What is a cron expression?

A cron expression is a string of 5 fields (minute, hour, day-of-month, month, day-of-week) that defines a schedule. Example: '0 9 * * 1' runs at 9 AM every Monday.

What does * mean in cron?

An asterisk (*) means 'every value' for that field. So '* * * * *' runs every minute of every hour of every day.

Can I use ranges and steps?

Yes. Use ranges (1-5), steps (*/5 for every 5), and lists (1,3,5). Example: '0 */2 * * *' runs every 2 hours.

Developer Tool

Cron Expression Builder

Name: AdaptlyPost
Author: AdaptlyPost

Build cron expressions visually with dropdown fields and presets. See the next 5 scheduled runs calculated in real time. No more guessing cron syntax.

100% free — no account needed

Quick Presets

Minute

0-59

Hour

0-23

Day of Month

1-31

Month

Day of Week

Cron Expression

* * * * *

Next 5 Runs

Fri, Mar 20, 2026

02:32 AM

Fri, Mar 20, 2026

02:33 AM

Fri, Mar 20, 2026

02:34 AM

Fri, Mar 20, 2026

02:35 AM

Fri, Mar 20, 2026

02:36 AM

Visual Cron Builder

Stop memorizing cron syntax

Visual Builder

Set minute, hour, day, month, and weekday with simple inputs.

Common Presets

One-click presets for every minute, hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly schedules.

Next 5 Runs

See exactly when your cron expression will trigger next.

Live Expression

See the cron expression update as you change fields.

FAQ

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