FAQ
Questions about KeyHatch
Short, direct answers about cost, accounts, keyboards, the Chinese course and your data.
Getting started
Is KeyHatch free?
Yes. There is no payment option at all: no card, no trial, nothing that turns into a charge later. English units 1–3 and the whole Chinese course are open to anyone; the rest of the English course needs a free account.
Do I need to download anything?
No. KeyHatch runs in a desktop browser. Open a unit and start typing.
Who is KeyHatch for?
Anyone who wants to type without looking and use a computer with more confidence. It is designed for learners from about age 10 through their twenties, and older beginners are welcome too.
I already type. Do I start at unit 1?
No. Both courses have placement checks that start you at the right unit.
Accounts and cost
Who can create an account?
Adults (18+), with Google sign-in or an email address and password. An account is free and opens English units 4–90.
Can my child have their own account?
Not yet. Family profiles, managed by a parent, are planned but not available. Until then, a younger learner can use English units 1–3 and the whole Chinese course with no account. More for parents.
Is there a paid plan?
No. If a paid plan is ever offered, its price and terms will be shown before anyone pays, and using the free service never turns into a charge on its own. Safety, accessibility and privacy features are never behind a paywall.
Keyboards and devices
What keyboard do I need?
A physical keyboard with the US (ANSI QWERTY) layout. Other layouts, such as UK, AZERTY or QWERTZ, and the numeric keypad aren't supported yet.
Can I practice on a phone or tablet?
You can browse lessons on a phone, but typing practice needs a physical keyboard. Touch and on-screen keyboards aren't supported.
My computer can't show the 3D hands.
That's fine. KeyHatch switches to a flat 2D keyboard, and every lesson works the same. You can also choose 2D, fade the hands or hide them in settings.
Which browsers work?
Current desktop versions of Chrome, Safari and Firefox. Run the device check to test yours.
The Chinese course
Do I need a Chinese input method?
No. The course uses KeyHatch's own pinyin input method, inside the page. The one installed on your computer isn't used.
Does it teach tones?
No. It teaches full pinyin: every syllable spelled out, without tones. Number keys choose a candidate; they aren't tone marks.
Can it type any Chinese word?
It can type everything in the course. Its word list is built for teaching, so free writing may now and then meet a word it can't produce.
Progress and privacy
Where is my progress saved?
In the browser you practice in. Cloud saving isn't available yet. Clearing site data removes your progress, and another computer starts fresh. English and Chinese progress are kept separately.
Does KeyHatch record what I type?
No. Typing is checked in your browser to give feedback. Raw keystrokes and typed text aren't recorded, sent to analytics, or sent to AI services.
What does analytics measure?
Nothing, unless you allow it. If you do, only page views of public information pages are counted. Practice, progress and account pages are never measured. Change your choice any time in .
Results and practice spaces
Will I get a certificate?
No. Scores and checks are learning feedback about what you can do in the course. They aren't a certification or an employer typing test.
What's the difference between supported and independent?
Work done with the guide or with help counts as supported. A check done on your own counts as independent. Asking for help on one item of a check marks only that item as supported.
Is the terminal a real Linux computer?
No. Terminal, Git, SQL and similar lessons use labeled practice spaces built for learning. They can't reach your files or the internet. About practice spaces.
Still have a question?
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