Dvorak Typing Test — Is Dvorak Really Faster Than QWERTY?
The Dvorak Simplified Keyboard, patented in 1936 by August Dvorak, rearranges the keys to place the most common English letters on the home row and to maximise hand alternation. Its proponents claim it is faster, easier on the hands, and more efficient than QWERTY. Critics say the speed difference is marginal and not worth the learning curve. Here is what the evidence actually says — and whether you should switch.
What Is Dvorak?
The Dvorak layout was designed by August Dvorak and William Dealey based on letter frequency analysis of English text and research into the limitations of the QWERTY layout. The design principles were:
- Most common letters on the home row. Dvorak places A, O, E, U, I on the left home row and D, H, T, N, S on the right home row. These 10 letters cover the vast majority of English keystrokes, meaning your fingers rarely leave the home row.
- Hand alternation. The layout is designed so that typing common words alternates between left and right hands, giving each hand time to recover while the other is active.
- Stronger fingers on more-used keys. The index fingers, which are strongest, cover the most common consonants. The weaker pinkies cover less common characters.
- Less finger travel. Dvorak's designers claimed that a typist's fingers travel 1 mile per day on QWERTY and only 1 block per day on Dvorak. The actual figure varies significantly by text type, but the directional claim — less travel on Dvorak — holds up in analyses.
QWERTY home row: A S D F G | H J K L ;
Notice how Dvorak's home row includes all five vowels and five of the most common consonants. QWERTY's home row was optimised around mechanical typewriter limitations, not human ergonomics.
Dvorak vs QWERTY: What Does the Research Actually Show?
The research on Dvorak vs QWERTY speed is more nuanced than either camp acknowledges:
Evidence for Dvorak
The most commonly cited study — a 1944 U.S. Navy experiment — found Dvorak typists were faster after retraining. Some modern studies show 2–10% improvement for typists who switch. Lower finger travel is consistently demonstrated in keystroke-distance analyses. Some RSI (repetitive strain injury) sufferers report reduced discomfort after switching.
Evidence Against
A critical 1996 reanalysis of the Navy study (Liebowitz & Margolis) found methodological flaws in the original. A large-scale 2003 study by Argunov found no statistically significant speed difference between proficient QWERTY and Dvorak typists. The fastest typists in the world — those above 150 WPM — predominantly use QWERTY. The switching cost (6–12 months of reduced productivity) is real and significant.
The honest verdict: Dvorak is a better-designed layout, but the practical speed gain for most people is modest (2–10%) and only realised after 1+ year of learning. QWERTY typists who invest that same year in deliberate practice will make larger gains. Dvorak makes more sense if you are starting from scratch with no existing QWERTY muscle memory, or if you have repetitive strain issues that QWERTY is aggravating.
Should You Switch to Dvorak?
Consider switching if:
- You are a complete beginner with no existing QWERTY muscle memory to protect
- You type for 6+ hours per day and have existing RSI or wrist/finger discomfort
- You primarily write prose in English and optimising for raw word throughput is your goal
- You are comfortable accepting 6–12 months of reduced typing speed during the transition
Do not switch if:
- You are above 70 WPM on QWERTY — the return on investment is negative for most proficient QWERTY typists
- You regularly use shared computers where QWERTY will be the default
- You use keyboard shortcuts heavily (most shortcuts like Ctrl+C, V, Z, X are positioned for QWERTY and become awkward on Dvorak)
- You code extensively — programming symbols are not improved by Dvorak and some are worse
How to Enable Dvorak on Your Computer
macOS:
Select Dvorak or Dvorak - Qwerty ⌘ (keeps QWERTY shortcuts)
Switch layouts: Ctrl+Space or Input Source menu in menu bar
Windows 11 / 10:
Click your language → Options → Add a keyboard
Select United States-Dvorak
Switch layouts: Win+Space or language bar in taskbar
Linux (X11):
# To make permanent, add to /etc/default/keyboard or your .xinitrc
FastTypings Works With Dvorak
FastTypings captures keystrokes at the operating system level, which means it works with any keyboard layout your OS is configured for — Dvorak, Colemak, AZERTY, QWERTZ, or any other. There is nothing special to configure on the FastTypings side.
To test your Dvorak speed: enable Dvorak in your OS settings (instructions above), then navigate to FastTypings and take a standard typing test. Your Dvorak WPM will be measured accurately. If you want to compare Dvorak vs your old QWERTY speed, switch back to QWERTY in your OS settings and run the test again — the results are directly comparable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dvorak actually faster than QWERTY?
The research is less conclusive than Dvorak advocates claim. A comprehensive 1996 U.S. Navy study — often cited as proof of Dvorak's superiority — has been criticised for methodological flaws. More rigorous modern studies find that Dvorak typists who switch from QWERTY show a 2–10% improvement after 1 year of learning, but that most of this gain comes from the relearning process itself, which forces deliberate practice. A proficient QWERTY typist who simply practises more deliberately achieves comparable results without the switch cost.
How long does it take to learn Dvorak?
Most people take 3–6 months to reach their pre-switch QWERTY speed on Dvorak, and 9–12 months to surpass it. The first month is typically the hardest — expect your WPM to drop to 15–25 WPM as you rebuild muscle memory from scratch. The advantage of Dvorak is that you are learning from the beginning with correct technique, so you do not have old hunt-and-peck habits to override.
How do I enable Dvorak on Mac?
On macOS: go to System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources → click the + button → search for 'Dvorak' → select Dvorak or Dvorak - Qwerty ⌘ (which uses QWERTY shortcuts when Command is held) → click Add. Then switch between layouts using the input source menu in the menu bar, or with Ctrl+Space.
How do I enable Dvorak on Windows?
On Windows 11/10: go to Settings → Time & Language → Language & region → click your language → Options → Add a keyboard → select United States-Dvorak. Switch layouts using Win+Space or the language bar in the taskbar.
Does FastTypings work with Dvorak?
Yes. FastTypings registers keystrokes based on what your operating system sends, not what is printed on your keycaps. If your OS is set to Dvorak input, FastTypings will correctly receive the Dvorak characters. Simply enable Dvorak in your OS keyboard settings, navigate to FastTypings, and the test will work exactly as it does for QWERTY — your WPM and accuracy will reflect your Dvorak speed.
Test your current speed on whatever layout you use — Dvorak, QWERTY, or anything else. FastTypings works with all layouts automatically.
Test Your Speed →