MMaxTools

Cron Expression Generator

Build standard 5-field cron expressions with human-readable explanations.

The Cron Expression Generator builds standard 5-field cron schedules without memorizing the syntax. Set the minute, hour, day of month, month and day of week with plain inputs — or click a preset like 'Every 5 minutes' or 'Weekdays at 09:00' — and the exact cron expression appears with a human-readable description of what it means.

Cron schedules run jobs across Linux, AWS (CloudWatch, Lambda), CI systems and countless schedulers, and the five-field format — minute hour day-of-month month day-of-week — is deceptively easy to get wrong: '0 9 * * 1-5' fires at 9 AM Monday through Friday, while '0 9 * * 1' fires only on Mondays. The plain-English line makes the meaning explicit before you paste it anywhere.

The generator follows the standard cron grammar: numbers, lists (1,15), ranges (9-17) and steps (*/5), with Sunday as 0 or 7. Copy the finished expression with one click — everything runs locally in your browser.

0–59 · * · */5 · 0,15,30

0–23 · * · */6 · 9-17

1–31 · * · 1,15

1–12 · * · 1,7

0–7 (0/7=Sun) · * · 1-5

Cron expression (5 fields)

0 9 * * 1-5

At 0 minute(s), at 9 hour(s), on weekdays Mon–Fri

Common schedules

Standard 5-field cron: minute hour day-of-month month day-of-week (Sunday is 0 or 7). This tool targets cron in Linux/Unix, AWS, and most job schedulers — some systems (Quartz, Node schedulers) add seconds or years.

How to use the Cron Expression Generator

  1. Fill in each field — minute, hour, day of month, month, day of week.
  2. Use the hints for valid syntax like * / 5 or 9-17 or 1,15.
  3. Read the plain-English description to confirm the schedule means what you intend.
  4. Copy the 5-field expression.
  5. Or start from a preset button and tweak the fields.

Frequently asked questions

What do the five fields mean?

minute (0–59), hour (0–23), day of month (1–31), month (1–12), day of week (0–7, where 0 and 7 are Sunday). * means 'every' value in that field. '0 9 * * 1-5' means minute 0, hour 9, any day, any month, Mon–Fri — i.e., every weekday at 9:00.

How is */5 different from 5?

*/5 means every 5th unit: minutes 0, 5, 10…55. A plain 5 means only that single value. The description line makes the difference obvious, which prevents classic scheduling mistakes.

Does this work for every cron implementation?

The 5-field syntax is the common core across Linux cron, AWS, and most tools. Some systems add a leading seconds field (Quartz-style, 6–7 fields) or special names like @daily — this generator targets the standard 5-field form, which most schedulers accept.

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