How to Hire Workers in Paint My Keyboard — Automation Guide

When Workers Unlock

Workers appear in the hire panel once you can paint a full starter board lap in under two minutes — usually after Speed Coil I and your first paid paint. Workers do not paint keys; they walk across keys you already colored and trigger cash payouts at your active paint multiplier.

Think of workers as passive income on top of your rolling. Mid-game players with three or more upgraded workers often see cash rise while shopping upgrades. Full mechanics live on the workers tool page.

Hiring Your First Worker

Open the worker hire UI from your plot HUD. Early hires cost roughly 1,500–6,000 cash each and scale up. Buy one worker to learn the loop before mass hiring.

1. Complete a full board paint lap.
2. Open the hire menu and check the next worker price.
3. Confirm hire — the NPC patrols painted keys immediately.
4. Upgrade worker speed before buying a fourth or fifth worker.
5. Pair hires with keyboard expansion so more keys stay painted.

Worker Speed, Walk Speed & Paint Tank

Three upgrades in the same menu shape automation: Worker Speed (NPC movement), Walk Speed (your character), and Paint Tank (fewer refill stops). Prioritize worker speed once you own three workers — slow NPCs earn little per minute regardless of count.

Common Worker Mistakes

Mass hiring before Wide Brush I leaves workers pacing sparse keys. Ignoring worker speed while hoarding cash for paints slows automation. Rebirthing without a plan wipes workers — read rebirth guide before your first reset.