Learning how to type fast depends a lot on practice, but it’s not the only aspect worth taken into consideration when trying to improve your typing skills. A free typing tutor like Typing Trainer offers many exercises to train typing abilities, but also analyzes weaknesses and allows you to focus on them to become more efficient.
Installation & Requirements
Typing Trainer has two install modes: Standard and Custom. There are basically the same concerning functionality, but the Standard mode includes some adware (AVG Toolbar and AVG Secure Search). The only way of skipping the adware is choosing the Custom installation where you can uncheck these options. The installation process begins as soon as you proceed to the next step and completes in a matter of seconds.
With no further requirements, Typing Trainer runs on all versions of Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8.
Interface
The main screen of Typing Trainer offers two ways to start using the application: the first one is beginning the complete course offered by the program and the second one involves deploying Typing Analyzer (this can also be done from its own tab), a feature which will analyze your typing while using the computer and provide custom training based on your mistakes/difficulties and typing statistics. There is one small problem with this otherwise very useful feature: Typing Analyzer can only track typing in 32-bit applications, since the 64-bit ones are not supported.
The training course (titled Quick Typing Boost) has two lessons – Common words and Focus on difficulties – , each comprised of 6 exercises. The Review section allows you to focus on training specific aspects, namely difficult keys, studied keys or another group of keys that you choose. You can also set the exercise type and view your difficult keys displayed in a graph.
The Typing Test tab includes several tests you can take. The duration of a test can also be changed (2, 5, 10, 20 or 30 minutes) and there are also options to print the results or a certificate. The Games category offers three challenging typing games, also featured within the training course and exercises.
Typing Trainer’s Settings offer only a few options, such as turning the sound on/off, changing the speed unit and screen size. Users can also change the keyboard layout from the default English US to one of the many other supported layouts.
Pros
– Simple installation.
– Friendly, cartoon-inspired interface with tabs.
– Offers multiple ways to train typing skills: a complete training course, games and a collection of tests.
– Typing Analyzer tracks user typing during regular computer use and provides training adapted to frequent mistakes & difficulties and interesting statistics.
– The program supports multiple users (user selection is required at startup).
Cons
– Adware is included in the installation.
– By default, the UI is set at fullscreen.
Conclusion
Typing Trainer covers the typing improvement issue for both experienced and beginner users. Individuals that are not yet used to the keyboard can simply follow the training course, while people who know how to type can use the Typing Analyzer, tests and games to increase typing speed and accuracy.
