Home row anchors
Rest position is not optional decoration — it is the coordinate system for every reach.
| Finger | US home key | PT-PT home key |
|---|---|---|
| Left pinky | A | A |
| Left ring | S | S |
| Left middle | D | D |
| Left index | F (bump) | F (bump) |
| Right index | J (bump) | J (bump) |
| Right middle | K | K |
| Right ring | L | L |
| Right pinky | ; | ç |
| Thumbs | Space | Space |
Feel the raised bumps on F and J without looking. If you cannot find them blind, every other part of the map will drift.
US QWERTY ownership (core idea)
Fingers mostly own a column: the home key plus the keys directly above and below. Indexes cover extra middle keys because the centre of the board has more letters.
| Finger | Typical letter keys (US) |
|---|---|
| Left pinky | Q A Z (plus Tab, Caps, Shift, some number/symbol edges) |
| Left ring | W S X |
| Left middle | E D C |
| Left index | R F V · T G B |
| Right index | Y H N · U J M |
| Right middle | I K , |
| Right ring | O L . |
| Right pinky | P ; / (plus Enter, quotes, Shift, bracket cluster) |
Exact symbol positions vary by keyboard (ISO vs ANSI, laptop vs full size). Treat this table as the letter backbone. In the app, the live hand guide is the source of truth for the layout you selected — including edge punctuation.
Dedicated layout landing: US QWERTY practice.
Portuguese PT-PT differences
Portuguese (Portugal) keeps QWERTY letter columns but moves important characters:
- ç sits on the right pinky’s home key (US semicolon position).
- Bottom-row punctuation and some symbol placements differ from US ANSI.
- Accent dead keys and special characters appear depending on OS layout settings.
If your operating system is set to Portuguese but the app is still on US, the on-screen guide will highlight the wrong finger for several keys. Always align OS layout + app layout.
Start training in PT-PT from teste de dactilografia or layout PT-PT.
PT vs BR: Brazilian ABNT layouts are not the same as Portugal’s PT-PT. This product focuses on Portuguese of Portugal. If you use a Brazilian board, verify key positions carefully before trusting any map.
Rules that prevent bad habits
- One finger per key — do not “help” with a neighbour finger because it feels easier.
- Return home after reaches. Floating hands lose the map under speed pressure.
- Indexes share the middle — Y/U/H/N/M and R/T/G/V/B need deliberate practice; they are where many adults invent shortcuts.
- Pinkies are allowed to be slow at first — avoid them and you permanently cripple A, Q, P, shifts, and Enter.
- Numbers are still reaches — same ownership idea, longer travel. See number row practice.
How Typing Coach teaches the map
Reading a chart is not learning. The app teaches ownership in order, with accuracy gates:
- Home row left — A S D F
- Home row right — J K L + pinky home
- Full home row + space
- Top row left, then right
- Bottom row left, then right
- Full board
Each step expects roughly 96% accuracy before unlock. That is how the map becomes automatic instead of “sort of known.” Overview: home row practice. Method: how to learn touch typing.
After the map is stable, stop staring at charts. Measure with a typing test, then repair outliers with weak-key drills.
FAQ
Do I need to memorise every symbol? No. Master letter ownership and home return first. Symbols become easy once columns feel automatic.
Is the live hand guide better than this chart? Yes for practice. This page is the reference; the app highlights the correct finger for the layout you selected in real time.
Can kids use the same map? Yes. Smaller hands may need a lighter touch and shorter sessions, but finger ownership does not change.
What if my keyboard has an extra key near Enter? ISO boards (common in Europe) rearrange a few edge keys. Keep letter columns, and trust the on-screen guide for edge punctuation on your chosen layout.