UX Writing and Microcopy Guide
Create clear, user-friendly UX copy and microcopy for buttons, error messages, onboarding flows, empty states, and tooltips that improve product usability and conversion rates.
Prompt Template
You are a senior UX writer who has crafted product copy for top SaaS products (Stripe, Notion, Linear, Figma). Help me write and improve the UX copy across my product. **Product:** [product name and type — e.g., project management SaaS, e-commerce checkout, mobile banking app] **Target Users:** [who — e.g., non-technical small business owners, developers, enterprise teams] **Brand Voice:** [e.g., friendly and casual, professional and precise, playful and witty, minimal and clean] **Specific Areas Needing Copy:** [select all that apply] - [ ] Onboarding flow (signup → first value moment) - [ ] Empty states (no data yet screens) - [ ] Error messages (form validation, system errors, 404s) - [ ] Button labels and CTAs - [ ] Tooltips and helper text - [ ] Confirmation dialogs (delete, cancel subscription, etc.) - [ ] Loading and progress states - [ ] Success and celebration moments - [ ] Settings and preference descriptions - [ ] Email notifications (transactional) **Current Copy Problems:** [e.g., too technical, inconsistent tone, confusing error messages, generic button labels] **Key User Actions to Optimize:** [the 3 most important actions users take in your product] For each area selected, provide: 1. **Before/After Examples** — Show weak copy vs. improved copy with reasoning 2. **Copy Variations** — 3 options per element (safe, bold, playful) so I can choose based on brand fit 3. **UX Writing Principles Applied** — Which principles drive each decision (clarity over cleverness, front-load value, action-oriented, etc.) 4. **Edge Cases** — Copy for error states, boundary conditions, and unhappy paths 5. **Microcopy System** — A consistent framework/pattern for similar elements across the product Also include: - A **UX Copy Style Guide** section with rules for tone, capitalization, punctuation, and terminology - A **UX Writing Checklist** I can use to audit any new feature's copy before shipping
Example Output
# UX Writing Guide: TaskHive (Project Management for Small Teams)
**Voice:** Friendly, clear, encouraging — like a helpful coworker, not a robot.
1. Onboarding Flow
Welcome Screen
**❌ Before:** "Welcome to TaskHive. Please complete your profile to get started."
**✅ After:** "Hey! Let's set up your workspace in about 2 minutes."
**Why:** The original is passive and vague. The rewrite is warm ("Hey!"), sets expectations (2 minutes), and uses action language ("set up").
Variations:
- 🟢 Safe: "Welcome! Let's get your workspace ready."
- 🟡 Bold: "Your team's about to get a lot more organized. Let's go."
- 🔵 Playful: "TaskHive, activated. 🐝 Let's build your hive."
First Project Creation
**❌ Before:** "Create New Project" (button) → form with 8 fields
**✅ After:** "Start a project" (button) → 2 required fields, rest optional with "Add details later" link
Microcopy on the form:
- Project name field placeholder: "e.g., Website Redesign, Q3 Marketing"
- Helper text: "Don't overthink it — you can rename anytime."
2. Empty States
No Projects Yet
**❌ Before:** "No projects found."
**✅ After:** "No projects yet. Start one and invite your team — it takes 30 seconds."
[Button: "Create your first project"]
**Principle:** Empty states are opportunities, not dead ends. Always include: what this screen will show + a clear CTA + reassurance.
No Tasks in Project
**❌ Before:** "This project has no tasks."
**✅ After:** "This is where your tasks will live. Add your first one — even a rough idea counts."
[Button: "+ Add a task"]
3. Error Messages
Form Validation
**❌ Before:** "Error: Invalid input in field 'email'"
**✅ After:** "That email doesn't look right. Double-check for typos?"
Framework for all errors:
1. Say what happened (human language, not code)
2. Say why it happened (if helpful)
3. Say what to do next
System Error (500)
**❌ Before:** "Internal Server Error 500"
**✅ After:** "Something went wrong on our end — not yours. We're looking into it. Try again in a few minutes."
[Button: "Refresh page"]
Variations:
- 🟢 Safe: "Something went wrong. Please try again."
- 🟡 Bold: "We hit a bump. Our team is on it — try again shortly."
- 🔵 Playful: "Oops, the bees got confused. 🐝 We're sorting it out — back in a moment."
404 Page
**✅ Copy:** "This page doesn't exist — but your projects do."
[Button: "Back to dashboard"]
4. Button Labels & CTAs
| Context | ❌ Generic | ✅ Specific |
|---------|-----------|------------|
| Sign up | "Submit" | "Create my account" |
| Delete project | "OK" | "Yes, delete this project" |
| Upgrade | "Upgrade" | "Unlock unlimited projects" |
| Cancel sub | "Cancel" | "Cancel my subscription" |
| Save changes | "Save" | "Save changes" |
| Invite team | "Invite" | "Send invite" |
**Principle:** Buttons should complete the sentence "I want to..." — "I want to *create my account*" beats "I want to *submit*."
5. Confirmation Dialogs
Delete Project
**Title:** "Delete 'Website Redesign'?"
**Body:** "This will permanently delete the project, all its tasks, and comments. This can't be undone."
**Buttons:** [Cancel] [Delete project] (red)
**Principle:** Name the specific thing being deleted. State consequences clearly. Make the destructive action button describe what it does, not just "OK."
UX Copy Style Guide
| Rule | Example |
|------|---------|
| Use sentence case, not Title Case | "Create a project" not "Create A Project" |
| Use contractions | "You're all set" not "You are all set" |
| Avoid jargon | "Something went wrong" not "An exception occurred" |
| Lead with verbs in buttons | "Save changes" not "Changes saved" |
| Use "you" and "your" | "Your projects" not "User projects" |
| Be specific about consequences | "This deletes all tasks" not "Are you sure?" |
| Numbers: use digits | "3 projects" not "three projects" |
| No periods on buttons or headings | "Create project" not "Create project." |
UX Writing Checklist (Pre-Ship)
- [ ] Can a new user understand this without context?
- [ ] Does every button describe what it does?
- [ ] Are error messages helpful, not blaming?
- [ ] Do empty states include a CTA?
- [ ] Is the tone consistent with our voice guide?
- [ ] Are there any jargon or technical terms a user wouldn't know?
- [ ] Does the copy match the actual action (no bait-and-switch)?
Tips for Best Results
- 💡The #1 UX writing rule: clarity beats cleverness. If users have to think about what a button or message means, the copy has failed.
- 💡Write error messages that answer three questions: What happened? Why? What do I do now? — most error messages only answer the first.
- 💡Test your microcopy by reading it aloud in a frustrated voice. If it sounds patronizing or confusing when you're annoyed, rewrite it.
- 💡Build a microcopy library in a shared doc — consistent patterns (all errors follow the same structure, all empty states have CTAs) create a polished product feel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UX Writing and Microcopy Guide prompt?
Create clear, user-friendly UX copy and microcopy for buttons, error messages, onboarding flows, empty states, and tooltips that improve product usability and conversion rates. It's a free ChatGPT prompt template from our Writing collection — copy it, fill in the bracketed variables, and paste it into your AI tool.
Which AI tools work with this prompt?
It's written and tested for ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. Any AI assistant that accepts free-form text prompts will handle it well.
How do I customize this ChatGPT prompt?
Replace the bracketed variables — such as [select all that apply] — with your own details before running it. The #1 UX writing rule: clarity beats cleverness. If users have to think about what a button or message means, the copy has failed.
Is this prompt free to use?
Yes. Every prompt on PromptAtlas is free to copy, customize, and use — no signup required.
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