven pacing is the specific cause.
FAQ
What's a realistic typing speed goal for a beginner, intermediate, or advanced typist?
That depends on where you're starting from and what you're using the speed for -- see our full WPM benchmark guide for sourced ranges by skill level and context. As a rule of thumb, aim for a goal 15 to 25 percent above your current average rather than picking an impressive-sounding round number out of context.
How often should I raise my pace caret target?
Only once you're consistently beating the current one -- a handful of sessions in a row, not a single lucky run. Raising it too early just recreates the same discouraging gap you started with; raising it only after real consistency keeps the staircase actually climbable.
Should I prioritize speed or accuracy while chasing a goal?
Accuracy, every time. HeroTyping's net WPM only credits a word if it was typed completely correctly, so sacrificing accuracy to chase a number doesn't just feel bad -- it mathematically produces a lower score than typing slightly slower and clean. Chase the goal at whatever speed you can hit with high accuracy, not the other way around.
What if I plateau partway to my goal?
Check whether the plateau is specifically a pacing issue -- uneven, burst-and-stall typing that never smooths into a steady rate. If so, a pace caret set just under your current average for a week tends to unstick it. If your pacing already looks smooth and you're still stuck, the broader plateau diagnostic guide covers other common causes.
Apply what you learned directly in HeroTyping's interactive training engine.