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Cron Expression Explainer

Paste a cron expression to read it in plain English, see each field explained and check the next ten times it will run.

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How to use the Cron Expression Explainer tool

  1. Type or paste a cron expression, or pick an example.
  2. Read the plain-English description and the field breakdown.
  3. Check the next run times to confirm the schedule does what you expect.

Cron syntax at a glance

SymbolMeaningExample
*Every value* * * * * runs every minute
,A list0 9,17 * * * runs at 09:00 and 17:00
-A range0 9 * * 1-5 runs on weekdays
/A step*/10 * * * * runs every 10 minutes
@dailyA shortcutSame as 0 0 * * *

Common mistakes

  • * 2 * * * runs every minute from 02:00 to 02:59, not once. Use 0 2 * * *.
  • Time zones: cron uses the server’s clock, which is often UTC. Compare times with the Time Zone Converter.
  • Six fields: Quartz and some cloud schedulers add seconds or years. Standard cron uses five.

Frequently asked questions

What do the five fields mean?

In order: minute (0–59), hour (0–23), day of the month (1–31), month (1–12) and day of the week (0–6, where 0 is Sunday).

Why does my job run on more days than expected?

When both day of the month and day of the week are set, standard cron runs when either one matches, not only when both do.

Which time zone does cron use?

The server’s time zone, unless your scheduler lets you set one. The run times shown here use your device’s time zone.

Are my files uploaded to a server?

No. HushConverts converts everything with code that runs in your browser, so your text and files stay on your device. You can even use most tools offline once the page has loaded.

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