In the fictional world of the Transformers, protoforms are "basic frames" of a Cybertronian placed in stasis until a suitable form can be found.

The term first appeared in episode one of Beast Wars in September 1996. It has reappeared in various Transformers media, including later cartoons, comics, film, and toylines.

Protoforms were a major plot point in the Beast Wars cartoon, appearing in multiple episodes. In this series, protoforms are imbued with a spark (self-awareness, life essence) before being placed into a stasis pod. Stasis pods are delicate, and the slightest damage can erase the protoform's memories.

The plot of the 2006 IDW Publications mini-series Beast Wars: The Gathering centers around the fate of the protoforms not recovered in the cartoon. At the conclusion of the series, all the protoforms are accounted for.

The Transformers cartoon airing after the conclusion of Beast Wars, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, featured protoforms in one episode.

In this series Optimus Prime states that, "Protoforms are the building blocks for all life on Cybertron",^{[citation needed]} and they can assume a physical blank form when not in use.^{[citation needed]}