Cron Expression Explainer

Explain cron expressions in plain English and see the next run times. Supports ranges, steps, lists, month and weekday names, @daily shortcuts and a seconds field.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Runs in your browser
  • Your data stays private

How to use the Cron Expression Explainer

  1. Paste one or more cron expressions.
  2. Choose UTC or your device time zone.
  3. Read the explanation and the upcoming run times.

Why use this Cron Expression Explainer

  • Plain EnglishTurns */15 9-17 * * 1-5 into a sentence you can read.
  • Next run timesLists the upcoming runs so you can confirm the schedule is right.
  • Full syntaxRanges, steps, lists, names like MON and JAN, and shortcuts such as @daily.
  • ValidationOut-of-range values and wrong field counts are explained.

Frequently asked questions

What do the five cron fields mean?

In order: minute, hour, day of month, month and day of week. A star means every value.

What happens when both day of month and day of week are set?

Standard cron runs when either one matches, so 0 0 13 * 5 runs on the 13th and on every Friday.

Which time zone does cron use?

The server's. Choose UTC or your device time here to check when it will actually fire.

Related tools

More Developer Tools

User Reviews

–
No ratings yet
Write a review
Your rating *

Your email is never published. Reviews are moderated, and links aren't allowed.

What users are saying

No reviews yet

Be the first to share your experience with this tool — your feedback helps others.