How the trainer works

Each prompt is written as a task, such as duplicating the current line or deleting the word before the caret, rather than as a list of keys. Press the real combination and the result plays out in a small working copy of the app it belongs to: a text editor, a browser, a desktop, a spreadsheet or a terminal. Seeing the effect is what makes a shortcut stick. You learn what it does along with the keys that do it.

A round is twelve prompts. Miss a prompt twice and the answer is shown. The trainer detects whether you are on macOS, Windows or Linux and asks for the right keys for your system.

The seven decks

Deck	Shortcuts	Level	What it covers
Everyday essentials	13	Starter	Copy, paste, undo, save, find and basic formatting
Text navigation	11	Starter	Jump by word, select by line, delete backwards
Web browser	14	Core	Tabs, search, zoom and history in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari
Windows and desktop	10	Reference	Snapping, switching and minimising windows, screenshots
VS Code	14	Pro	Command palette, multiple cursors, moving and duplicating lines
Spreadsheets	10	Pro	Ranges, fills, formats and navigation in Excel and Google Sheets
Terminal	10	Pro	Line editing, history search and job control

Most of the Windows and desktop deck is made of combinations the operating system keeps for itself, which is why it is marked Reference: read it, then use it for real.

Why shortcuts are worth practising

Every trip to the mouse breaks your typing rhythm. A shortcut you know without thinking keeps your hands on the home row and your attention on the work. The catch is that a shortcut you only half know is slower than the menu, because you stop to remember it. Short, repeated drills fix that.

Tips

One deck at a time. Start with Everyday essentials and Text navigation. They pay off in almost every app you use.
Use them for real the same day. After a round, pick two or three new shortcuts and use them in your actual work.
Come back tomorrow. One round a day for a week does more than seven rounds in one sitting.

Our keyboard shortcuts guide covers which shortcuts are worth learning first. Programmers should also try the code typing test, and when your hands want a break from modifier keys, take a regular typing test.

Questions people ask

Which operating systems does the shortcut trainer support?

macOS, Windows and Linux. The trainer asks for the right combination for your system, so on a Mac you practise with Cmd and Option, and on Windows and Linux with Ctrl and Alt.

Will pressing shortcuts in the trainer affect my browser?

While the trainer is open it catches the combinations itself, so pressing the save shortcut does not open your browser's save dialog. A few combinations, such as the one that closes a tab, browsers will not hand over to a web page, so those appear on the reference sheet instead of in the drills.

What happens if I get a shortcut wrong?

Try again. After two misses on the same prompt the trainer shows you the answer, and there is a Show me button if you would rather not guess. You still press the combination yourself, but a revealed answer does not count as correct in your round score.

Keep going

1 minute test The standard benchmark. 5 minute test Endurance and pacing. Typing games 25 games, from a 3D space shooter to a rhythm highway. Typing challenges 25 twists on the test: mirror, read ahead, one hand. Learn Guides to typing faster and more comfortably.