How to switch from QWERTY to Colemak-DH

Colemak-DH is the refined version of Colemak for people who want the same ergonomic base but a flatter, more natural index-finger reach pattern on the bottom row.

Colemak-DH makes the most sense when you already type enough each day to notice friction, and you are willing to practice deliberately instead of expecting the new layout to feel natural in a weekend.

Colemak-DH is most useful when you already know you want Colemak's ergonomic base but want a flatter index-finger reach pattern that avoids the awkward inward stretch QWERTY-style bottom-row use encourages.

It fits personal laptops and desktops where you can commit to a second retraining phase, especially if you have already switched to Colemak and want to refine movement patterns further.

The first challenge is that several high-frequency keys — D, H, G, B, M, and V — sit in different positions than standard Colemak, so even experienced Colemak typists face a real retraining phase.

The practical goal is not to protect your old top speed. It is to build clean new repetitions until accuracy becomes predictable again.

Start from the Colemak-DH lesson path instead of jumping straight into random typing tests. That keeps the work progressive and makes weak keys easier to identify.

Once a lesson result drops, use SureTyping's customized practice loop to revisit the exact problem areas instead of repeating the entire path blindly.

That depends on how often you type and whether you split time between layouts. In practice, consistent daily reps matter more than marathon sessions.

The biggest speed gains usually come after accuracy stabilizes. If the new layout still feels chaotic, the answer is usually more targeted reps, not more force.

The most common Colemak-DH mistake is underestimating the second retraining cost. Because the rest of the layout matches standard Colemak, people expect a quick adjustment — but the modified keys appear frequently enough to disrupt rhythm for weeks.

Learners who came from QWERTY also sometimes skip standard Colemak and go directly to Colemak-DH, which can work but removes the ability to compare the two systematically.