40 Best Claude Prompts to Copy and Paste (2026)

By the Chatgbot Team · Published August 17, 2026

Claude is one of the strongest AI models for writing, working through long documents, coding, and careful reasoning. The fastest way to get great results is to start from a good prompt and adjust the details to fit your task.

This is a copy-paste library of 40 Claude prompts, grouped by what you want to do. Each one uses fill-in-the-[brackets] format, so you swap in your own details and go.

These prompts are tuned to Claude's strengths, but they work across models too. Comparing Claude and another model on the same prompt often gives you the best final version, which is easy in an app like Chatgbot that bundles several models.

How to prompt Claude well

A few habits make almost any prompt work better. No tricks, just clear structure and enough context.

• Give Claude a role. Start with something like "You are an experienced editor" so it knows the perspective to take.
• Add context. Explain who the output is for, the goal, and any constraints like length or tone. Vague prompts get vague answers.
• Ask it to think step by step. For reasoning, planning, or math, add "think step by step before giving your answer." Claude is good at showing its work.
• Use tags for structure. Claude responds well to XML-style tags. Wrap your inputs in tags like <context>, <task>, and <format> so it can tell instructions from content.
• Say what good looks like. Describe the format you want, and give one example if you have it.

New to prompting in general? Start with what a prompt is, then come back for the ready-made examples below.

Writing and editing prompts

Writing is where Claude shines. These cover drafting, rewriting, and polishing.

• First draft: "You are a skilled writer. Write a [blog post / email / landing page] about [topic] for [audience]. Tone: [friendly and clear]. Length: about [300] words."
• Outline: "Create a detailed outline for a piece about [topic]. Include a hook, [5] main sections with subpoints, and a closing takeaway."
• Rewrite for tone: "Rewrite the text below to sound [more warm / more formal / more confident]. Keep the meaning and length. Text: [paste]."
• Tighten: "Cut this text by about [30]% without losing key points. Make every sentence pull its weight. Text: [paste]."
• Headlines: "Give me [10] headline options for [topic]. Mix curiosity, clarity, and benefit-driven styles. Keep each under [12] words."
• Proofread: "Proofread the text below for grammar, clarity, and flow. Show a corrected version, then list the main changes. Text: [paste]."
• Adapt for audience: "Rewrite this for [beginners / executives / a Gen Z audience]. Adjust vocabulary and examples to fit. Text: [paste]."
• Story or hook: "Write [3] opening paragraphs for [topic], each with a different hook: a question, a bold claim, and a short story."

For a wider look at models and workflows for writing, see the best AI for writing.

Long-document analysis prompts

Claude handles long inputs well. Paste in a report, PDF text, or transcript and put it to work.

• Summarize: "Summarize the document below in [5] bullet points a busy reader can grasp in [30] seconds. Document: [paste]."
• Extract actions: "From the text below, pull out every decision, action item, and owner. Format as a table. Text: [paste]."
• Find risks: "Read the document below and list the top [5] risks or weak points, with a short reason for each. Document: [paste]."
• Compare docs: "Compare the two documents below. List what they agree on, where they differ, and any gaps. Docs: [paste A] and [paste B]."
• Turn into FAQ: "Turn the content below into a clear FAQ with [8] questions and short answers. Content: [paste]."
• Plain language: "Explain the document below in plain language for a non-expert. Keep it accurate and under [200] words. Document: [paste]."

Coding prompts

Claude is a strong coding partner for explaining, writing, and cleaning up code.

• Explain code: "Explain what the code below does, step by step, as if to a junior developer. Note anything risky. Code: [paste]."
• Debug: "This code throws [error]. Find the cause and give a fixed version with a short explanation. Code: [paste]."
• Write a function: "Write a [language] function that [does X]. Include comments and handle edge cases like [empty input]."
• Refactor: "Refactor the code below to be cleaner and more readable without changing behavior. Explain your key changes. Code: [paste]."
• Write tests: "Write [unit] tests for the function below, covering normal cases and edge cases. Code: [paste]."
• Convert: "Convert the code below from [language A] to [language B], keeping the same behavior. Code: [paste]."
• Review: "Review the code below like a senior engineer. Flag bugs, style issues, and anything unclear, ordered by priority. Code: [paste]."

