Crontab Expression Generator

Set each of the five cron fields to every value, specific values, a range, or an interval, or press a preset. Press Generate cron expression to get the expression, a plain-English description, a 24-hour timeline, and the full crontab entry.

Presets
Minute (0–59)
Hour (0–23)
Day of month (1–31)
Month (1–12)
Day of week (0–7)

About this cron expression generator

A cron expression tells a Unix-like system when to run a job, using five fields for minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week. A star means every value, a comma lists values, a hyphen gives a range, and a slash sets a step, so */15 in the minute field means every 15 minutes. This tool builds the expression from simple choices instead of syntax you have to remember, explains the schedule in plain English so you can check it, shows the hours of the day in which the job runs, and writes the whole crontab line with your command.

How to build a cron expression

  1. Start from a preset or from scratch. Press a preset such as Weekdays at 8 AM to fill the fields, or set them yourself.
  2. Set each field. For Minute, Hour, Day of month, Month, and Day of week, choose Every value, At specific values, Within a range, or At regular intervals, and fill in the values.
  3. Add a command. Optionally type the command to run in Command (optional) so the finished crontab line is complete.
  4. Press Generate cron expression. Read the plain-English description to confirm the schedule, then copy the expression or the full entry.

Frequently asked questions

What do the five cron fields mean?

From left to right: minute (0–59), hour (0–23 in 24-hour time), day of month (1–31), month (1–12), and day of week (0–7, where both 0 and 7 are Sunday). The job runs when all five fields match.

What does */5 mean?

The slash sets a step. */5 in the minute field means every 5 minutes: 0, 5, 10, and so on. A range with a step, such as 10-30/5, runs at 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30.

What happens if I set both a day of month and a day of week?

Standard cron runs the job when either one matches, not both. For example 0 9 1 * 1 runs at 09:00 on the 1st of every month and also every Monday.

Can I use month and weekday names?

Yes, in the specific values box. Use three-letter names such as jan or mon, separated by commas. They are kept as you typed them in the expression.

Which time zone does cron use?

The time zone of the machine or container that runs cron, which is often UTC on servers. Check the server’s zone before you rely on a morning schedule.