A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which a handwriting input is enabled and by which a handwritten character saved as an image can be further utilized. According to the present invention, when a user directly inputs a character by handwriting, a text corresponding to each handwritten character is saved by being linked to the handwritten character. The user is facilitated to correctly search handwritten characters saved as image for a specific word or the like using the saved confirmed text. By mapping the handwritten character saved as the image correctly using the saved confirmed text, the handwritten character is modifiable or utilizable in various ways. Therefore, a handwritten character saved as an image in a mobile terminal can be further utilized.