How to Read Faster and Retain More Information
You sit down with a book or article, determined to absorb it all.
You highlight. You underline. You turn the pages. You feel productive.
But three days later… it’s gone.
The details are fuzzy. The main arguments? Forgotten.
And you ask yourself: “Did I even read it?”
This is the silent frustration of millions of readers. We want to learn more, read more, grow more—but our minds don’t always cooperate.
Here’s the truth: it’s not your fault. You were never taught how to read effectively. Not just how to decode words, but how to absorb them—fast and deep.
In this article, you’re going to discover how to read faster and retain more information, without sacrificing comprehension or enjoyment. Whether you’re a student preparing for exams, a professional drowning in reports, or simply someone who wants to read more books in less time—this guide is for you.
Let’s start by debunking a dangerous myth.
Why Speed Alone Is Not the Goal
There’s a big difference between reading fast and reading well.
Speed reading programs often promise 1,000+ words per minute.
But what’s the point if you don’t remember anything afterward?
The real power lies in reading efficiently: balancing speed, understanding, and retention. That means:
Absorbing ideas quickly
Remembering what you read
And being able to apply that knowledge when needed
Reading fast is only useful if the information sticks.
So let’s explore how to make that happen—step by step.
Step 1: Understand How Your Brain Processes Information
To read faster and retain more, you need to align with how your brain naturally works.
Reading involves multiple systems working together:
Your eyes scan and fixate on text.
Your short-term memory processes what you just read.
Your long-term memory stores the essential ideas.
But here’s the catch: your working memory (short-term) is fragile. It gets overloaded easily. That’s why when you read too fast without structure, you forget everything.
Retention depends on two things:
Encoding: how deeply the information is processed.
Repetition: how often it is revisited and reviewed.
Your goal as a reader? Make encoding easier and repetition automatic.
This is where reading technique becomes crucial.
Step 2: Reduce Subvocalization (The #1 Speed Killer)
Subvocalization is the little voice in your head that “reads” every word you see.
It’s how most of us learned to read. But it’s also what limits us to the speed of speech—about 150–200 words per minute.
Your eyes can go faster.
Your brain can process faster.
But subvocalization slows everything down.
How to reduce the habit:
Use your finger or a pen as a pacer: Move it smoothly under the lines, slightly faster than your inner voice can keep up. Your eyes will follow.
Listen to instrumental music while reading: It helps reduce internal vocalization.
Train with RSVP tools (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation): Apps like Spreeder flash words rapidly, forcing your brain to keep up.
At first, it feels unfamiliar. But with practice, you’ll gradually move from reading word by word to reading in phrases, allowing for smoother and faster comprehension.
Step 3: Read in Chunks, Not Words
Most people read word by word. This creates mental fatigue and slows comprehension.
Reading in chunks allows your brain to absorb more information at once and reduces eye movement, which saves time and energy.
Try this:
Take a sentence like:
“Reading faster and remembering more is a skill you can learn.”
Break it into 3 groups:
Reading faster / and remembering more / is a skill you can learn.
Your brain naturally processes language in groups of 2 to 5 words.
Train this skill by:
Using vertical lines on a printed page every 3–4 words.
Practicing with online speed-reading tools that display phrases instead of individual words.
This one technique can instantly double your reading speed with minimal effort.
Step 4: Always Preview Before You Read
Before diving into a chapter or article, take 60 seconds to preview:
Look at headings and subheadings
Skim bolded or italicized text
Observe graphs, images, or bullet points
Read the first and last paragraphs quickly
Why?
Because your brain works like a GPS. It wants a map.
When you preview, you give your mind a structure. It knows what’s coming.
And when it encounters details during the actual read, it knows where to store them.
This is called priming, and it’s a powerful tool for both speed and retention.
Step 5: Engage With the Material (Active Reading)
Most people read passively. They just move their eyes across the page, hoping something will stick.
But if you want the ideas to stay, you need to engage.
How to read actively:
Ask questions before you start: What do I want to learn? What’s the big idea?
Pause and reflect every few paragraphs. Summarize in your own words.
Create visual notes or mind maps while reading.
Highlight sparingly, only when something is surprising or insightful.
This transforms reading from a passive intake to an interactive experience.
It forces your brain to organize, prioritize, and encode—the exact ingredients for strong memory.
Step 6: Use Spaced Repetition to Lock in Memory
Have you ever read something interesting… only to forget it a week later?
That’s not a failure of intelligence. It’s a failure of timing.
Your brain doesn’t store information permanently after one exposure.
