Designers can use AI for much more than generating images. These free prompts for designers help with design critiques, color systems, wireframe planning, accessibility audits, and UX writing. Each prompt is tested with ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. For the complete collection, check our free prompts mega list.
1. Senior Design Critique
💡 Use case: Get unbiased, professional feedback on your design.
Act as a senior UX/UI designer with 10+ years of experience. Critique this [screen/page type] design focusing on: visual hierarchy — is the most important element getting attention? spacing and layout — is the rhythm consistent? color contrast — are text and interactive elements accessible? typography — is the type scale and hierarchy effective? usability heuristics (Nielsen's) — which are violated? Provide actionable, prioritized fix recommendations. Design description: [describe or paste screenshot description].
✅ Why it works: The role-playing element forces the AI to adopt a professional, experienced perspective.
2. Color Palette Generator
💡 Use case: Build a cohesive color system for a brand or app.
Generate a complete color palette for a [type of brand/app]. Include: primary color (usage: 60% of surfaces), secondary color (30% for supporting elements), accent color (10% for CTAs and highlights) with 3 variations each (light, base, dark), neutral palette with 5 gray scales, semantic colors (success, warning, error, info) with accessible contrast ratios, and a brief explanation of the psychology behind each color choice. Provide all hex codes.
✅ Why it works: The 60-30-10 rule ensures a balanced, professional color system — not just random colors.
3. Wireframe Planning
💡 Use case: Plan the layout and structure of a page before designing.
Plan a mobile-first wireframe for a [page type: landing page / dashboard / product page / checkout]. Describe: layout grid system, component hierarchy and placement, navigation pattern (top bar / sidebar / bottom nav for mobile), content sections above and below the fold, CTA placement and prominence, responsive behavior at 3 breakpoints (mobile 375px, tablet 768px, desktop 1280px), and common UX patterns to use. Consider accessibility from the start.
✅ Why it works: Mobile-first planning with responsive breakpoints ensures the design works for all devices.
4. Design System Component
💡 Use case: Document components for your design system.
Write a design system documentation entry for [component: button / input / card / modal]. Include: component purpose (when to use, when not to use), variants (primary, secondary, ghost, danger — explain when to use each), interactive states (default, hover, active, focused, disabled, error) with visual description, size options (small, medium, large) with exact dimensions, content guidelines (character limits, icon usage), spacing specs (padding, margin), and accessibility requirements (focus indicators, aria labels, keyboard interactions).
✅ Why it works: Comprehensive documentation makes design systems actually usable by developers and other designers.
5. Typography Scale
💡 Use case: Establish a consistent type system.
Generate a typography scale for a [type of product: SaaS / ecommerce / news / portfolio] using modular scale ratio [1.25 (musical fourth) / 1.333 (perfect fifth)]. Include: H1-H6 with font size, line-height, font-weight, letter-spacing, and usage context; body text with 2 sizes (default and small); caption and label styles; responsive adjustments for mobile; recommended font pairing (1 serif + 1 sans-serif) with alternatives. Follow [iOS / Material Design / web] typography guidelines.
✅ Why it works: A modular scale creates mathematical harmony between type sizes, making designs look more professional.
6. User Flow Mapping
💡 Use case: Design the user journey for a key task.
Map the user flow for [specific task: onboarding / checkout / search] in a [type of app]. Include: entry points (where does the user start?), decision points (what choices do they make?), screens/views (what does each step look like?), potential drop-off points with exit reasons, error states and recovery flows, and 3 ways to reduce friction (reduce steps, pre-fill data, provide guidance). Describe the ideal flow and the minimum viable flow.
✅ Why it works: Mapping both ideal and MVP flows helps prioritize what to build first.
7. WCAG Accessibility Audit
💡 Use case: Ensure your design meets accessibility standards.
Audit this design for WCAG 2.2 AA compliance. Check: color contrast (text 4.5:1, large text 3:1, UI components 3:1), keyboard navigation (visible focus indicators, logical tab order, no keyboard traps), screen reader compatibility (headings hierarchy, alt text, ARIA labels), touch targets (minimum 44x44px), and motion/reduced motion considerations. For each violation: specify the WCAG criterion, the current issue, and the fix required.
✅ Why it works: A structured checklist ensures you don't miss critical accessibility requirements.
8. UX Microcopy
💡 Use case: Write clear, helpful UI text.
Write microcopy for a [flow/page type]. Include: button labels (action-oriented, specific), error messages (what happened + how to fix it + be empathetic), placeholder text (helpful example, not just 'Enter text'), tooltip/help text (concise, contextual), confirmation dialogs (clear consequences, easy to undo), success messages (celebrate without being overbearing), and empty states (what to do next, not just 'nothing here'). Tone: [friendly / professional / playful].
✅ Why it works: Good microcopy can dramatically improve usability and conversion rates.
9. Landing Page Layout Strategy
💡 Use case: Choose the best layout for a conversion-focused page.
Describe 3 layout strategies for a landing page that [conversion goal]. Option A (Z-pattern): best for simple messages, places CTA in natural scan path. Option B (F-pattern): best for content-heavy pages, places CTA after key info. Option C (Single-section): best for minimal/mobile-first, everything above fold. For each: hero layout, content section arrangement, visual hierarchy tactics, and conversion element placement. Recommend the best option and explain why.
✅ Why it works: Matching the layout to the goal and content type improves both UX and conversion.
10. Brand Style Guide
💡 Use case: Define a consistent visual brand identity.
Create a brand style guide outline for [brand name]. Sections: Logo (usage, clear space, incorrect uses), Color Palette (primary, secondary, accent, semantic colors with hex/RGB/CMYK), Typography (heading and body fonts, sizes, weights, pairings), Imagery Style (photography, illustration, iconography), Spacing and Layout (grid system, spacing scale, breakpoints), Voice and Tone (personality, language rules, examples), and Application (stationery, digital, social media templates). Keep it actionable, not theoretical.
✅ Why it works: A comprehensive style guide ensures brand consistency across all touchpoints.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can AI really critique design effectively?
Yes — AI can identify usability issues, accessibility problems, and visual hierarchy concerns. However, creative direction and brand intuition still require human expertise.
Are these design prompts free?
Yes, every prompt on this page is completely free to use with ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude.
Which AI is best for design tasks?
Claude 4 excels at detailed design critiques and UX analysis. GPT-5 is great for generating creative concepts and microcopy.
Can AI generate actual design files?
AI can't directly output Figma or Sketch files, but the prompts here produce detailed specs that designers can quickly implement.
