Is IELTS fully computer-based now?

In most markets, yes. Paper-based delivery was retired from mid-2026, with the final paper date in most locations on 27 June 2026. A "Writing on Paper" option exists in selected markets, where you handwrite the Writing component while the rest runs on computer.

Is computer-delivered IELTS easier than paper?

It is the same test with the same questions and the same band descriptors, so neither is easier by design. In practice it favours people who type well and are comfortable reading on screen, and it removes handwriting legibility as a risk. Familiarity with the interface is the deciding factor.

Do I still get 10 minutes to transfer Listening answers?

No. That transfer time existed because paper needed an answer sheet. On computer you type answers directly during the recording and get about two minutes at the end to check them, so accurate spelling as you listen matters more.

Is the Speaking test done on a computer too?

No. Speaking remains a live conversation with a certified examiner, either face to face or by video call at the test centre. It is not recorded for later marking and it is not scored by software.

Test format 10 min read· August 2026

Computer-delivered IELTS: a screen-by-screen guide for 2026

Paper IELTS is gone in most markets. Exactly what the computer-delivered test looks like on screen, the tools you get, and the habits you need to change.

From mid-2026, IELTS is a computer-delivered test in most markets. The final paper-based date in most locations was 27 June 2026. The content, the timing and the 9-band scale are unchanged. What changed is the interface, and the interface is where a lot of people quietly lose half a band on their first attempt.

This is what you will actually see, section by section.

What is identical to paper

The same four skills, the same question types, the same number of questions.
The same total time: about 30 minutes for Listening, 60 for Reading, 60 for Writing, 11 to 14 for Speaking.
Speaking is still a live conversation with a real examiner, in person or by video call at the centre. It is not recorded and marked later, and it is not an AI.
The same band descriptors and the same marking standards. A Band 7 means exactly what it meant on paper.

The screen you get in every section

The layout is consistent: the question or passage occupies the main area, a timer sits at the top and turns to a warning colour in the last 10 and 5 minutes, and a numbered question navigator runs along the bottom so you can jump to any question and see which you have answered.

You also get three tools worth practising with: text highlighting, a notes function, and a review flag on individual questions. Nobody reads your highlights or notes. They exist purely to reproduce what you used to do with a pencil.

Listening: the two-minute difference

The recording plays once, as always. The change that catches people out is at the end. Paper gave you 10 minutes to transfer answers to an answer sheet. On computer there is no transfer, because you type straight into the answer box, and you get about two minutes to check.

That is a net gain if you use it correctly. It means typing your answer as you hear it rather than scribbling and copying later. It also means spelling matters in real time, and a misspelt answer is simply wrong. This is the largest source of avoidable Listening loss.

Reading: scrolling is the skill

The passage sits on one side and the questions on the other, with a draggable divider. Long Academic passages do not fit on one screen, so you scroll, and losing your place while scrolling is the main reason people report that reading feels slower on computer.

Two habits fix it. Highlight the keywords in each question before you go hunting, so your eye has a target. And answer in passage order wherever the question type allows it, since most IELTS question sets follow the text, so you scroll in one direction rather than jumping.

Writing: the word count is free information

You type both tasks. There is a live word count, so the old skill of estimating 250 words by eye is obsolete. Use the count and stop guessing.
Cut, copy and paste work, so restructuring a paragraph is cheap. Take advantage: write your Task 2 body paragraphs in whatever order they come, then reorder.
There is no spell-checker and no grammar checker. Proofreading is entirely on you, and it is worth the last three minutes.
Typing speed matters. If you type under about 30 words per minute, that is a real risk to your Writing band, and it is the single most improvable thing on this list.

Results arrive faster, which changes your planning

Computer-delivered results usually arrive within 3 to 5 days, against up to 13 days for paper. If you are working to an application deadline, that shortens the buffer you need. It also means a One Skill Retake, which must happen within 60 days of your original test, is genuinely usable rather than theoretical.

The 'Writing on Paper' option

In selected markets you can choose to handwrite the Writing component while Listening and Reading run on computer. It is an option at some centres, not the default, and availability varies. If handwriting is genuinely faster for you than typing, check whether your centre offers it before you book, but be aware that you are also giving up the live word count and free editing.

Practise on the screen you will sit

Familiarity with the interface is worth real marks, and it is free. IELTSVega runs entirely in your browser with a typed Writing editor and word count, on-screen Listening and Reading with highlighting, and full timed mock tests that mirror the computer-delivered experience, plus instant AI band scoring on Writing and Speaking so you know where you actually stand.

Computer or paper: which to choose