Spacebar Challenge
Can you press the spacebar 300 times in a minute? Start pressing and the counter shows how many are left, the speed you need and whether you are on pace. Change the target or the time limit for a new challenge.
- Presses
- 0 / 300
- target 300
- Average speed
- 0.00 / s
- Whole run
- Time left
- 60.0 s
- Limit 60 s
- Best time
- -
- Saved in this browser
Press Space to start
Reach 300 presses within 60 seconds. The clock starts on your first press.
On a phone or tablet, tap this box or the spacebar below.
- Average
- -
- presses per second
- Per minute
- -
- at that average
- Fastest second
- -
- most in any 1 s
- Shortest gap
- -
- between two presses
- Typical gap
- -
- median gap
- Possible doubles
- -
- gaps under 25 ms
Presses per second
Finish a run to see how many presses you made in each second.
Fastest times
Finish a challenge to record your fastest time.
Recent runs
Your runs are listed here, newest first. They stay in this browser only.
Holding Space does not count. While this test is on screen, Space never scrolls the page; scroll down to the text and it works as usual.
What is the spacebar challenge?
The spacebar challenge flips the usual speed test around. Instead of counting presses in a fixed time, you have a number of presses to reach, and the clock is against you. The best known version is 300 presses in one minute, which takes an average of 5 per second, the whole way through. This page shows how many presses are left, the speed you need for the rest of the time, your current speed and when you will finish at that rate. Reach the target and your time is recorded; run out of time and it shows how close you got. Pick 100, 300, 500 or 1000 presses, or type your own target, with a 30-second, 60-second or no time limit.
How to take the spacebar challenge
- Choose a target (300 is the classic) and a time limit: 30 seconds, 60 seconds or none.
- Press Space to start. The clock starts on the first press, which counts towards the target.
- Watch the pace line: green means you are fast enough to finish in time, amber means speed up.
- Reach the target to stop the clock, or keep going until the time limit runs out.
- Press Enter or select Try again. Your fastest time for each target and limit is saved.
Why take the challenge here
- Live pacePresses left, the speed you need and a projected finish time, updated as you go.
- Fair countingAuto-repeat from a held key never counts, and the first press starts the clock.
- Any target, any limitThe classic 300 in 60 seconds, or 100, 500, 1000 or your own number.
- Fastest times savedYour best time for each target and limit, plus the last 20 attempts.
- No account or installRuns in your browser on a computer, or tap the on-screen spacebar on a phone.
Ways to play the spacebar challenge
- The classic. 300 presses in 60 seconds.
- Sprint. 100 presses as fast as you can, with no limit.
- Endurance. 1000 presses with no time limit.
- Head to head. Same target, one keyboard, best time wins.
- Classroom break. A quick team challenge between lessons.
- Keyboard check. A long run shows whether the spacebar ever misses or doubles.
Spacebar challenge targets and the speed they need
The speed you need is the target divided by the time limit. Below 6 per second is reachable for most people with practice; above 10 per second, you need a fast, light tap all the way through.
| Challenge | Speed needed | How hard |
|---|---|---|
| 100 in 30 seconds | 3.3 per second | Easy |
| 300 in 60 seconds | 5 per second | The classic: steady pace needed |
| 500 in 60 seconds | 8.3 per second | Fast |
| 300 in 30 seconds | 10 per second | Very fast |
| 1000 in 60 seconds | 16.7 per second | Beyond most people |
Prefer a fixed time instead of a target? Use the spacebar counter with 1 to 60 seconds.
How to press the spacebar faster
- Use the side of your thumb or two fingers taking turns, and press only as far as the key needs to register.
- Keep your wrist resting and still. The movement should come from the finger, not the arm.
- Start at a speed you can hold. A fast first second followed by a slump scores less than a steady pace; the chart shows which you did.
- Try a different keyboard. Laptop keys with short travel and light mechanical switches are often quicker than a stiff, deep spacebar.
- Warm up with a couple of 5-second runs before going for your best 10 or 30-second score.
Spacebar counter, CPS test or keyboard test?
Each one tests something different. The spacebar counter measures how fast you can press one key. The CPS test does the same for mouse clicks, and the keyboard test checks that every key on your keyboard works. If a mouse button seems to click twice, the double click test confirms it.
| Test | Measures | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Spacebar counter | Presses per second on the space key | You want your spacebar speed or a challenge with friends |
| CPS test | Mouse clicks per second | You practise clicking for games |
| Keyboard test | Every key, rollover and chatter | You suspect a dead or sticky key |
| Click counter | A running count of anything | You need to count people, laps or items |
Need to count things rather than race? The click counter also counts with the spacebar, with no timer.
Example: 300 presses in 60 seconds
You start fast at 7 presses per second, and after 30 seconds you have 190. The pace line shows you need 3.7 per second for the remaining 110 presses, and at your current speed you would finish at about 47 seconds. You tire but keep going and press number 300 lands at 51.84 seconds: challenge complete with 8.16 seconds to spare, at an average of 5.77 presses per second.
What to expect from the result
The counter measures key presses your browser receives. Keyboards scan their keys at different rates, and some wireless keyboards batch presses, so the same person can score a little differently on two keyboards. Gaps under 25 ms are flagged as possible double presses: that is faster than a finger can move and usually means a worn switch. Scores are saved on this device only.
Spacebar challenge questions
Can you press the spacebar 300 times in a minute?
Most people can. It needs an average of 5 presses per second for the full 60 seconds, which is close to a typical sprint speed, so the hard part is keeping it up when your hand tires in the second half.
How fast do I need to go?
Divide the target by the time limit: 300 in 60 seconds is 5 per second, 300 in 30 seconds is 10 per second, and 1000 in 60 seconds is almost 17 per second, which few people reach. The pace line works this out live for the presses and time you have left.
Can I make my own challenge?
Yes. Choose Custom and type any target up to 10,000 presses, then choose a time limit or no limit. With no limit, the result is the time it took you to reach the target.
Does holding the spacebar down count?
No. When you hold a key, your computer repeats it automatically, and those repeats are ignored. Only real presses count: press, release, press again.
Can I take the test on a phone or tablet?
Yes. Tap the on-screen spacebar instead. Every tap counts as a press. With a Bluetooth or USB keyboard attached, the real spacebar works too.
Are my scores saved anywhere?
Your best scores and last 20 runs are saved in this browser’s local storage on your device. There is no account, no leaderboard and no upload. Clearing site data removes them.