How to use the cron parser
- Type a 5-field cron expression or tap a preset.
- Read the plain-English translation and check the next run times match your intent.
- Each field is shown separately so you can see exactly what you set.
Cron field reference
A standard cron expression has five fields, in order: minute (0–59), hour (0–23), day of month (1–31), month (1–12), day of week (0–6, where 0 is Sunday). Use * for "every", */n for "every n", a-b for a range, and a,b,c for a list. So 0 9 * * 1-5 means "at 9:00 AM, Monday through Friday."
Benefits
- Translates a cron expression into plain English so you can sanity-check it.
- Previews the next five real run times in your local time zone.
- Breaks the expression into its five labelled fields.
- One-click presets for the most common schedules.
Limitations to know
- It handles the standard 5-field crontab format, not seconds or year fields.
- Run times use your device time zone — servers often run in UTC.
- Special strings like @reboot are not supported.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting that setting both day-of-month and day-of-week makes cron run when either matches.
- Assuming the server uses your local time zone.
- Writing */5 in the hour field when you meant the minute field.
Alternatives
For a simple countdown use the Timer; to test patterns use the Regex Tester.
Last updated: August 2026 · Reviewed by the AI Toolbox editorial team.
Frequently asked questions
Which cron format is this?
The standard 5-field Unix/Linux crontab format. Some systems add a seconds or year field — those aren't covered here.
What time zone are the run times?
Your device's local time zone. Servers often run in UTC, so double-check before deploying.
What if day-of-month and day-of-week are both set?
In standard cron the job runs when either matches — a classic source of surprises.
Is anything uploaded?
No — parsing runs entirely in your browser.