Home Row Keys
The home row keys are A S D F for your left hand and J K L ; for your right. Every other key is a short reach from one of them.
Interactive finger map
F is typed with the Left index finger.
It is a home key: this finger rests here, and the small bump on it lets you find it without looking.
Tip: click the keyboard, then press real keys to look them up.
How to place your fingers
- Find the bumps on F and J with your index fingers.
- Let the other fingers fall naturally: left middle on D, ring on S, little finger on A; right middle on K, ring on L, little finger on ;.
- Rest both thumbs lightly on the space bar.
- Curve your fingers slightly and keep your wrists floating, not planted.
Each finger owns a diagonal column of keys, as the colours above show. Reach from the home key, press, and come straight back. That return is what makes touch typing possible: your fingers always know where they are.
Practise it
The home row drill uses only these nine keys, so you can build the habit before adding reaches. Then read the full touch typing guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are the home row keys?
On a QWERTY keyboard the home row keys are A, S, D, F for the left hand and J, K, L and semicolon for the right hand. Your thumbs rest on the space bar.
Why do F and J have bumps?
The small raised ridges on F and J let you find the home position by touch, so you can return your index fingers there without looking down.
What about G and H?
G and H are on the home row but are not resting keys. The left index finger reaches right to G, and the right index finger reaches left to H.