It stores what’s repeated—especially when repeated at the right intervals.
This is where spaced repetition becomes a game-changer.
What is spaced repetition?
It’s a learning technique that involves reviewing information at increasing intervals over time, just before you’re about to forget it.
Instead of rereading a chapter 5 times in one day, you might:
Review once on Day 1
Again on Day 3
Then Day 7
Then Day 14
And so on…
How to apply it:
After each reading session, jot down the key points.
Use flashcards (physical or digital) to quiz yourself.
Try apps like Anki, RemNote, or Quizlet, which automatically schedule your reviews based on your memory strength.
This simple habit transforms passive reading into long-term learning—and requires only a few minutes a day.
Step 7: Practice Active Recall
While rereading can feel productive, it’s often deceptive. You recognize the words, but that doesn’t mean you truly remember them.
To retain more, you need to recall, not reread.
What is active recall?
It’s the practice of trying to remember information without looking at the source.
Instead of reading your notes again, ask:
“What did that chapter say about X?”
“Can I explain this concept in my own words?”
“What were the 3 key takeaways from today’s reading?”
When you force your brain to retrieve information, it creates stronger memory traces.
Combine this with spaced repetition, and your retention will skyrocket.
Step 8: Create Your Own Mental Hooks
Memory works through association.
The more vivid, emotional, or surprising the connection, the better it sticks.
When you read, try to link new information to:
A personal story
A strong emotion
A visual image
A metaphor or analogy
Example:
Reading about how the brain stores memory?
Imagine your brain as a giant library, with a lazy librarian who only files books that come back multiple times (spaced repetition) and that are vividly marked (active engagement).
The more you turn abstract ideas into mental images, the more easily they’ll resurface when needed.
Step 9: Set a Clear Intention Before You Start Reading
Your brain filters information based on relevance.
If you don’t know why you’re reading, your brain doesn’t know what to store.
Before opening a book or article, ask:
“What do I want to get out of this?”
“How will I use this information?”
“What problem am I trying to solve?”
When you read with purpose, your focus sharpens. You read faster because your attention is guided. And you retain more because your brain understands: this matters.
Reading without a goal is like shopping without a list—you end up with a cart full of stuff you don’t need and forget the essentials.
Step 10: Optimize Your Environment for Deep Reading
Your brain isn’t just influenced by what you read, but where and how you read.
In a distracted environment, your comprehension drops, your memory weakens, and your speed slows down.
Set the stage:
Read in a quiet space with minimal interruptions.
Turn off notifications and put your phone away.
Use noise-cancelling headphones or ambient music if needed.
Sit with good posture and lighting (tired eyes slow you down).
Create a reading ritual—same place, same time—and your brain will associate that setting with focused learning.
Step 11: Read More Frequently in Short Sessions
Many people try to read in long, exhausting blocks.
But the brain prefers short, regular inputs over occasional marathons.
Aim for:
20 to 30-minute sessions, once or twice a day
Ending with a quick summary or reflection
Using your highlights or notes for short reviews later
Consistency beats intensity.
In just 20 focused minutes a day, you can finish a book per week—and actually remember what you read.
Bonus: Track Your Progress and Celebrate Wins
Nothing improves without feedback.
Keep track of:
How many pages or minutes you read each day
What techniques you’re using
What you remember after 24 hours, 3 days, etc.
Which reading environments or times work best for you
Use a journal, a reading app, or even a simple checklist.
The act of tracking not only improves motivation, but also shows you patterns:
“I retain more when I summarize after reading.”
“Reading in the morning works better than at night.”
“I lose focus after 30 minutes.”
And don’t forget to celebrate milestones:
Finished a dense book?
Remembered key takeaways after a week?
Completed 5 days in a row?
Each small win builds momentum—and a new identity: you are someone who reads deeply and remembers what matters.
Final Thoughts: Your Reading Superpower Awaits
Reading faster and retaining more isn’t a talent—it’s a skill.
A trainable, repeatable skill that changes everything.
You’ll consume more ideas.
Remember key insights.
Think clearer.
Communicate better.
And gain a real advantage in a world drowning in content.
To recap:
Reduce subvocalization
Read in chunks
Preview the material
Engage actively
Use spaced repetition
Practice active recall
Use mental imagery
Set a reading intention
Optimize your environment
Create a consistent reading habit
Track and refine your process
Pick just one technique from this guide and apply it to your next reading session.
Then build from there.
Because once you learn to read smarter, not just faster…
You’ll never look at a page the same way again.
