Here's a frustrating truth: you spend 30 minutes crafting the perfect prompt, the AI spits out a gorgeous landing page, you open it on your phone and... everything's broken. Text overlapping. Buttons too small to tap. That beautiful three-column layout? Now it's an unreadable mess.
I've been there. A lot. After testing 50+ AI mobile responsive prompts across different tools, I finally cracked what works—and more importantly, what doesn't.
Key Takeaways:
- Most AI tools default to desktop-first layouts unless you explicitly say "mobile-first"
- Adding breakpoint keywords (sm, md, lg) to your prompts dramatically improves responsive output
- Touch targets and font sizes are the two things AI consistently gets wrong on mobile
In This Article
- Why AI UIs Break on Mobile
- The Mobile-First Prompting Mindset
- Breakpoint Prompts That Work
- Responsive Grid Prompts
- Touch-Friendly Component Prompts
- Mobile Navigation Prompts
- Complete Example: Mobile-First Landing Page
- FAQ
Why AI UIs Break on Mobile
Let's be honest here—AI models are trained on a lot of desktop-centric code. When you just say "build me a pricing page," the AI imagines a nice wide screen. It uses fixed widths, horizontal layouts, and font sizes that look great at 1440px but turn microscopic on a phone.
The core problem? Most prompts are desktop-first by default.
Here's what happens:
- The AI picks a multi-column grid (looks great on desktop)
- It uses hover states you can't trigger on mobile
- Font sizes are set for desktop viewing distances
- Touch targets are way too small (44px minimum, remember?)
Google has been using mobile-first indexing since forever now. If your AI-generated page doesn't work on mobile, you're hurting your SEO. Period. And honestly? Your users will just bounce.
The Mobile-First Prompting Mindset
This is the hill I'll die on: every AI prompt should start mobile-first.
Not "make it responsive." Not "also work on mobile." Start with mobile and expand up.
Here's the mental shift:
| Desktop-First Thinking | Mobile-First Thinking |
|---|---|
| "Three columns of features" | "Stack features, expand to 3 cols on lg" |
| "Sidebar navigation" | "Bottom nav on mobile, sidebar on desktop" |
| "Hover to reveal details" | "Tap to expand on mobile, hover on desktop" |
| "Full-width hero image" | "Cropped hero on mobile, full on desktop" |
When you think mobile-first, you're forcing the AI to consider the constrained environment first. It's easier to add complexity going up than to strip it away going down.
The magic phrase: Add "mobile-first design" or "start with mobile layout" at the beginning of your prompts. Seriously. It changes everything.
Breakpoint Prompts That Work
If you're using Tailwind (and let's be real, most AI-generated React uses Tailwind), you need to speak its language. The AI understands breakpoint prefixes—but only if you use them correctly.
The Prompts That Actually Work
Here's a prompt template I use constantly:
Create a [component] using mobile-first Tailwind CSS: - Mobile (default): [mobile specs] - Tablet (md:): [tablet specs] - Desktop (lg:): [desktop specs] Use responsive prefixes like sm:, md:, lg: for all breakpoint-specific styles.
Real example:
Create a testimonial section using mobile-first Tailwind CSS: - Mobile (default): single column, cards stacked vertically, 16px padding - Tablet (md:): 2-column grid, 24px gap - Desktop (lg:): 3-column grid, larger cards with 32px padding Include profile images, quotes, and company names. Use responsive prefixes.
Want to try this yourself?
Breakpoint Cheat Sheet
Quick reference for your prompts:
| Prefix | Screen Width | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| (none) | < 640px | Base mobile styles |
| sm: | ≥ 640px | Large phones, small tablets |
| md: | ≥ 768px | Tablets |
| lg: | ≥ 1024px | Laptops, desktops |
| xl: | ≥ 1280px | Large monitors |
| 2xl: | ≥ 1536px | Ultra-wide displays |
Pro tip: Most of the time, you only need three: base (mobile), md (tablet), lg (desktop). Don't overcomplicate it.
