diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1666382f..7481e2e5 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
     "format": "biome check --write",
     "lint": "biome lint --write --unsafe",
     "type-check": "biome lint && tsc",
-    "test": "pnpm -r run test",
+    "test": "pnpm --color -r run test",
     "ci:version": "changeset version && pnpm install --no-frozen-lockfile",
     "ci:publish": "changeset publish"
   },
diff --git a/packages/prompts/src/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap b/packages/prompts/src/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
index 9b51db39..c45f71ef 100644
--- a/packages/prompts/src/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/prompts/src/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // Vitest Snapshot v1, https://vitest.dev/guide/snapshot.html
 
-exports[`spinner > message > sets message for next frame 1`] = `
+exports[`isCI = false > spinner > message > sets message for next frame 1`] = `
 [
   "[?25l",
   "│
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ exports[`spinner > message > sets message for next frame 1`] = `
 ]
 `;
 
-exports[`spinner > start > renders frames at interval 1`] = `
+exports[`isCI = false > spinner > start > renders frames at interval 1`] = `
 [
   "[?25l",
   "│
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ exports[`spinner > start > renders frames at interval 1`] = `
 ]
 `;
 
-exports[`spinner > start > renders message 1`] = `
+exports[`isCI = false > spinner > start > renders message 1`] = `
 [
   "[?25l",
   "│
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ exports[`spinner > start > renders message 1`] = `
 ]
 `;
 
-exports[`spinner > start > renders timer when indicator is "timer" 1`] = `
+exports[`isCI = false > spinner > start > renders timer when indicator is "timer" 1`] = `
 [
   "[?25l",
   "│
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ exports[`spinner > start > renders timer when indicator is "timer" 1`] = `
 ]
 `;
 
-exports[`spinner > stop > renders cancel symbol if code = 1 1`] = `
+exports[`isCI = false > spinner > stop > renders cancel symbol if code = 1 1`] = `
 [
   "[?25l",
   "│
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ exports[`spinner > stop > renders cancel symbol if code = 1 1`] = `
 ]
 `;
 
-exports[`spinner > stop > renders error symbol if code > 1 1`] = `
+exports[`isCI = false > spinner > stop > renders error symbol if code > 1 1`] = `
 [
   "[?25l",
   "│
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ exports[`spinner > stop > renders error symbol if code > 1 1`] = `
 ]
 `;
 
-exports[`spinner > stop > renders message 1`] = `
+exports[`isCI = false > spinner > stop > renders message 1`] = `
 [
   "[?25l",
   "│
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ exports[`spinner > stop > renders message 1`] = `
 ]
 `;
 
-exports[`spinner > stop > renders submit symbol and stops spinner 1`] = `
+exports[`isCI = false > spinner > stop > renders submit symbol and stops spinner 1`] = `
 [
   "[?25l",
   "│
@@ -103,3 +103,108 @@ exports[`spinner > stop > renders submit symbol and stops spinner 1`] = `
   "[?25h",
 ]
 `;
+
+exports[`isCI = true > spinner > message > sets message for next frame 1`] = `
+[
+  "[?25l",
+  "│
+",
+  "◒  ...",
+  "
+",
+  "",
+  "",
+  "◐  foo...",
+]
+`;
+
+exports[`isCI = true > spinner > start > renders frames at interval 1`] = `
+[
+  "[?25l",
+  "│
+",
+  "◒  ...",
+]
+`;
+
+exports[`isCI = true > spinner > start > renders message 1`] = `
+[
+  "[?25l",
+  "│
+",
+  "◒  foo...",
+]
+`;
+
+exports[`isCI = true > spinner > start > renders timer when indicator is "timer" 1`] = `
+[
+  "[?25l",
+  "│
+",
+  "◒  ...",
+]
+`;
+
+exports[`isCI = true > spinner > stop > renders cancel symbol if code = 1 1`] = `
+[
+  "[?25l",
+  "│
+",
+  "◒  ...",
+  "
+",
+  "",
+  "",
+  "■  
+",
+  "[?25h",
+]
+`;
+
+exports[`isCI = true > spinner > stop > renders error symbol if code > 1 1`] = `
+[
+  "[?25l",
+  "│
+",
+  "◒  ...",
+  "
+",
+  "",
+  "",
+  "▲  
+",
+  "[?25h",
+]
+`;
+
+exports[`isCI = true > spinner > stop > renders message 1`] = `
+[
+  "[?25l",
+  "│
+",
+  "◒  ...",
+  "
+",
+  "",
+  "",
+  "◇  foo
+",
+  "[?25h",
+]
+`;
+
+exports[`isCI = true > spinner > stop > renders submit symbol and stops spinner 1`] = `
+[
+  "[?25l",
+  "│
+",
+  "◒  ...",
+  "
+",
+  "",
+  "",
+  "◇  
+",
+  "[?25h",
+]
+`;
diff --git a/packages/prompts/src/index.test.ts b/packages/prompts/src/index.test.ts
index 93eb43d7..64f5c571 100644
--- a/packages/prompts/src/index.test.ts
+++ b/packages/prompts/src/index.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { Writable } from 'node:stream';
-import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, test, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { afterAll, afterEach, beforeAll, beforeEach, describe, expect, test, vi } from 'vitest';
 import * as prompts from './index.js';
 
