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How to click faster: jitter, butterfly and drag clicking

By The arealme team Updated 2 min read

Normal clicking with one relaxed finger tops out at around 7 to 8 CPS for most people. Almost everything above that comes from technique rather than from a faster mouse.

1. Jitter clicking

Tense your forearm until your hand starts to vibrate, and let the vibration press the button. Done well, it gives 10 to 14 CPS in short bursts.

  • Good for: the 1 and 5 second tests.
  • Bad for: aim. While your arm shakes, the cursor shakes with it.
  • Careful: this is the technique most likely to cause strain. Stop as soon as your forearm starts to burn.

Try it on the Jitter Click Test, which keeps its own personal records.

2. Butterfly clicking

Rest two fingers on the same button and alternate them. Each finger only needs to click at a normal pace; together they can double it. Many players reach 12 to 20 CPS this way, and it holds up better than jitter clicking over 10 seconds.

  • Good for: the 10 second test and anything that needs speed for more than a moment.
  • Watch out: many game servers limit butterfly clicking, because it can make one press register as a double click. Check the rules before you use it in a match.

3. Drag clicking

Rest a fingertip on the button and drag it down the surface, so friction makes the finger skip and the switch registers many presses in one motion. With a mouse that suits it, short bursts of 20 to 30 CPS are possible.

  • Good for: Minecraft bridging and short bursts.
  • Reality check: it only works on some mice, it wears out the switch, and the clicks come in uneven clumps. That is why drag scores have their own test and stay out of the shared leaderboards.

Practising without getting hurt

  1. Warm up with a 10 second test at a normal pace before you try any technique.
  2. Keep your wrist straight and let your forearm rest on the desk.
  3. Run a marathon test at most once per session. The 180 second test is there to measure stamina, not to train it.
  4. If a finger or your forearm still hurts the next day, take a week off.

Reading your chart

After a test, look at the red line. A flat line means a steady rhythm. Peaks and dips mean you burst and recover; try to smooth them out. A line that falls away after a few seconds means you started too fast for the length you picked.

The arealme team. We have run the CPS Test since September 2019, along with the other tests on arealme.com. Questions and corrections are welcome at admin+cpstest@arealme.com.