How to type with long nails: pro tips, tricks, and hacks.

Struggling with how to type with long nails?

I feel you, honey.

We all know that long nails come with a price when it comes to practicality.

Fastening buttons, putting on earrings and makeup, hell even wiping your butt can be a challenge!

But what if I told you I’ve got a few tips, tricks, and techniques to make it easier for you to type with long nails?

What’s that? Do you want me to share?

That’s all you had to say!

If you’re sick of making endless typos, getting your nails caught between keys, and typing at the speed of a toddler you’re in the right place!

Here are my pro tips for fast and effective typing while wearing long nails.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

Which nail shape is easiest to type with?

The shape of your nail can have a huge impact on your typing ability.

In general, the wider the nail shape, the more difficult it is to type with those puppies.

So let’s go through some of the most common nail shapes and see how well they work for the task of typing.

We’ll start with the easiest nail shapes for typing and work our way up to the most difficult.

Round nails

This is the easiest nail shape to type with.

That’s because round is the closest nail shape to your natural nails.

This means it’s not going to be much of an adjustment for you to get used to fast typing with round acrylic or gel nails.

Oval nails

Oval-shaped nails are not quite as easy as round nails for typing.

But they are still fairly easy to get used to.

Especially if you keep them on the shorter side.

Stiletto nails

Slightly more difficult than oval and round-shaped nails.

The point at the tip makes stiletto nails quite narrow at the ends.

This shouldn’t cause you too much trouble while typing. With a little practice, they can actually work pretty well.

Almond nails

These are basically oval nails but with a more almond-shaped tip.

Because the tips are wider than stiletto nails though, they can make typing a little more clunky.

Square nails

Because of their width, square nails do make typing quite a bit more difficult.

It may be best to work your way up to square nails if you’re not used to typing with long nails.

Coffin nails

I know you probably love your coffin nails, I do too.

But they are one of the most difficult nail shapes to manage when you’ve got a lot of typing to get done.

Ballerina nails

Ballerina nails have slightly more curved and therefore wider sidewalls than coffin nails.

This makes Ballerina shaped nails the most difficult nail shape when it comes to typing.

Of course, the length of your nails is also going to factor in massively, regardless of the shape you choose.

So short ballerina-shaped nails might be easier for you to type with than long round or oval nails for example.

As a general rule, the longer the nails, the more difficult typing will be.

How to type with long nails

Now that you know all about how different nail shapes can affect your typing abilities, let’s move on to some pro tips and tricks for making it easier to type with long nails.

Use the pads of your fingers.

You’re tempted to just go ahead and type with your nails, right?

While you can (and some people do) adopt this technique, it does cause wear and tear on your nails.

This means your nails will be more likely to crack or break.

Rather then risking your beautiful nails, there’s a really simple adjustment you can make to the way you type.

I promise you that it doesn’t take long to get used to and pretty soon you won’t even notice you’re doing it.

Doing what?

Using your fingerpads of course!

Think of it like this.

Each key has a fingerprint scanner on it.

Your goal is to get a good scan of each key you touch.

Simply hit each key square in the middle with the fleshy fingerprint part (not the tips) and you’ve cracked it!

This is my best tip. It’s simple, effective and it works.

On to the next tip.

Take it slow

Adjusting to your new nails will take a little bit of time.

Your typing speed is going to suck at first (but not for long).

Honestly, I think it’s a mental hurdle more than anything else.

Focus on accuracy rather than speed at first, and tell yourself you can do this.

Remember to hit each key with your fleshy pads.

If you take it slow and give yourself time and patience to get used to typing in a slightly new way, you’ll be clacking away at lightning speed before you know it.

Time for my next top typing tip.

Good posture

We’ve all developed bad habits when it comes to how we sit down to type.

It might be time to go back to basics when it comes to posture.

Good posture while typing not only helps protect your nails but also your neck, back, and wrists.

Here’s how to do it.

Sit up nice and tall in your chair, with your feet flat on the floor.

Your screen should be at eye level, about an arm’s length away from your face.

Rest your wrists on the desk, keeping them in line with your elbows.

Practice typing more often

Practice makes perfect, so make sure you do plenty of it!

If you have a lot of typing to do for work, it’s a good idea to practice at home (perhaps over the weekend).

That way, you won’t feel like you’re wading through treacle.

You could take an online typing test and try to improve your score for example.

I find that that’s a great way to practice.

