Bionic reading promises a smarter, faster way to read by bolding the first parts of words, claiming to help your brain process information more efficiently. It sounds promising. especially for people with ADHD or anyone struggling with focus while reading. But does it actually work?
Despite the hype, most research says otherwise. This article takes a no-nonsense look at what bionic reading is, what the studies really say, and how you can try it for yourself if you’re curious.
What Is Bionic Reading?
Bionic reading is a digital reading method that highlights the first few letters of each word in bold. The idea is that your eyes pick up on these cues faster, and your brain fills in the rest of the word automatically. That’s supposed to help you read more efficiently—less eye movement, better focus, faster comprehension.
The method was developed by a Swiss typographic designer named Renato Casutt. It blew up online, especially on TikTok and Reddit, with neurodivergent users saying it helped them read long texts without zoning out.
But here’s the catch:there’s not much science backing it up yet.
Why People Are Using Bionic Reading
People turn to bionic reading for a few different reasons:
- ADHD and focus issues – The bolded letters might help guide the eyes and reduce distractions.
- Speed reading – It’s marketed as a tool to help you read faster by reducing cognitive load.
- Accessibility – Some users with dyslexia or other learning difficulties say it helps break up text and improve readability.
- Productivity – Students, professionals, and bookworms are always looking for ways to get through text-heavy tasks quicker.
In short, it’s become a go-to tool for folks who want to read better, faster, or just with less frustration. But does it actually do that?
Does It Actually Work?
There’s not a ton of research on the Bionic Reading method. Studies that have been done have not been able to find any consistent links between this text format and reading speed.
A study published in Acta Psychologica by Joshua Snell investigated the impact of Bionic Reading on reading speed and comprehension, concluding it’s not working (but calling for further research).
Involving 32 Dutch-speaking students, the study compared reading 100 paragraphs in Bionic Reading format versus a standard format.
The findings showed no significant differences in reading speed or comprehension between the two formats.
Contrary to expectations, the results indicated that students using bionic reading did not perform better in reading speed compared to their peers.
The results were consistent with a previous study published on the Readwise blog in 2022.
It involved over 2,000 participants and found that, contrary to expectations, Bionic Reading didn’t boost reading speed. On average, users read 2.6 words per minute slower with Bionic Reading compared to regular reading, which clocked in at about 327.9 words per minute.
The study raises questions about the effectiveness of Bionic Reading and sparks the researchers’ interest in exploring alternative reading technologies in future experiments.
How To Use Bionic Reading
You can use Bionic Reading by converting digital text including PDFS, TXT files, and even EPUB. There are a few dedicated apps for that.
Here are some good picks:
- Bionic Reading (paid) -Can convert text files (even EPUB & other kindle-compatible files) as well as web pages. Works on PCs and Macs, as well as Android and iOS.
- Bionify (free) – Can convert web pages into bionic text – works on Chrome & Chromium based browsers like Opera & Edge
- Bionic Reading Converter (free) – online PDF & EPUB file converter. Supports files of up to 5MB & lets you pick how much of the text you want highlighted and the type of contrast you prefer (medium vs high).
You can also find books printed on this format. I saw some interesting titles on Amazon, ranging from coursebooks to literary fiction.
Just type your book title + bionic reader version in the Amazon search bar to check availability.
I recommend doing this after you try the digital format, for free so you don’t end up spending money on an object that’s not useful for you.
Final Thoughts
So, bionic reading promises faster and smarter reading, but the jury’s still out. Some people swear by it, but scientific studies suggest it doesn’t have a big effect.
If you do struggle with reading speed, you might as well give it a try. It’s not a complicated task and you can convert any text to bionic text.