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Proper hand placement to boost typing skills and prevent strain on your wrists
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Have you ever wondered if you are placing your hands correctly on your computer keyboard? Well, read on if you are curious about keyboards and how to use them! In this article, we’ll teach you about the base position on a standard QWERTY keyboard and explain which fingers to use for each key.
How to Position Your Hands on a Keyboard: The Basics
- Place your index fingers on the F and J keys and line up the rest of your fingers next to them on the home row.
- Keep both thumbs on the space bar .
- From your base position in the home row, you can reach all the other essential keys on the keyboard!
Steps
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Place your hands on the keyboard with your index fingers on F and J . Think of these two keys as your anchors. When your hands are at rest, your left index finger should always be on F , and your right index finger should always be on J .
- Most keyboards have a little bump or ridge on each of these keys to help you find them easily without looking.
- The row of keys with F and J is called the “home row.”
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Rest your thumbs on the space bar. Once your index fingers are in the right position, your thumbs should rest naturally on the space bar at the bottom of the keyboard.Advertisement
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Arrange your other fingers in the same row as your index fingers. With your thumbs and index fingers in the correct positions, check what your other fingers are doing. They should be lined up on either side of your index fingers in the home row.
- On your left hand, your middle finger should be on D , your ring finger on S , and your pinkie on A .
- On your right hand, make sure your middle finger is on K , your ring finger is on L , and your pinkie is on ; .
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Raise your wrists a tiny bit above the keyboard. Ideally, your wrists should be straight when you’re using a keyboard, not bent up or down. If you’re typing on a flat keyboard, raise your wrists slightly so that the heels of your hands aren’t resting on the keyboard or desk. [1] X Research source
- The best option is to use a keyboard that’s slanted slightly downward from front to back, since this will help keep your wrists in a neutral position.
- If possible, keep the keyboard slightly below elbow level so your arms are slightly extended (not at a sharp 90º angle). This promotes better blood flow to your forearms and hands. It’s also best to sit in a chair that supports your lower back and allows you to lean back very slightly while keeping your spine straight.
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Practice using the correct fingers for each key. You can reach almost any key on the keyboard when your hands are in the base position in the home row. However, it’s important to use the right fingers for each key to have the most comfortable and efficient typing experience. Aim to use the following fingers for each key: [2] X Research source
- Left hand:
- Use your pinkie finger to hit the following keys: ` , Tab , Caps Lock , Shift , Ctrl , 1 , Q , A , Z , and Alt (or Option ).
- Use your ring finger to hit 2 , W , S , X , and Command (on a Mac keyboard).
- Use your middle finger for 3 , E , D , and C .
- Use your index finger for 4 , 5 , R , T , F , G , V , and B .
- Right hand
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- Use your pinkie for 0 , - , + , Delete (or Backspace ), P , [ , ] , \ , ; , ‘ , Enter (or Return ), / , Shift , Alt (or Option ), and Ctrl (if your keyboard has one on the right side).
- Use your ring finger for 9 , O , L , and . There is also a Command key in this zone on a Mac keyboard.
- Use your middle finger for 8 , I , K , and , .
- Use your index finger for 6 , 7 , Y , U , H , J , N , and M .
- Both hands:
- Use either thumb for the space bar .
- Left hand:
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Move your hands to reach additional keys. While you can reach almost any key from your base position in the home row, you may need to move your hands to get to special keys like the F (function) keys at the top of your keyboard, the Esc key , the number pad (if your keyboard has one), and the arrow keys .
- The number pad and arrow keys are typically on the right side of the keyboard, while the F keys are at the top. Esc is usually at the top left.
- Some keyboards may have additional special keys like Print Screen , Insert , Scroll Lock , and so on. These keys are often located at the upper right side of the keyboard, near the number pad.
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Practice finding your keys without looking. Being able to type fast without looking at the keyboard, or touch typing , is an incredibly useful skill. Once you get used to putting your hands in the proper position on the keyboard, touch typing will become much easier. One of the best ways to learn is to practice with typing games or apps, which will help you get used to the layout of the keyboard and increase your typing speed .
- Websites like https://www.typing.com/ offer free lessons, games, and typing tests to help you improve your typing skills at your own pace.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionWhich fingers do I keep on the numeric pad of the keyboard?AdrianTop AnswererYou could move your right hand to the keypad when you need to use it. If you are typing something with more letters than numbers, use the number keys above the letter keys instead.
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QuestionHow long will it take for me to master typing?Community AnswerDepending on how often you practice, you will probably master typing within a few months.
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QuestionWhat fingers are assigned to reach the upper case and lower case? What is the best keyboard to practice on, is it okay to use keyboard on the laptop?TujouesCommunity AnswerUse any keyboard you have to type with, to practice on. By default, all letters are lowercase. Your left and right pinky fingers will simultaneously press the "SHIFT" key and the letter you want to make uppercase when typing uppercase letters. Type the opposite letter and, opposite shift finger. So if you are typing capital P (right hand touches P), then your left pinky touches shift, so you can do it quickly.
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Things You'll Need
- keyboard
- computer
- a program to practice typing
References
About This Article
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