Cron Expression Generator
Type a cron schedule and get a plain-English explanation plus the next run times instantly. Tap a preset, tweak a field, copy the result.
⚡ Parses live · nothing is uploadedNext runs
Common schedules
How cron expressions work
A standard cron expression has five fields separated by spaces: minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week. Each field accepts a single number, a list like 1,15,30, a range like 9-17, a step like */10, or a star meaning "every". The scheduler runs your job at every moment where all the fields match the current time.
The day-of-week field uses 0 to 6 starting on Sunday, and 7 also means Sunday. You can use names too, so MON-FRI and 1-5 are the same thing. The one rule people forget: when both day-of-month and day-of-week are set to something other than a star, the job runs when either one matches, not both.
Field reference
| Field | Allowed | Special |
|---|---|---|
| Minute | 0–59 | * , - / |
| Hour | 0–23 | * , - / |
| Day of month | 1–31 | * , - / |
| Month | 1–12 or JAN–DEC | * , - / |
| Day of week | 0–7 or SUN–SAT | * , - / |
Shortcuts you can type
Instead of five fields you can use a macro: @yearly (or @annually), @monthly, @weekly, @daily (or @midnight), and @hourly. They expand to the equivalent five-field expression, which this tool shows you so you can learn the pattern.
Is my expression sent anywhere?
No. The parser, the English explanation, and the next-run calculation all run locally in your browser. Nothing leaves your device.
What timezone are the next runs in?
Your computer's local timezone by default. Cron on a server runs in that server's timezone, so switch to UTC if your jobs run in UTC.
Does it support names like MON or JAN?
Yes, in the month and day-of-week fields. They are case-insensitive, so jan, JAN, and Jan all work, including ranges like MON-FRI.
Why does my day-of-month and day-of-week combo run more than I expect?
Because cron treats them as an OR when both are restricted. 0 0 1 * MON runs on the 1st of the month and every Monday, not only Mondays that fall on the 1st.
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