Blog / 7 min read · 2026-07-23

Best Gemini AI Prompts for 2026: Ready-to-Use Image, Video, and Writing Prompts

Copy-ready Gemini AI prompts for 2026 for writing, Nano Banana 2 images, Gemini Omni video, and Veo 3.1, plus a simple refinement workflow.

Looking for Gemini AI prompts in 2026? Copy the templates below for writing, Nano Banana 2 image work, Gemini Omni video ideas, and direct Veo 3.1 generation. Replace bracketed details, then refine one requirement at a time instead of restarting every request.

Where to use these Gemini prompts

For image generation on the desktop Gemini Apps interface, open the sidebar, choose Images, then select a template or enter your own prompt. On mobile, labels and navigation can differ, so look for the image-generation area before entering the prompt.

For video in Gemini Apps, use the available video-generation workflow and enter a concise visual brief. Gemini Omni may be available for Gemini Apps video, while direct Veo 3.1 generation can be available through the Gemini API or Vertex AI; access and controls can vary by account, region, plan, and interface.

Which Gemini prompt category should you use?

• Writing prompts: outlines, rewrites, research plans, emails, code, and study help.
• Image prompts: new images described through subject, setting, framing, light, and exclusions.
• Image-editing prompts: uploaded or generated source images with clear preservation instructions.
• Video prompts: visual action over time, framing, movement, and a short sequence.

A reusable prompt structure

Use this framework when a template does not quite fit your task:

Task: [what you need Gemini to do]
Context: [audience, background, source material, or subject]
Requirements: [details, tone, constraints, priorities]
Output: [format, length, number of options]
Check: [what Gemini should flag or verify]

Here is a completed writing example:

Task: Rewrite the text below for a product landing page.
Context: The audience is small business owners comparing software options.
Requirements: Keep claims cautious, use plain English, preserve meaning, and stay under 120 words.
Output: Give one revised version, followed by three headline options.
Check: Flag statements that need evidence before publishing.

Text:
[paste text here]

Gemini image prompts for 2026

For Nano Banana 2 image prompts, describe the subject, setting, composition, lighting, intended placement, and exclusions. If an image will hold a headline later, explicitly request empty space.

Product photo prompt

Create a landscape 3:2 product photograph for a website hero section. Show a matte white ceramic travel mug on a pale stone kitchen counter. Use soft morning window light from the left, gentle shadows, and a shallow depth of field. Keep the mug centered in the lower half with clear empty space around it for a website headline. The label should be blank and free of readable text. Premium but realistic commercial photography.

Social media campaign image prompt

Create a vertical 9:16 social media image for a local bookstore's summer reading campaign. Show a bright stack of colorful books, sunglasses, and iced tea on a sunlit outdoor table. Use warm editorial photography. Leave the upper third clear for later text placement. Do not add words, logos, watermarks, or distorted book covers.

Editorial illustration prompt

Create a landscape 16:9 editorial illustration for an article header about remote work boundaries. Show a person closing a laptop at the end of the workday while evening light enters through a window. Use a calm, modern flat illustration style with muted blue, amber, and cream colors. Leave the left side visually simple for a headline. No text in the image.

Image-editing prompt

Upload the source image first, then use this prompt:

Edit this image while preserving the person's face, pose, clothing, framing, and original aspect ratio. Replace the background with a softly blurred modern library interior. Match the existing lighting direction and color temperature. Keep the result natural, with realistic hair edges and no added text. This image will be used as an article thumbnail, so keep the subject clearly visible.

Gemini Omni video prompts

A useful Gemini Apps video prompt states the format, subject, action, camera behavior, and details that should stay stable. Keep the sequence short enough to visualize clearly.

Product scene prompt

Create a vertical product video for social media.

A reusable water bottle rests on a gym bench in warm afternoon light. Begin with a close view of condensation on the bottle. A hand picks it up, then places the same unbranded bottle beside a trail overlook at golden hour. Use a clean cut between moments and restrained camera movement.

Use realistic lighting. Keep the bottle design simple with no readable brand name or added text.

Quiet travel scene prompt

Create a vertical cinematic travel video for social media.

Open on raindrops at a quiet mountain-station platform. A train enters frame and slows to a stop. End on a fixed wide shot of the train in subtle mist.

Use cool overcast light and natural movement. Avoid crowds, readable signs, fantasy elements, logos, and on-screen text.

