Digit Span Test
Digits flash one at a time. Type them back in order and see how long a string you can hold.
See how many digits you can hold in order.
- They flash one digit at a time
- Type them back in the same order
- Right, one digit longer. Wrong, the round keeps going
No score yet. Your first round becomes your own baseline.
How to read your score
| Score | What it means |
|---|---|
| Under 5.0 digits | A weighted span under 5.0 digits in this Digit Span Test is in the lowest score band, not a ranking against other people. Check your longest correct sequence and correct answers out of six. Before trying again, use practice to check that you enter digits in order and press enter before time runs out. |
| 5.0-6.4 digits | A weighted span of 5.0-6.4 digits in this Digit Span Test combines your accuracy at the sequence lengths you attempted. It is not a count of correct answers or an average for other players. Compare it with your own earlier spans using the same device and input method. |
| 6.5-7.9 digits | A weighted span of 6.5-7.9 digits in this Digit Span Test is the middle score band, not the middle of a population ranking. For example, recalling four through seven digits correctly and missing both eight-digit attempts gives 7.0. Check longest correct as well: weighted span and maximum sequence length are different readings. |
| 8.0-8.9 digits | A weighted span of 8.0-8.9 digits in this Digit Span Test is below its 9.0-digit ceiling and in its second-highest score band. The band does not identify your memory technique or rank you against other players. Compare several completed rounds with the same input method to see whether you can repeat the result. |
| 9.0 digits | A weighted span of 9.0 digits in this Digit Span Test means all six scored sequences, from four through nine digits, were correct. This is the test ceiling: longer sequences were not tested. It does not establish your maximum possible span or a population ranking; another completed round can show whether you repeat the result. |
These bands help you read your span in this test. They are not rankings against other players and not a standard for health or ability. Higher is better; compare rounds on the same device.
How to play
- How do you start a digit span test?: Press Start for one unscored three-digit practice attempt. If you miss it, choose another practice attempt or continue. After practice, press the button to begin six scored attempts, starting at four digits.
- How are digits shown in the digit span test?: Watch the same spot as digits appear one at a time, each for 0.8 seconds with a short blank between them. Remember their order and wait for the keypad to unlock before typing.
- How do you enter digit span test answers?: Tap each digit in the order shown, then press enter to submit. Use delete to fix a slip. On a computer, use the number keys, Backspace and Enter. Filling every slot does not submit your answer automatically.
- How do you read a digit span test score?: Finish all six scored attempts. Your main score is weighted span in digits: higher means better recall performance in this round. Also check your longest correct sequence and correct answers out of six, then compare with your previous rounds on the same device.
What this measures
One three-digit practice attempt runs first and never counts toward your score. The six scored attempts start at four digits.
One correct answer makes the next sequence one digit longer. Two wrong answers in a row make it one digit shorter. Sequences stay between three and nine digits; one wrong answer does not end the round.
Repeat every digit in its original position. Remembering the right digits in the wrong order still counts as an incorrect answer. You must fill every slot before you can submit, but you can delete and correct your input first.
The typing window is 5 seconds plus 1.5 seconds per digit. Submit before it ends: a timeout counts as a failed attempt in your span score. You must submit at least four of the six scored answers in time to receive a score; those submitted answers do not all have to be correct.
Higher weighted span is better. Start with the shortest sequence length tested minus one, then add the fraction you answered correctly at each tested length. For example, correct answers at four, five, six and seven digits followed by two misses at eight give a span of 7.0 digits.
For a useful comparison, keep the same device, input method and way of remembering the digits across rounds. Read weighted span alongside longest correct and correct answers out of six; a single best sequence does not show how consistently you recalled the others.
Stay on this page until the round ends. Switching away, refreshing or stopping ends the round without a score. Start a fresh round when you can finish without interruption.
FAQ
What does this digit span test measure?
This Digit Span Test measures how accurately you recall a sequence of digits in its original order immediately after watching it, with a weighted score that combines your answers across six attempts at changing lengths. Watch each digit, wait for the keypad, then enter the sequence from memory. The result describes your performance on this task.
What is a good digit span test score?
A higher weighted span is a better score on this Digit Span Test, but there is no verified average or population ranking for this version, so a useful benchmark is your own results under similar conditions. Compare several completed rounds on the same device and with the same input method. A band label alone cannot tell you how you compare with other people.
How is a weighted digit span score calculated?
The weighted score in this Digit Span Test starts with the shortest sequence length attempted minus one, then adds the fraction of correct answers at each tested length and rounds the total to one decimal place. Correct answers at four through seven digits followed by one success in two eight-digit attempts give 7.5 digits. That differs from the longest correct sequence, which is eight digits in this example.
How do you practise digit span?
To practise this Digit Span Test, recall each sequence without writing it down, check the answer comparison after a mistake, and keep your device, input method and remembering strategy consistent when comparing rounds over time. Notice whether you missed a digit, swapped positions or mistyped. Work on that specific mistake in your next round; judge progress by repeated results rather than one personal best.
Why does sequence length change in a digit span test?
In this Digit Span Test, one correct answer increases the next sequence by one digit, while two consecutive wrong answers decrease it by one digit, with all sequences kept between three and nine digits. The six scored attempts continue after mistakes. A timeout also counts as a failed attempt, so remember to press enter after filling every slot.
How do timeouts affect a digit span test score?
A timeout in this Digit Span Test counts as a failed attempt in your weighted span, and three timeouts leave too few submitted answers for a score, even if every answer you submitted was correct. Switching away, refreshing or stopping also ends the round without a score. Wait for the keypad to unlock, fill every slot and press enter before time runs out; if the round is interrupted, start again.
Related games
This test is for self-understanding and practice only, not a clinical or intelligence diagnostic tool. It is a non-standardised adaptation of digit span; its scores cannot be used interchangeably with clinical assessment scores.
Last updated: 2026-09-09 · Scores stay on this device