Digit Span Test Online — Forward, Backward & Auditory Modes
The classic working-memory task, playable in your browser: digits appear one per second — then type them back in the same order (forward) or reversed (backward). An adaptive staircase finds your limit, and an exclusive auditory mode speaks the digits aloud, just like a clinician would. Scores never leave your device.
Repeat the digits in the SAME order.
Pick a direction, press start, and repeat each sequence back. Two mistakes end the run.
Finish a run to start your local history.
How to read your span — published anchors: forward 7±2 (Miller 1956), average 5–9; backward 1–2 lower. Full scoring standards →
How this digit span test works
This digit span test online shows you a sequence of digits, one per second, then asks you to type it back. In digit span forward mode you answer in the presented order; in backward mode — the reverse digit span, the version clinicians call the backward digit span test — you answer in reverse order. Every correct recall adds one digit to the next sequence; two mistakes end the run, and your score is the longest sequence you recalled exactly.
The staircase follows the published procedure: digits 1–9 with no adjacent repeats, one digit per second, starting at three and stopping after two errors — the two-error maximum length used in digit span research. The SchulteLab signature addition is an auditory mode that speaks each digit aloud instead of flashing it, closer to how the task is administered in clinics. Forward and backward scores are stored separately in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
An honest note on scope: memory span is a real, well-studied ability, but this page is a screening-style game, not a medical assessment. Practice reliably makes you better at this task (near transfer), and the trend shows up in your local history — claims that any game raises memory or intelligence in general go beyond the evidence. Published reference values, each with its source, live on the digit span standard scores page; printable sequence cards are available for offline drills.
How to take the test
- Pick Forward (repeat as presented) or Backward (repeat in reverse order). If your browser supports speech, you can also switch the presentation from Visual to Auditory.
- Press Start. Digits appear — or are spoken aloud — one per second, beginning with a 3-digit sequence.
- When prompted, type or tap the sequence back on the keypad. A correct recall adds one digit; a mistake costs one strike, and two strikes end the run.
- Read your result: span (longest correct sequence), rounds played, rating band, progress curve and personal best. Everything is stored locally on your device.
What your results mean
| Metric | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Span (longest correct) | The longest digit sequence you recalled exactly — the classic digit span score, recorded separately for forward and backward runs. |
| Rounds | How many sequences you attempted before two strikes ended the run. |
| Rating band | A four-level reading anchored to published adult values — the classic 7±2 forward and roughly 4–5 backward — not a clinical cutoff. |
| Forward vs backward | Backward span usually lands one to two digits below forward in published samples; the gap reflects the extra mental manipulation. |
Bands anchor to the sourced figures on the digit span standard scores page (Miller 1956’s 7±2 and published normative samples). They describe typical adult performance — they are not a diagnosis.
Printable digit span cards
Prefer paper? Generate fresh number-sequence training cards with forward and backward drills for offline practice — every sheet is newly randomized. Open the printable digit span cards →
Frequently asked questions
What is a digit span test?
A digit span test is the classic measure of memory span: you hear or see a sequence of single digits, then repeat it back. Psychologists have used the digit span task since the 1880s, and it is still part of the WAIS and WISC intelligence scales. The longest sequence you repeat correctly is your digit span.
How does the digit span test work?
Digits appear one per second, starting at three. When the sequence ends, type it back — in the same order in forward mode, or reversed in backward mode. Each correct answer adds one digit; two mistakes end the run. Your score is the longest sequence recalled correctly, plus your round history.
How many digits is a normal digit span?
For healthy adults the classic figure is about 7±2 digits forward — Miller’s famous 1956 “magical number seven”. Published normative samples of older adults average around 5.4–6.6 forward and about 4 backward, and scores dip after age 70. Treat these as reference points, not a diagnosis — your own trend matters more.
What is the difference between forward and backward digit span?
Forward digit span repeats the sequence as presented — passive short-term storage. Backward (reverse) digit span repeats it in reverse order, which adds mental manipulation, so it taps working memory and executive control. Backward scores typically run one to two digits lower than forward in published adult samples.
What does the digit span test measure?
Primarily short-term verbal storage (forward) and working memory — holding information while manipulating it (backward). Both also lean on attention. It is one narrow skill, not an IQ score: practicing the task improves your task score, and there is no solid evidence it raises general intelligence or treats any condition.