Cron Job Expression Generator
Build and validate cron expressions with a field builder or raw input. Get a plain-English description and the next scheduled runs.
Free, no signup. Supports wildcards, ranges, steps, lists, and name aliases.
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How to Generate a Cron Expression
Build a validated cron schedule in three steps.
Set Your Schedule
Fill in the 5 fields, or paste a raw cron expression.
Generate
Click Generate to validate the expression and get a plain-English description.
Review Next Runs
See the next 5 scheduled run times, then copy or download the result.
expression
0 9 * * 1-5
description
At 09:00 on monday-friday
Field Builder
Fill in 5 simple fields, or paste a raw expression to validate.
Plain English
Every expression is explained in a readable sentence.
Next Run Times
See the next 5 times your job will actually run.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Cron Job Expression Generator do?
It builds a standard 5-field cron expression from simple inputs (or validates one you already have), then explains it in plain English and shows the next scheduled run times.
What cron syntax is supported?
Standard 5-field expressions: minute, hour, day-of-month, month, and day-of-week. Wildcards (*), ranges (1-5), steps (*/15), lists (1,15,30), and month/day name aliases (jan, mon) are all supported.
How are day-of-month and day-of-week combined?
Following standard cron rules: if both fields are restricted (not '*'), the job runs when either matches. If only one is restricted, only that field applies.
Can I paste an existing cron expression instead of building one?
Yes. Switch to Raw Expression mode, paste your expression, and it will be validated and explained the same way.
What is the cron expression for every 15 minutes?
*/15 * * * *. The */15 step in the minute field fires at :00, :15, :30, and :45 of every hour. Swap 15 for 5 or 30 to get every 5 or every 30 minutes. Generate it here to confirm the next run times before you deploy it.
What does 0 0 * * * mean?
It runs once a day at midnight: minute 0, hour 0, every day of the month, every month, every day of the week. Paste it into Raw Expression mode to see the plain-English description and the next five run times.
How do I write a cron expression to run at 9am on weekdays?
0 9 * * 1-5. That is minute 0, hour 9, and a 1-5 range in the day-of-week field covering Monday through Friday. You can also write it with name aliases as 0 9 * * mon-fri, which this tool accepts too.
What does the asterisk mean in a cron expression?
An asterisk means 'every value' for that field. So * in the hour field means every hour, and * in the month field means every month. It's the default for any field you don't want to restrict.
Does cron day-of-week start at 0 or 1?
0 is Sunday and 6 is Saturday in standard cron, so 1 is Monday. Many systems also accept 7 for Sunday. Using the name aliases (sun, mon, tue) avoids the ambiguity entirely, and this tool supports them.
Why is my cron job not running when I expect?
The two most common causes are a day-of-month and day-of-week conflict (when both are restricted, the job runs when either matches, not both) and a timezone mismatch between your machine and the server. Paste your expression here to see the next five run times and confirm the schedule is what you intended.
Does this work for GitHub Actions, Kubernetes CronJobs, and Jenkins?
Yes. All three use the standard 5-field cron syntax this tool builds and validates. Generate the expression here, confirm the next run times, then drop it into your schedule block or crontab line.
Is this free to use?
Yes. The Cron Job Expression Generator is completely free with no signup, no login, and no limits.
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