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Cron Expression Generator

Build cron job schedules visually, get human-readable descriptions, and preview the next 5 run times — all instantly in your browser.

⏰ Your Cron Expression
*Minute
*Hour
*Day (Month)
*Month
*Day (Week)
* * * * *
📖 Human Readable Every minute
🛠️ Build Your Schedule

Every Minute

* * * * *
Runs every 60 seconds

Every Hour

0 * * * *
At minute 0 of every hour

Every Day at Midnight

0 0 * * *
Once daily at 00:00

Every Day at 9 AM

0 9 * * *
Daily morning run

Every Sunday Midnight

0 0 * * 0
Weekly on Sunday

Weekdays at Midnight

0 0 * * 1-5
Mon–Fri only

First Day of Month

0 0 1 * *
Monthly at midnight

Once a Year

0 0 1 1 *
Jan 1st at midnight

Every 5 Minutes

*/5 * * * *
Every 5 minutes

Every 15 Minutes

*/15 * * * *
4 times per hour

Every 2 Hours

0 */2 * * *
12 times per day

Business Hours

0 8-18 * * 1-5
Hourly, 8am–6pm weekdays
Minute0–59
Hour0–23
Day of Month1–31
Month1–12
Day of Week0=Sun, 6=Sat

Type a cron expression directly. Use standard 5-field cron syntax: MIN HOUR DOM MON DOW

🗓️ Next 5 Run TimesBased on current time

What is a Cron Expression?

A cron expression is a string of 5 (or 6) fields separated by spaces that defines a schedule for automated tasks. Cron is a time-based job scheduler in Unix-like operating systems. It's used everywhere — from Linux servers and Docker containers to cloud platforms like AWS, GCP, Heroku, and GitHub Actions.

Each field represents a unit of time: minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week. Special characters allow powerful scheduling patterns beyond simple fixed times.

Cron Syntax Reference

Field Allowed Values Special Characters
Minute0–59* , - /
Hour0–23* , - /
Day of Month1–31* , - /
Month1–12* , - /
Day of Week0–6 (Sun=0)* , - /

Special Characters Explained

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I run a cron job every 30 minutes? ▼
Use */30 * * * * — this runs at minute 0 and minute 30 of every hour. The */30 means "every 30 minutes starting from 0".
What's the difference between cron on Linux vs AWS/GCP? ▼
Standard cron uses 5 fields (min hour dom mon dow). Some platforms like AWS EventBridge and Spring use 6 fields (adding seconds or year). Our generator produces standard 5-field cron expressions compatible with Linux crontab, GitHub Actions, Heroku Scheduler, and most cloud platforms.
Can I run a cron job at a specific time on specific days? ▼
Yes. For example, to run at 9:30 AM every Monday and Wednesday: 30 9 * * 1,3. Use the Visual Builder above to configure this without memorizing the syntax.
Why do my cron times seem off? ▼
Cron runs in the system's local timezone unless configured otherwise. Many servers run in UTC. If your job runs 5.5 hours early (for IST), your server is in UTC. Either adjust your cron expression to account for the offset, or configure your cron daemon to use a specific timezone.