One thumb vs two thumbs: which is faster?

For most people, two thumbs are faster than one. That matches what large typing studies have found, and it matches common sense: two thumbs share the work and each has less distance to cover. One-handed typing still has its uses, though, and the best answer is to be able to do both.

Why two thumbs win

• Less travel. Each thumb covers half the keyboard instead of all of it.
• Overlap. While one thumb is tapping, the other can already be moving to the next key. A single thumb has to finish one tap before it can start the next.
• Better aim. Shorter reaches land closer to the middle of the key, so you make fewer mistakes.
• A steadier phone. Two hands hold the phone still. One hand has to grip and type at once.

When one thumb makes sense

One-handed typing is for when the other hand is busy: holding a bag, a rail or a coffee. It is slower and the stretch across a large phone is harder on the thumb, but it is a useful skill. Many keyboards have a one-handed mode that shrinks the keys towards one side to shorten the reach.

What about one finger?

Holding the phone in one hand and typing with the index finger of the other is accurate but slow, because one finger does all the travelling. If that is how you type now, moving to two thumbs is likely to be the biggest single improvement available to you.

How to switch to two thumbs

1. Hold the phone in both hands, resting on your fingers, with both thumbs free above the keyboard.
2. Split the keyboard down the middle. Left thumb takes the left half, right thumb the right. Either thumb can take the space bar.
3. Go slowly for the first few days. It will feel worse before it feels better, because you are replacing a habit.
4. Practise in short runs and watch your accuracy more than your speed.

Test it yourself

Take the 60-second test once with one thumb and once with two, and compare both the WPM and the accuracy. Your own numbers are more convincing than any study. For grip and posture, see phone typing ergonomics.