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Typing Posture: How to Sit and Type Comfortably

Good posture makes typing faster and keeps your hands, neck and back comfortable during long sessions. You don't need special equipment – a few small adjustments make a big difference.

Chair and desk

• Sit all the way back in your chair with your feet flat on the floor.
• Your elbows should be bent at about 90 degrees, close to your body.
• The keyboard should be at elbow height or slightly lower, so your forearms are roughly level.

Screen

• The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level.
• Keep it about an arm's length away.
• On a laptop, a stand plus an external keyboard is the best way to avoid looking down all day.

Hands and wrists

• Keep your wrists straight – not bent up, down or sideways.
• Let your hands float above the keys while typing. Wrist rests are for pauses, not for typing.
• Curve your fingers gently and press keys with a light touch.

Take breaks

A useful rule is 20-20-20: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (about 6 meters) away for 20 seconds. Every hour, stand up and move for a few minutes. Short breaks also help your fingers remember what you practiced.

Quick hand exercises

1. Open your hands wide, then make a loose fist. Repeat 10 times.
2. Gently bend each wrist up and down, holding each stretch for 10 seconds.
3. Touch your thumb to each fingertip in turn, then reverse.

If typing causes pain that doesn't go away with rest, talk to a doctor or physiotherapist. Then come back to the typing tutor – relaxed hands type faster.