Help & support

How does practice work?

Pick a deck and each session gives you up to 8 letters or words: reviews that are due first, then new ones. A new letter shows its handshape; copy it to your camera and hold it for a moment. The next day it comes back without the picture, to sign from memory.

Each time you sign one from memory quickly, the wait before you see it again doubles: 2 days, 4, 8, 16, 32. If you're slow it stays where it is; asking to see the handshape, or skipping, brings it back the next day.

Is the camera recording me?

No. The video goes from your camera to a hand tracker running in your browser tab, which finds 21 points on your hand; only those points are used, and only on your device. Nothing is recorded, saved or uploaded. The camera turns off when you leave the page.

My letter won't register

• Keep your whole hand in view, about an arm's length from the camera, in good light, with your palm facing the camera.
• Hold the sign still for about half a second; a ring fills as it's recognised.
• G and H point sideways, and P and Q point down. The direction is part of the letter.
• J and Z move: make the handshape, then draw the letter in the air.
• A, E, M, N, S and T are all fists that differ only in the thumb. The checker is a little forgiving between them, but watch where your thumb goes: each letter's page explains the difference.

Still stuck? "Show me" shows the handshape, and "Skip" moves on. Either way, the letter comes back tomorrow. If one letter never registers for you, please email [email protected]: automatic checking isn't perfect, and your report helps us fix it.

Which hand should I use?

Your dominant hand: right if you're right-handed, left if you're left-handed. The checker works with either.

What devices work?

Any computer with a webcam, or a phone or tablet with a front camera, in a recent browser (Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox). The hand tracker downloads once, about 8 MB, the first time you turn the camera on.

Is this all of ASL?

No. Fingerspelling is one part of American Sign Language, used for names, places and words without a sign of their own. ASL has thousands of signs and its own grammar; to learn it, look for a class taught by a Deaf teacher, and practise with the Deaf community.

Where is my progress saved?

Without signing in, your progress belongs to a random ID kept in this browser. Clearing your browser's site data, using a private window, or switching device starts you from scratch.

Sign in with Google on the home page to keep it on your account instead. Signing in is also what opens the word decks (short words, everyday words and names); the letter decks don't need it. Whatever you practised before signing in comes with you, and signing in on another device adds that device's progress as well. Our privacy policy sets out exactly what is kept.

How do I delete my account?

Email [email protected] from the address you signed in with, and we'll delete your account and its practice history.

Does it cost anything?

No. ASL a Day is free to use.