Direct Veo 3.1 prompts

For direct Veo 3.1 generation through the Gemini API or Vertex AI, match the prompt to the duration and format controls available in your configuration. Writing 9:16 in the prompt does not replace setting the aspect-ratio control in the API request or Media Studio.

Direct-generation product prompt

Generate a vertical 9:16 product video for social media.

A reusable water bottle rests on a gym bench in warm afternoon light. Begin with a close view of condensation on the bottle. A hand picks it up, then places the same unbranded bottle beside a trail overlook at golden hour. Use a clean cut between moments and restrained camera movement.

Use realistic lighting. Keep the bottle design simple with no readable brand name or added text.

Direct-generation travel prompt

Generate a vertical 9:16 cinematic travel video for social media.

Open on raindrops at a quiet mountain-station platform. A train enters frame and slows to a stop. End on a fixed wide shot of the train in subtle mist.

Use cool overcast light and natural movement. Avoid crowds, readable signs, fantasy elements, logos, and on-screen text.

Shot timing, cuts, camera moves, text avoidance, and visual continuity are instructions, not guarantees. Review the output before publishing. If earlier chat context starts causing unwanted carryover, begin a fresh chat or generation.

Gemini writing prompts for content and work

SEO article outline prompt

Create a practical article outline targeting the search query "[keyword]."

Audience: [describe reader].
Search intent: [informational, comparison, tutorial, or another intent].

Include an H1, five to seven H2 sections, and a short FAQ. For every section, state the reader's question and the useful information it must answer.

Avoid unsupported claims, generic filler, and invented statistics.

Coding prompt

Help me solve this programming task in [language].

Goal: [what the code should do].
Existing code or error:
[paste code or error]

First, explain the likely cause. Then provide the smallest corrected code example. List assumptions, edge cases, and a short test plan. Do not claim the code has been run unless I provide test results.

Study prompt

Help me study [topic] for [course or goal].

My current level: [beginner, intermediate, or advanced].
Time available: [time].

Create a study plan with key concepts, practice questions, and a short self-check after each section. Do not reveal answers until after I attempt each question.

Document summary prompt

Summarize the document pasted below for [audience].

Output:
- a five-bullet summary
- key decisions or claims
- open questions
- actions, owners, and deadlines only when explicitly stated

Do not fill in missing details or treat suggestions as final decisions.

Document:
[paste document]

Worked workflow: improve an image prompt with one follow-up

Start with a simple brief:

Create a landscape 16:9 editorial image of a freelance designer working at home. Warm light, modern style, no text.

If the result has the right mood but no usable space for an article headline, send this focused follow-up:

Keep the person, desk, warm evening mood, and 16:9 aspect ratio. Revise the composition so the designer sits in the lower-right area of the frame. Show a lived-in home workspace with a sketchbook, desk lamp, and a few pinned paper drafts. Leave the upper-left third visually simple for an article headline. Do not add words, logos, or extra people.

Name the defect, preserve what already works, and request one correction. Related prompt collections, quizzes, and tools on this site can help you test variations without losing track of the original brief.

Gemini prompt for research and fact checking

Help me research this question: [question].

First, list the subquestions that must be answered.
Then create a research table with these columns:
- claim to verify
- what evidence would support it
- primary source to look for
- possible caveat
- status

Do not present uncertain information as fact.

FAQ

What are the best Gemini AI prompts for 2026?

The best prompts state the task, context, constraints, expected format, and quality checks. Use a different template for writing, image creation, editing, video, study, or analysis.

How do I write better Gemini image prompts?

Describe the subject, environment, framing, lighting, intended placement, mood, and exclusions. For edits, upload the source image and list what must remain unchanged.

Can Gemini help write SEO content?

Yes. It can plan outlines, revise drafts, generate topic angles, and identify gaps. Check factual claims yourself before publishing.

Why does Gemini ignore part of my prompt?

Requirements can conflict or lack priorities. Put non-negotiables first, remove irrelevant detail, and use one focused follow-up to fix the main issue.

Should I use one long prompt or several short ones?

Start with one structured brief. Then use short follow-ups to adjust a specific issue, such as tone, length, composition, or motion. Start fresh when earlier context gets in the way.

Conclusion

Use these Gemini AI prompts for 2026 as working briefs, not magic commands. Define the result, inspect what comes back, then correct the one gap that matters most.

For deeper dives into specific formats, see our photo editing prompts, beginner prompt engineering guide, and the prompt gallery.