Handwritten is the debut studio album by Canadian singer Shawn Mendes, released on April 14, 2015, by Island Records.

[2] The album includes "Stitches", which reached top 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the UK Singles Chart.

Mendes announced his debut album title and artwork on January 27, 2015, and it was made available to pre-order on February 2, 2015.

[25] Billboard's editor Carl Wilson called Handwriten "a promising teen's first album" but ended his review by opining that "so far, though, Mendes' music is not nearly as inventive as his strategies to publicize it.

"[17] Lewis Corner of Digital Spy felt that the record was at its best "when Mendes veers slightly away from the soppy sentiments" and that "his vocal tone is clear and distinct, and the songs are packed with hooks and heart" but that "he faces a challenge ahead of him to convince a broader audience, and there are moments here that fall short of that," ending his review by opining that the album is "a sturdy enough foundation to ensure he doesn't disappear just as quickly.

"[18] Writing for The Guardian, Caroline Sullivan rated the album three-out-of-five stars and claims: "At 16, Mendes isn’t the artist he’ll be at 25, but he’s made a persuasive start – the adult-pop big league could yet be his.

"[19] Glenn Gamboa of Newsday felt that the album "goes well beyond what you'd expect from your average teen sensation" and that "he tackles a wide range of styles and topics and handles them all well.

Nick Murray from Rolling Stone described Mendes as a "nice-guy guitar strummer more influenced by the light acoustic pop of Ed Sheeran.

"[24] In a more negative review, Christina Lee of Idolator wrote that Handwritten "has its tiny moments of spark, but it also gets dull because of how self-serious he is" and that it "seems like he’s afraid to overstep any boundaries" while also writing that "if he hadn’t already invited fans into his world, he’d have to try harder with his music to captivate them," although she did specifically compliment "Life of the Party," "Stitches," and "I Don't Even Know Your Name.

"[20] Writing for AllMusic, Stephen Erlewin criticized the songwriting and production while writing that Mendes had enough time "to learn how to engage a listener for at least 60 seconds, but Handwritten is pretty thin gruel" and that "he can't hold the audience's attention for any longer than on Vine, relying on his puppy-dog eyes and croon to get him through a song.