For a broader comparison of coding models, see the best AI for coding.

Reasoning and decision prompts

When you need to think something through, ask Claude to reason step by step.

• Pros and cons: "List the honest pros and cons of [decision]. Think step by step, then give a short recommendation."
• Decision matrix: "Help me choose between [option A] and [option B] for [goal]. Score each on [cost, speed, risk] and explain the scores."
• Devil's advocate: "Argue against my plan below as a smart skeptic would, then tell me how to fix the weak spots. Plan: [paste]."
• Break it down: "Break the problem below into smaller parts and solve each one in order. Show your reasoning. Problem: [paste]."
• Plan and estimate: "Create a step-by-step plan to achieve [goal] by [date], with a rough time estimate for each step."
• Risk check: "For the plan below, list what could go wrong, how likely it is, and how I could reduce each risk. Plan: [paste]."

Learning prompts

Claude is a patient tutor. Use these to understand something new.

• Explain simply: "Explain [topic] to me like I am completely new to it. Use plain words and one clear example."
• Study plan: "Build a [4]-week study plan to learn [skill], with weekly goals and free resources. I can spend [5] hours a week."
• Quiz me: "Quiz me on [topic] with [5] questions, one at a time. Wait for my answer, then tell me if I am right and why."
• Analogy: "Explain [concept] using an everyday analogy, then point out where the analogy breaks down."
• Explain-back: "I will explain [topic] in my own words. Correct my mistakes and fill any gaps. My explanation: [paste]."
• Levels: "Explain [topic] at three levels: to a child, to a student, and to an expert."

Work and productivity prompts

These help you move faster through everyday work tasks.

• Meeting agenda: "Write a focused agenda for a [30]-minute meeting about [topic] with [who]. Include goals and time per item."
• Notes to actions: "Turn the meeting notes below into clear next steps with owners and due dates. Notes: [paste]."
• Weekly plan: "Here are my tasks for the week: [list]. Group them, flag the top [3] priorities, and suggest an order."
• Prioritize: "Sort the tasks below by impact and effort, then tell me what to do first and what to drop. Tasks: [paste]."
• Draft an SOP: "Write a simple step-by-step standard operating procedure for [process], clear enough for a new hire to follow."
• Brainstorm: "Give me [15] ideas for [goal]. Include a few safe options and a few bold ones, with a one-line note on each."
• Reply drafting: "Draft a [polite / firm] reply to the message below. Keep it under [80] words. Message: [paste]."

Use Claude and compare with other models

A good habit is to run the same prompt on Claude and on another model, then keep the better answer. Claude often wins on tone and nuance, while other models may structure things differently.

In Chatgbot you can chat with Claude alongside GPT, DeepSeek, Qwen, and GLM on one subscription, and switch models mid-conversation to compare drafts. For a full walkthrough, see how to use Claude. For a set built for a different model, see these ChatGPT prompts.

Frequently asked questions

What makes a good Claude prompt?

A good prompt gives Claude a clear role, enough context about the goal and audience, and a description of the format you want. For anything that needs reasoning, adding "think step by step" usually improves the answer.

Do I need special formatting for Claude?

No, plain instructions work fine. That said, Claude responds well to XML-style tags like <context> and <task>, which help it separate your instructions from the content you paste in.

Do these prompts work with other AI models?

Yes. These prompts are written in plain language, so they work across models. Running the same prompt on Claude and another model, then comparing the results, is one of the fastest ways to get a better final answer.

Where can I use Claude prompts?

You can use them in Claude directly, or in a multi-model app like Chatgbot that includes Claude for chat along with several other models under one subscription.

Start prompting Claude with Chatgbot

Great results come from good prompts and a quick edit, not luck. Copy the ones above, fill in the brackets, and refine the output in plain language until it fits. To chat with Claude next to GPT, DeepSeek, Qwen, and GLM on a single subscription, try Chatgbot.