Responsive Grid Prompts
Grids are where things get dicey. AI loves throwing everything into a multi-column grid because it looks impressive. But on mobile? Disaster.
The Grid Prompt Formula
Create a [grid type] layout: - Mobile: single column (grid-cols-1) - md: 2 columns (md:grid-cols-2) - lg: [N] columns (lg:grid-cols-[N]) Use gap-4 on mobile, md:gap-6 on tablet, lg:gap-8 on desktop.
Specific Grid Prompts
Feature Grid:
Build a features section with 6 feature cards. - Mobile: single column stack - md: 2x3 grid - lg: 3x2 grid Each card has an icon, title, and description. Cards should have equal height using flex or grid.
Product Grid (E-commerce):
Create a product grid for 8 items. - Mobile: 2 columns (grid-cols-2) with small cards - md: 3 columns with medium cards - lg: 4 columns with full product details Products show image, title, price. On lg, add description and rating.
If you're building a product page, check out our AI e-commerce UI prompts guide for more detailed templates.
Touch-Friendly Component Prompts
This is what nobody tells you: AI consistently underestimates touch target sizes.
Apple and Google both say 44px minimum for touch targets. Most AI-generated buttons? 32px or smaller. Your users will hate you.
The Fix
Add these constraints to any interactive component:
Make all buttons and interactive elements at least 44px tall for touch accessibility. On mobile, increase tap targets and add adequate spacing between clickable items.
Touch-Friendly Prompt Examples
Mobile-Friendly Form:
Create a contact form optimized for mobile: - Input fields at least 48px tall - Submit button full-width on mobile, min-height 48px - Labels above inputs (not inline) - 16px font size minimum for inputs (prevents iOS zoom) - Space between fields: 16px minimum Use Tailwind classes and shadcn/ui components.
Mobile Card Actions:
Create a card with action buttons: - Mobile: Actions stack vertically, each button full-width, 44px min-height - Desktop: Actions in a row, standard button sizes Add visible tap feedback with active states.
Small detail that matters: always mention "16px font minimum for inputs." iOS Safari zooms in on any input smaller than 16px. It's infuriating for users.
Mobile Navigation Prompts
Navigation is where mobile-first really shines—or falls apart spectacularly.
Hamburger Menu Prompt
Create a responsive header with navigation: - Mobile: Logo left, hamburger menu right. Menu opens as full-screen overlay or slide-in drawer. - Desktop (lg): Horizontal nav links, hamburger hidden. Menu items should be at least 48px tall on mobile. Include smooth open/close animation.
We covered navbars extensively in our AI navbar and footer prompts guide—worth checking if you want more variations.
Bottom Navigation Prompt
Bottom nav is huge in 2026. It's where thumbs naturally rest.
Create a mobile bottom navigation bar: - Fixed to bottom of screen - 4-5 icon+label items - Active state indicator - Safe area padding for notched phones (pb-safe or padding-bottom with env()) - Only show on mobile, hide on md and up Use icons from Lucide React. Make each item at least 44px touch target.
Comparison: When to Use What
| Navigation Type | Best For | Mobile Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Hamburger | Content sites, blogs | Drawer/overlay menu |
| Bottom Nav | Apps, dashboards | Fixed bar, 4-5 items |
| Tab Bar | Multi-section pages | Horizontal scroll on mobile |
| Sidebar | Admin panels | Collapsible, off-canvas on mobile |
For sidebar-heavy layouts (like admin panels), see our AI sidebar prompts guide.
