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Cron Expression Generator

Build cron (crontab) expressions by picking minute, hour, day, month and weekday. Includes a human-readable explanation, next-run preview, and reverse parsing of existing expressions. Everything runs in your browser.

Last updated: 2026/10/16 Developer Feedback & bug reports
Common Presets
Cron Expression
Build by selecting fields
0-59
0-23
1-31
1-12
0-6 (0=Sun)
Human-readable Explanation
Next Scheduled Runs (5)

* Next runs are calculated in your device's local time zone.

How to Use

1

Pick the fields

Choose values from the minute, hour, day, month and weekday menus, or use a preset button for common schedules.

2

Check the expression & explanation

The cron expression is generated instantly, along with a plain-language explanation and the next 5 scheduled run times.

3

Copy and use

Copy the generated cron expression and paste it into crontab, CI/CD pipelines, or any scheduler.

About the Cron Generator

Cron (crontab) is the standard scheduler on UNIX-like systems, expressing schedules with five fields: minute, hour, day, month and weekday. This tool lets you build cron expressions intuitively from a UI, with a human-readable explanation and a preview of the next run times. It also reverse-parses existing expressions so you can understand what they do. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is sent to a server.

Each cron field supports ranges (1-5), lists (1,3,5) and steps (*/5). For the syntax basics and real-world examples, see our guide to writing cron expressions. You may also find our Regex Checker tool handy for testing patterns, the Unix Timestamp Converter tool useful for log timestamps, and the Time Zone Converter tool helpful for comparing server and local time.

Features

  • Real-time GenerationThe expression, explanation and next runs update instantly as you choose fields.
  • Plain-language ExplanationUnderstand exactly what an expression means. Great for learning cron syntax.
  • Next-run PreviewSee the next 5 actual run times computed in your local time zone.
  • Privacy FirstAll processing happens in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server.

Use Cases

  • Linux crontab setup (backups, log rotation)
  • GitHub Actions / GitLab CI scheduled runs (on: schedule)
  • Kubernetes CronJob scheduling
  • AWS EventBridge and shared-hosting scheduled tasks
  • Review and verify the meaning of an existing cron expression

FAQ

Is the cron generator free to use?
Yes, it is completely free. No registration required, just open it in your browser.
What do the 5 cron fields mean?
From left to right: minute (0-59), hour (0-23), day of month (1-31), month (1-12), and day of week (0-6, where 0 is Sunday). For example, "0 9 * * 1-5" runs at 9:00 on weekdays.
Is my cron expression sent to a server?
No. Nothing is sent to or stored on any server. Generation, explanation and next-run calculation all happen locally in your browser.
Does it support "*/5" or "1-5" style values?
Yes. Asterisk (* = every), steps (*/5 = every 5), ranges (1-5) and lists (1,3,5) are supported. You can also type values directly in each custom field.
Which time zone are the next runs in?
Next runs are calculated and shown in your device (browser) local time zone. Note this may differ from your actual server time zone.
What happens if I set both day and weekday?
In standard cron, when both the day-of-month (3rd field) and day-of-week (5th field) are restricted (not *), the job runs when either condition matches. The next-run preview follows this behavior.
Can I decode an existing cron expression?
Yes. Paste any expression into the cron field and the explanation and next runs are shown automatically (reverse parsing).
Do you support 6-field (seconds) cron expressions?
This tool supports the standard 5-field format (minute, hour, day, month, weekday). The 6-field format with seconds used by some schedulers is not supported.
When should I use the preset buttons versus the field builder?
Start with a preset button (e.g. "Daily 0:00", "Weekdays 9:00" or "Weekly Mon 0:00") to get a close match in one click, then fine-tune with the builder fields (minute, hour, day, month, weekday) as needed. The presets, builder and expression input stay in sync, so changing any one updates the others automatically.
Where do I see the explanation and next scheduled runs?
As you build an expression, a plain-language explanation (e.g. "Runs 9:00 on weekdays (Mon-Fri).") and the next 5 scheduled runs with weekdays appear below in real time, so you can confirm the schedule is correct before copying and avoid configuration mistakes.

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Related Guides

How to Write Cron: The 5 Fields, Symbols, and crontab Examples Explained Learn how to write cron (crontab) from scratch: the meaning of the five fields (minute, hour, day, month, weekday), how to use * / , -, common examples like daily, hourly, and weekly, and pitfalls to watch for.