Cron Expression Generator

Generate cron expressions with an interactive visual builder. See human-readable descriptions of your cron schedule, preview the next 5 run times, and choose from 12 common presets. Perfect for configuring scheduled tasks, CI/CD pipelines, and server automation.

Cron Expression Generator

* * * * *

Runs every minute

Minute

0-59

Hour

0-23

Day (Month)

1-31

Month

1-12

Day (Week)

0-6

Presets

Next 5 Run Times

1.Tue, Mar 3, 09:44 PM

2.Tue, Mar 3, 09:45 PM

3.Tue, Mar 3, 09:46 PM

4.Tue, Mar 3, 09:47 PM

5.Tue, Mar 3, 09:48 PM

Syntax: * * * * * = minute hour day(month) month day(week). Use */n for every n, a-b for ranges, a,b for lists.

How to Use Cron Expression Generator

1Set each cron field (minute, hour, day, month, weekday)
2Read the human-readable description of your schedule
3Verify the next 5 run times look correct
4Copy the cron expression for your configuration

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a cron expression?▾

A cron expression is a string of 5 fields (minute, hour, day-of-month, month, day-of-week) that defines a recurring schedule. For example, '0 9 * * 1-5' means 'at 9:00 AM every weekday'. It's used in Unix/Linux cron jobs, CI/CD systems, and cloud schedulers.

What do the special characters mean?▾

* means 'every', */n means 'every n units', a-b means 'range from a to b', a,b means 'at a and b'. For example, */15 in the minute field means 'every 15 minutes', 1-5 in day-of-week means 'Monday through Friday'.

How do I test my cron expression?▾

Enter your expression in our generator and check the 'Next 5 Run Times' section. It calculates the exact dates and times your schedule will trigger next, so you can verify it matches your expectations before deploying.

About Cron Expression Generator

NexTool's Cron Expression Generator is completely free to use with no sign-up required. Your data is processed directly in your browser and never sent to our servers, ensuring complete privacy and instant results.