Cron Expression Generator

Create cron expressions for scheduled tasks with visual builder and human-readable descriptions

0-59

0-23

1-31

1-12

0-6 (Sun-Sat)

Generated Cron Expression

* * * * *

Human Readable

Runs every minute

Next Scheduled Runs

  • 10/3/2025, 5:12:28 PM
  • 10/3/2025, 5:13:28 PM
  • 10/3/2025, 5:14:28 PM
  • 10/3/2025, 5:15:28 PM
  • 10/3/2025, 5:16:28 PM

Common Presets

What is a Cron Expression?

A cron expression is a string format used to define scheduled tasks in Unix-like systems. It consists of 5 or 6 fields that specify when a task should run:

Field Format

* * * * *
Minute
(0-59)
Hour
(0-23)
Day of Month
(1-31)
Month
(1-12)
Day of Week
(0-6)

Special Characters

  • * (asterisk): Matches any value
  • ? (question mark): Matches any value (only for day fields)
  • - (dash): Defines a range (e.g., 1-5)
  • , (comma): Separates multiple values (e.g., 1,3,5)
  • / (slash): Defines step values (e.g., */5 = every 5 units)
  • L: Last day of month or week
  • W: Nearest weekday
  • #: Nth occurrence (e.g., 2#3 = 3rd Tuesday)

FAQs

What's the difference between 5-field and 6-field cron expressions?

Traditional cron uses 5 fields (minute through day-of-week). Some systems support 6-field expressions that include seconds as the first field for more precise scheduling.

Can I use both day-of-month and day-of-week?

If both day-of-month and day-of-week are specified (not *), the job runs when either condition is met (OR logic), not both (AND logic).

How do I run a job every weekday?

Use * * * * 1-5 where 1-5 represents Monday through Friday. You can also use * * * * MON-FRI in systems that support named days.

What does */15 mean?

The */15 notation means "every 15th value". In the minute field, */15 means every 15 minutes (0, 15, 30, 45). In the hour field, */15 would mean every 15 hours.

Are cron expressions case-sensitive?

Numbers and special characters are not case-sensitive. However, named values (like MON, TUE for days or JAN, FEB for months) may be case-sensitive depending on the system.

How do I schedule a job for the last day of the month?

Use the "L" character in the day-of-month field: 0 0 L * * runs at midnight on the last day of every month. Note that not all cron implementations support the "L" character.