Complete Example: Mobile-First Landing Page
Let's put it all together. Here's a prompt that generates a properly responsive landing page:
Create a SaaS landing page using mobile-first Tailwind CSS with these sections: HEADER: - Mobile: Logo + hamburger menu - Desktop (lg): Logo + horizontal nav + CTA button HERO: - Mobile: Stack vertically - headline, subheadline, single CTA button, then image below - Desktop: Two columns - text left (60%), image right (40%) - Headline: text-3xl on mobile, lg:text-5xl on desktop FEATURES (6 items): - Mobile: Single column cards - md: 2-column grid - lg: 3-column grid - Each card: icon, title, description PRICING (3 tiers): - Mobile: Full-width cards, stacked vertically - md: 3-column layout - Highlight middle "Popular" tier CTA SECTION: - Centered, full-width button on mobile (min-h-12) - Constrained width on desktop FOOTER: - Mobile: Single column, stacked sections - Desktop: 4-column grid Use responsive font sizes (text-base/lg:text-lg pattern). All buttons minimum 44px height. Mobile padding: px-4, desktop: px-8 or container mx-auto.
Want to try this yourself?
This prompt is long, but that's the point. Specificity beats brevity when it comes to responsive design. The AI needs to know exactly what you want at each breakpoint.
For more landing page techniques, check out our build a startup landing page with AI guide.
Pro Tips: Common Mobile Mistakes to Avoid
After building way too many responsive UIs, here's what I see AI (and developers) get wrong:
1. Fixed widths instead of responsive
If you see w-[400px] in your output, that's a red flag. Ask the AI to replace fixed widths with max-width or responsive alternatives.
2. Horizontal scrolling The AI sometimes creates layouts that overflow on mobile. Add this to your prompts: "Ensure no horizontal overflow on mobile."
3. Desktop-only interactions Hover tooltips, hover-to-reveal content, drag-and-drop—none of these work on mobile. Always specify touch alternatives.
4. Ignoring safe areas Modern phones have notches and home indicators. Add "Include safe area padding for notched devices" to bottom-fixed elements.
5. Too many columns too early Three columns at 640px looks cramped. My rule: no more than 2 columns until lg (1024px), no more than 3 until xl.
Testing Your Responsive Output
Don't trust the preview. Here's my testing workflow:
The 375px test is non-negotiable. That's iPhone SE width—still a popular screen size. If it breaks there, it breaks for real users.
If you're new to debugging AI output, our vibe debugging workflow guide covers the full troubleshooting process.
You Might Also Like
- AI Landing Page Prompts: 50+ Templates That Actually Work - The complete prompt collection for landing pages
- Vibe Coding for Beginners: Your First App in 15 Min - Start here if you're new to AI-assisted development
- AI Hero Section Prompts That Convert - Make your above-the-fold sections shine
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make AI generate mobile-responsive UIs?
Start every prompt with "mobile-first design" or "using mobile-first Tailwind CSS." Then explicitly specify what happens at each breakpoint—mobile (default), tablet (md:), and desktop (lg:). The more specific you are about responsive behavior, the better the output.
What prompts work best for responsive design?
The best prompts explicitly state layouts for each screen size. Use the format: "Mobile: [spec], md: [spec], lg: [spec]." Include Tailwind breakpoint prefixes in your examples. Always mention touch target sizes (44px minimum) and font sizes (16px minimum for inputs).
Why does my AI-generated page look broken on mobile?
AI defaults to desktop-first unless told otherwise. Common issues include fixed widths, multi-column layouts that don't collapse, hover-only interactions, and undersized buttons. Fix by regenerating with explicit mobile-first instructions and breakpoint specifications.
What's the minimum touch target size for mobile?
44x44 pixels is the industry standard, recommended by both Apple and Google. Always specify this in your prompts: "All buttons and interactive elements minimum 44px height for touch accessibility."
Should I use hamburger menu or bottom navigation?
Hamburger menus work best for content-heavy sites where navigation isn't used constantly. Bottom navigation is better for app-like experiences where users switch sections frequently. For most landing pages, hamburger is fine. For dashboards and SaaS apps, consider bottom nav on mobile.
Written by the Fardino Team. We build AI tools for frontend developers. Try Fardino free →
