Fact · Typing and writing speed
350words per minute
Wikipedia reports that handwriting speeds up to 350 words per minute have been reached in shorthand competitions.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“Handwriting speeds up to 350 words per minute have been achieved in shorthand competitions.”
Words per minute, Wikipedia, n.d., Handwriting section.
Open the original- What it measures
- Shorthand uses abbreviated symbols, so the writer writes far fewer strokes per word than in longhand.
- What it does not show
- Competition records, not everyday shorthand. Most working shorthand writers record far fewer words per minute.