Home Row Typing Lesson

The home row is the middle row of letters on a standard QWERTY keyboard. It contains eight keys where your fingers should rest when you are not actively typing. Every other key on the keyboard is reached by moving a finger away from its home position and then returning.

On the left hand, your fingers rest on the keys A, S, D, and F. On the right hand, they rest on J, K, L, and semicolon (;). If you feel the F and J keys with your index fingers, you will notice small raised bumps. These bumps are there so you can find the home row without looking down at your keyboard.

Learning the home row is the single most important step in learning to touch type. Almost every professional typist starts here and builds muscle memory by returning to this position after every keystroke.

Looking at your hands. This is the most common mistake beginners make. If you look down, your brain never learns the spatial location of each key. Cover your hands with a cloth if you have to.

Letting your wrists rest on the desk. Keep your wrists slightly elevated so your fingers can move freely. This also reduces strain on your hands.

Using the wrong fingers. It's tempting to use your index fingers for everything, but this slows you down. Stick to the correct finger for each key even if it feels awkward at first.

Rushing. Speed comes from accuracy, not the other way around. Focus on hitting the right keys before trying to go fast.