Taps

How to play

Tap anywhere to start the clock, and that first tap already counts. You then have 10 seconds to land as many taps as you can. When time runs out you see your total plus your taps per second, and your best total is saved on this device.

Tips

• Alternate two fingers on the same spot. It is far faster than hammering with one.
• Stay loose. Tense forearms fade badly in the last few seconds of a run.
• The timer starts on your first tap, so begin at full speed instead of easing in.
• Most people manage 6 to 8 taps per second. Break 10 and you are in rare company.

What a tap speed test tells you

Ten seconds of tapping is short enough that stamina barely matters and long enough that technique does. The number that comes out, taps per second, is dominated by how you tap rather than how fast your muscles are. One finger hammering a phone screen usually lands somewhere around 6 to 8 taps a second; two fingers alternating on the same spot roughly doubles that, because each finger only has to complete half the cycle.

The game also counts your very first tap, since that is what starts the clock. Some players lose a beat waiting for a signal that never comes.

Technique, in order of how much it helps

• Alternate two fingers. This is the single biggest gain and it is not close.
• Tap from the wrist or forearm rather than curling the finger. Small joints tire in seconds; the forearm does not.
• Stay loose. Players who tense up fade noticeably in the last three seconds, and the game shows your rate, so you can see the drop.
• On a phone, rest the device on a table. Holding it means one hand is doing two jobs.
• Do not chase the screen edge. A tap anywhere counts, so pick the spot closest to your resting hand and stay there.

Common questions

Does the first tap count?

Yes. Your first tap starts the 10 second clock and is counted as tap number one, so there is no reason to wait for a start signal.

Why does two finger tapping score so much higher?

Each finger only has to complete half the cycle. While one finger lifts, the other is already coming down, so the rate roughly doubles compared with a single finger.

Is my best score saved?

Your best total is saved in this browser only, on this device. Nothing is sent anywhere.