Handwriting Literally Rewires Your Brain

In an age where typing is faster, cleaner, and infinitely more convenient, handwriting seems like
an old-fashioned practice. But what if handwriting wasn’t only a means of communication, but
also one of the most powerful practices for shaping the human brain? The video “Handwriting
Literally Rewires Your Brain” addresses this question, referencing compelling scientific
evidence that handwriting doesn’t just record thought; it creates it!

Makai Allbert’s YouTube video, Handwriting Literally Rewires Your Brain, opens with a
striking image of two brains. One lights up like a synchronized fireworks display, with neural
connections sparking across multiple regions of the brain. The other flickers faintly, scattered
and uncoordinated. Both belong to intelligent university students attending the same lecture.
What’s the only difference? One is taking notes by hand, and the other is typing on a laptop.

In 2014, researchers Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer at Princeton University showed how
handwriting engages the brain in ways typing simply does not. Students who took notes by hand
scored 20% higher on tests of conceptual understanding. The typists produced longer, more
detailed notes, but they retained less information. Why? Typing seems to be too easy. It
encourages transcription rather than transformation within the brain. Words flow directly from
the ear to the fingertips, bypassing the deep processing that creates memory.
In contrast, handwriting forces the brain to slow down. You can’t possibly capture every word,
so you listen more carefully, summarize ideas, and put concepts into your own words. This
effort, the “desirable difficulty,” is what cements learning. Even when laptop users were told not
to transcribe, they couldn’t help it. They seemed to just do it automatically.

An additional study about the brain during these two modes of writing was conducted by
Norwegian neuroscientist Audrey van der Meer using high-density EEG caps. The EEGs
revealed the presence of theta and alpha waves with handwriting. These frequencies are directly
associated with learning and memory. Theta waves help process new information and improve
working memory, while alpha waves strengthen long-term retention. Handwriting, van der Meer
concluded, activates fine motor and sensory pathways, leaving deep, durable traces in the brain.
Typing, by comparison, is like tracing in the dark; it’s efficient, but shallow.

This handwriting advantage extends far beyond college classrooms. Preschoolers learning letters
by writing them outperform peers who type them, showing stronger reading and letter
recognition skills. Adults studying new languages, such as Arabic, learn faster and develop better
spelling and reading abilities when they practice by hand.

Writing by hand is not merely about recording words; it’s a cognitive workout. Every underline,
arrow, doodle, and margin note becomes a cue that helps the brain reconstruct memories later.
This personal connection is why borrowed handwritten notes often feel confusing; they were
encoded in someone else’s unique mental language. Typed notes, neat and uniform, lack those
distinctive visual and kinesthetic cues, making them less effective as memory triggers.

Although typing and digital tools can make us feel more productive, real learning requires effort.
This is the “desirable difficulty,” tasks that force us to engage, think, and struggle just enough to
form stronger memories. Handwriting naturally builds this challenge into the learning process,
compelling the mind to interact more deeply with ideas rather than skimming the surface.

In an age of keyboards, screens, and automation, handwriting remains a uniquely human act. It
strengthens neural connections, deepens comprehension, and preserves a sense of individuality that digital text cannot replicate. So keep your pens and pencils handy. Encourage your kids to
practice their handwriting skills. Write letters to your distant friends. Take notes by hand when
you want to remember something. Every handwritten word, whether it’s a journal entry or a
grocery list, is more than ink on paper. It’s a powerful act of cognition and creativity.

To learn more about building cognitive skills or to speak with a professional counselor about any
mental health concern, please contact Olive Branch Counseling Associates, Inc. at 708-633-8000

We are located at 6819 167th St. in Tinley Park, IL 60477, offering in-person and telehealth
appointments. We are here to be of service to you.

Molly V.
Graduate Intern, 2025
Olive Branch Counseling Associates, Inc.

Reference
The Upgrade with Makai Allbert. (2025, September 18). Handwriting Literally Rewires Your
Brain. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKi1KYhi0xg