diff --git a/.changes/clarify-init-frontend-command-prompts.md b/.changes/clarify-init-frontend-command-prompts.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..91d0dfc93cce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/clarify-init-frontend-command-prompts.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+"tauri-cli": "patch:enhance"
+"@tauri-apps/cli": "patch:enhance"
+---
+
+Clarify that the `tauri init` frontend commands run before `tauri dev` and `tauri build`, and can be left empty when they are not needed.
diff --git a/crates/tauri-cli/src/init.rs b/crates/tauri-cli/src/init.rs
index a809ba317b7e..c1961fcbd238 100644
--- a/crates/tauri-cli/src/init.rs
+++ b/crates/tauri-cli/src/init.rs
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ impl Options {
       .map(|s| Ok(Some(s)))
       .unwrap_or_else(|| {
         prompts::input(
-          "What is your frontend dev command?",
+          "What command should Tauri run before `tauri dev` to start your frontend? (leave empty if not needed)",
           Some(default_dev_command(detected_package_manager).into()),
           self.ci,
           true,
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ impl Options {
       .map(|s| Ok(Some(s)))
       .unwrap_or_else(|| {
         prompts::input(
-          "What is your frontend build command?",
+          "What command should Tauri run before `tauri build` to build your frontend? (leave empty if not needed)",
           Some(default_build_command(detected_package_manager).into()),
           self.ci,
           true,