diff --git a/dvc/command/checkout.py b/dvc/command/checkout.py
index ecc750e62e..3752342e1d 100644
--- a/dvc/command/checkout.py
+++ b/dvc/command/checkout.py
@@ -112,7 +112,9 @@ def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
     checkout_parser.add_argument(
         "targets",
         nargs="*",
-        help="DVC-files to checkout. Optional. "
-        "(Finds all DVC-files in the workspace by default.)",
+        help=(
+            "Limit command scope to these tracked files/directories, "
+            ".dvc files, or stage names."
+        ),
     ).complete = completion.DVC_FILE
     checkout_parser.set_defaults(func=CmdCheckout)
diff --git a/dvc/command/data_sync.py b/dvc/command/data_sync.py
index 3701c59d97..5b931177ec 100644
--- a/dvc/command/data_sync.py
+++ b/dvc/command/data_sync.py
@@ -103,8 +103,10 @@ def shared_parent_parser():
     parent_parser.add_argument(
         "targets",
         nargs="*",
-        help="Limit command scope to these DVC-files. "
-        "Using -R, directories to search DVC-files in can also be given.",
+        help=(
+            "Limit command scope to these tracked files/directories, "
+            ".dvc files, or stage names."
+        ),
     ).complete = completion.DVC_FILE
 
     return parent_parser