 // TODO (43081j): move this into a util?
@@ -16,127 +16,140 @@ class MockWritable extends Writable {
 	}
 }
 
-describe('spinner', () => {
-	let output: MockWritable;
+describe.each(['true', 'false'])('isCI = %s', (isCI) => {
+	let originalCI: string | undefined;
 
-	beforeEach(() => {
-		vi.useFakeTimers();
-		output = new MockWritable();
+	beforeAll(() => {
+		originalCI = process.env.CI;
+		process.env.CI = isCI;
 	});
 
-	afterEach(() => {
-		vi.restoreAllMocks();
-		vi.useRealTimers();
+	afterAll(() => {
+		process.env.CI = originalCI;
 	});
 
-	test('returns spinner API', () => {
-		const api = prompts.spinner({ output });
+	describe('spinner', () => {
+		let output: MockWritable;
 
-		expect(api.stop).toBeTypeOf('function');
-		expect(api.start).toBeTypeOf('function');
-		expect(api.message).toBeTypeOf('function');
-	});
-
-	describe('start', () => {
-		test('renders frames at interval', () => {
-			const result = prompts.spinner({ output });
+		beforeEach(() => {
+			vi.useFakeTimers();
+			output = new MockWritable();
+		});
 
-			result.start();
+		afterEach(() => {
+			vi.restoreAllMocks();
+			vi.useRealTimers();
+		});
 
-			// there are 4 frames
-			for (let i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
-				vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
-			}
+		test('returns spinner API', () => {
+			const api = prompts.spinner({ output });
 
-			expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
+			expect(api.stop).toBeTypeOf('function');
+			expect(api.start).toBeTypeOf('function');
+			expect(api.message).toBeTypeOf('function');
 		});
 
-		test('renders message', () => {
-			const result = prompts.spinner({ output });
+		describe('start', () => {
+			test('renders frames at interval', () => {
+				const result = prompts.spinner({ output });
 
-			result.start('foo');
+				result.start();
 
-			vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
+				// there are 4 frames
+				for (let i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
+					vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
+				}
 
-			expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
-		});
+				expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
+			});
 
-		test('renders timer when indicator is "timer"', () => {
-			const result = prompts.spinner({ output, indicator: 'timer' });
+			test('renders message', () => {
+				const result = prompts.spinner({ output });
 
-			result.start();
+				result.start('foo');
 
-			vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
+				vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
+
+				expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
+			});
+
+			test('renders timer when indicator is "timer"', () => {
+				const result = prompts.spinner({ output, indicator: 'timer' });
+
+				result.start();
+
+				vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
 
-			expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
+				expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
+			});
 		});
-	});
 
-	describe('stop', () => {
-		test('renders submit symbol and stops spinner', () => {
-			const result = prompts.spinner({ output });
+		describe('stop', () => {
+			test('renders submit symbol and stops spinner', () => {
+				const result = prompts.spinner({ output });
 
-			result.start();
+				result.start();
 
-			vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
+				vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
 
-			result.stop();
+				result.stop();
 
-			vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
+				vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
 
-			expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
-		});
+				expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
+			});
 
-		test('renders cancel symbol if code = 1', () => {
-			const result = prompts.spinner({ output });
+			test('renders cancel symbol if code = 1', () => {
+				const result = prompts.spinner({ output });
 
-			result.start();
+				result.start();
 
-			vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
+				vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
 
-			result.stop('', 1);
+				result.stop('', 1);
 
-			expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
-		});
+				expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
+			});
 
-		test('renders error symbol if code > 1', () => {
-			const result = prompts.spinner({ output });
+			test('renders error symbol if code > 1', () => {
+				const result = prompts.spinner({ output });
 
-			result.start();
+				result.start();
 
-			vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
+				vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
 
-			result.stop('', 2);
+				result.stop('', 2);
 
-			expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
-		});
+				expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
+			});
 
-		test('renders message', () => {
-			const result = prompts.spinner({ output });
+			test('renders message', () => {
+				const result = prompts.spinner({ output });
 
-			result.start();
+				result.start();
 
-			vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
+				vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
 
-			result.stop('foo');
+				result.stop('foo');
 
-			expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
+				expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
+			});
 		});
-	});
 
-	describe('message', () => {
-		test('sets message for next frame', () => {
-			const result = prompts.spinner({ output });
+		describe('message', () => {
+			test('sets message for next frame', () => {
+				const result = prompts.spinner({ output });
 
-			result.start();
+				result.start();
 
-			vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
+				vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
 
-			result.message('foo');
+				result.message('foo');
 
-			vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
+				vi.advanceTimersByTime(80);
 
-			expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
+				expect(output.buffer).toMatchSnapshot();
+			});
 		});
 	});
 });