Take lots of breaks

Learning to type in a slightly different way is going to take some time and effort.

You might find yourself getting frustrated at first, which is perfectly normal.

When you start to feel frustrated, take a break!

Get up, walk around and give your mind and body a chance to relax.

A few deep breaths will work wonders.

Then, when you’re feeling refreshed, you can go back to trying to type with your long nails.

Get a typing mate

What’s a typing mate I hear you ask?

A typing mate is a product designed to help with the typing with long nails problem.

It’s a set of tips that mold to the ends of your nails.

The tips allow you to type with your nails themselves.

They basically cushion the blow a bit and make the nail tips thicker so that they don’t get stuck in between the keys.

Use dictating software

My last tip is to not type at all!

Wherever possible, you can use dictating software instead.

Microsoft word has it, and Google docs have it (it’s under tools – voice typing on Google).

Of course, you can’t do everything with voice control, but you’d be surprised at how much you can get done without ever touching a keyboard!

Speaking of keyboards, are there any that are designed to help us long-nailed beauties out with our typing?

Why, yes there is.

Let’s take a look at them now.

Keyboard for long nails

The keyboard totally makes a huge difference in your typing!

Some keyboards work way better for long nails than others.

So, what should you look for in a keyboard if you have long nails?

Well, first of all, you want something that encourages a more natural posture that allows you to type with your hands in a relaxed and comfortable position.

Next, keyboards with nonslip keys can help a lot when it comes to avoiding hitting next-door keys.

Is a flat or a mechanical keyboard better for typing with long nails?

This is debatable.

Some people like to use a mechanical keyboard because you have to press down really hard on the keys which means that you get fewer typos.

However, others prefer the speed and ease with which you can glide over the keys on a flatter keyboard like the one on a laptop.

Ultimately it comes down to personal preference.

If you have the opportunity to try out both kinds, then do so and see which one works better for you.

The best keyboard for long nails

If you are looking for a new keyboard to help you type faster and with fewer typos, then I would highly recommend the Logitech Ergo K860.

This keyboard is designed to be used in a very natural position that’s perfect for those with long nails.

It has a unique split keyboard, an adjustable palm wrest and a very comfortable wrist wrest, too.

How to type with long nails on a laptop

Laptop keyboards tend to be very flat. and quite slippery.

A lot of people with longer nails find them difficult to use for these 2 reasons.

Honestly, if you change your typing style to use your pads instead of your nails or your tips, you shouldn’t have any problems adjusting to using your laptop keyboard.

If you’re really struggling with your laptop keyboard, you could try plugging in a mechanical one to see if that helps.

How to type with long nails on a phone

Here are my top tips for typing on your phone with long nails.

Use voice commands

As much as possible, you should use your voice instead of your fingers.

Send voice messages instead of typing them and use the mic function to search on google.

Use the sides of your thumbs

If your nails have perfect c curves, touching the phone screen with them just ain’t gonna happen.

So what you should do instead is use the sides of your thumbs.

It takes a bit of getting used to, but you’ll be surprised at how well it works!

If you can’t use the sides of your thumbs, then another option is to type using your knuckles.

Just lightly tap the screen where you want the cursor to go and then use your knuckle to select the key you want to press.

Change how you hold your phone

Whether you hold your phone in just one hand and use your thumb to type, or you use 2 hands and both thumbs, when it comes to typing with long nails you’re fighting a losing battle.

If your nails are long, it’s much better to use your index finger or fingers to type on your phone.

Try it and I’m sure you’ll notice fewer typos and you might even hit the right emoji!

Use a stylus pen

Stylus pens aren’t just for tablets you know!

They can be really helpful for typing on your phone, too.

A stylus pen gives you much more control over where your cursor goes and which keys you press.

If you’re struggling to type with your long nails, then I would really recommend investing in a good stylus pen.

Look for one that’s universal so you can be sure it will work on all your devices (click to check price)

So there you have it, everything you need to know about typing with long nails.

Hopefully, these tips will help you type faster and with fewer typos.

Happy typing!

FAQs about typing with long nails

Is typing harder with long nails?

Yes, typing can be more difficult with longer nails because it is easy to miss the keys and make typos.

Can you type with fake nails?

Yes with a little practice you can type with fake nails. The main thing is to be gentle and not press down too hard on the keys.

How to game with long nails?

To game with long nails you can use a gaming controller that has buttons that are easy to press or a stylus pen.

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