Prompts · Updated
Viral AI video prompts
A good viral AI video prompt names one subject, one action and one twist, then fixes the camera and format. Write it as a single shot of 5 to 10 seconds, vertical 9:16, and describe what happens in order. The 24 prompts below work in most text-to-video tools; change the subject and keep the structure.
The formula behind every prompt here
- Subject
- One clear thing, described by look: "a tiny orange cat in a chef's hat".
- Action
- One thing that happens, in order: "flips a pancake, misses, stares at the camera".
- Twist
- The reason to send it: the wrong size, the wrong place, the wrong reaction.
- Camera
- Say it plainly: "static phone shot", "slow push-in", "handheld selfie".
- Format
- End with: "vertical 9:16, 8 seconds, realistic lighting".
Fruit drama
Keep the same character description in every scene, word for word. That's what holds a series together.
A glossy cartoon strawberry in a pink robe stands in a kitchen and slaps a shocked banana in a suit, then both freeze as a pineapple opens the door. Dramatic soap-opera zoom, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
A tearful lemon in a wedding dress runs out of a fruit-bowl chapel while an apple groom drops to his knees in the rain. Slow motion, cinematic lighting, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
Reality-show confessional: a sassy peach in sunglasses sits on a couch and whispers to camera while a grape couple argues behind her. Static shot, vertical 9:16, 6 seconds.
A shy kiwi opens a letter at a breakfast table, gasps, and looks slowly at a guilty orange across the table. Slow push-in, warm morning light, vertical 9:16, 7 seconds.
Talking and working animals
Animals doing dull human jobs beat animals doing stunts.
A serious tabby cat in a tiny news-anchor suit reads the evening news at a desk, pauses, and knocks a pen off the desk while holding eye contact. Static studio shot, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
A golden retriever in a barista apron carefully pours latte art, then proudly pushes the cup toward the camera. Handheld phone shot, cozy cafe, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
An elderly pug sits on a porch in a rocking chair, sighs, and shakes its head at a passing squirrel on a skateboard. Fixed shot, golden hour, vertical 9:16, 7 seconds.
Security camera footage of a raccoon in a tiny hard hat methodically opening a vending machine and inspecting a snack. Grainy overhead angle with a timestamp, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
Satisfying and ASMR loops
No story needed. Ask for texture, and for the last frame to match the first.
A sharp knife slowly slices a glass kiwi on a marble board; the slices fall with a crisp sparkle. Extreme close-up, soft studio light, seamless loop, vertical 9:16, 6 seconds.
Thick glossy paint in blue and orange pours over a rotating sphere, folding into perfect ribbons. Macro shot, seamless loop, vertical 9:16, 6 seconds.
A tiny hydraulic press gently squashes a stack of colorful jelly cubes that bounce back into shape. Close-up, clean white background, vertical 9:16, 6 seconds.
A hand peels a sheet of gold foil from a tangerine made of chocolate, revealing perfect segments inside. Macro lens, slow motion, vertical 9:16, 6 seconds.
POV and first-person
Write the caption first, then film the idea from inside it.
POV: you open your front door and an extremely polite medieval knight asks to borrow a phone charger. Handheld first-person, doorstep, daylight, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
POV selfie: a tourist in 1920s Paris holds up a phone and looks confused as passers-by stare at it. Handheld, black-and-white fading to color, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
POV: you're a goldfish watching your owner dramatically rehearse a breakup speech to the bowl. Fisheye through water, living room, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
POV: your grandmother reveals she's been a pro street racer all along and hands you the helmet. Handheld, night garage, neon light, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
Fictional characters
Keep every character clearly invented. Never base one on a real person or a real child.
A cheerful claymation old sailor with a huge white beard tells a tall tale, and his beard slowly turns into a wave. Stop-motion look, warm light, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
A stylized 3D cartoon toddler character with oversized glasses hosts a tiny talk show, then falls asleep mid-sentence. Pixar-like animated style, clearly not realistic, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
A knitted wool robot waters a single flower on the moon, then waves shyly at the camera. Stop-motion style, soft shadows, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
A paper-cutout detective walks through a cardboard city, finds a clue and gasps directly at the viewer. Handmade animation style, vertical 9:16, 7 seconds.
Surreal what-ifs
One impossible thing, treated as completely normal.
Commuters wait calmly on a subway platform as a whale slowly swims past through the air. Realistic documentary shot, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
A weather presenter calmly reports that tomorrow will be mostly spaghetti, as noodles start falling outside the studio window. News broadcast look, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
A giant wooden door opens in the middle of a wheat field and a tiny marching band walks out in single file. Wide drone shot, golden hour, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds.
An office worker stirs coffee and the whole room gently rotates with the spoon, and no one reacts. Static shot, muted colors, vertical 9:16, 7 seconds.
When a prompt doesn't work
- Too much happening? Cut it to one action. Most clips only hold a single beat.
- Face or hands melting? Move the camera back or give the subject less to do.
- Character changes between scenes? Paste the exact same description into every prompt.
- Looks like a stock ad? Ask for a phone shot and name a real place: a kitchen, a parking lot, a bus.
Rather star in one than write one?
Skip the prompts. Pick a trend, add a photo and the finished video comes back.
See the chart →Questions
What makes a good viral AI video prompt?
One subject, one action and one twist, written in the order things happen, with the camera and format stated. Short prompts with a clear idea beat long lists of adjectives.
Which tools do these prompts work in?
They're plain descriptions, so they work in most text-to-video tools. Results vary, so expect to run a prompt a few times.
Can I use these prompts to put myself in a video?
Prompts make new scenes, and they're poor at keeping a real face. If you want to star in a trend, a photo-based format is more reliable.
Can I use these prompts for free?
Yes. Copy and change them however you like; no credit is needed.
Do these prompts make the trends on your chart?
No. They're for original ideas in other tools. The trends on our chart come finished from a photo, with no prompt to write.