MetoolzyCron Expression Parser
Human Readable
Describes cron expression in plain language.
Next Runs
Shows upcoming execution times.
Real-time
Updates as you type the expression.
Client-side
All processing in your browser. No data uploaded.
About Cron Expression Parser
Cron is a time-based job scheduling system used on Unix-like operating systems. A cron expression is a compact string of five fields that defines when a scheduled task should run: minute (0–59), hour (0–23), day of month (1–31), month (1–12), and day of week (0–7). Each field accepts specific values, ranges (1-5), step values (*/15), and lists (1,3,5). Cron is widely used to automate backups, send scheduled emails, run data pipelines, clear caches, and perform routine maintenance tasks. Despite their power, cron expressions can be difficult to read and write correctly — a single misplaced asterisk can mean a job runs every minute instead of once a day. This parser translates any standard 5-field cron expression into plain English so you can instantly understand what it means. It also calculates and displays the next ten scheduled execution times, so you can verify the schedule behaves exactly as intended. Choose from common presets like "every hour" or "weekdays at 8:30am" as a starting point.
How to Use Cron Expression Parser
- Type a cron expression in the input field using standard 5-field format: minute hour day month weekday.
- Or click one of the preset buttons (Every minute, Every hour, etc.) to load a common schedule.
- The field breakdown below the input labels each value with its corresponding field name.
- Read the plain-English description of your expression in the purple box.
- Scroll down to see the next 10 scheduled run times calculated from the current moment.
- Copy the description to your clipboard using the Copy button, then refine the expression as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the five fields in a cron expression mean?
Reading left to right: minute (0–59), hour (0–23), day of month (1–31), month (1–12, or JAN–DEC), and day of week (0–7, where both 0 and 7 are Sunday, or SUN–SAT). An asterisk (*) means "every valid value" for that field.
How do I run a job every 15 minutes?
Use the expression */15 * * * *. The */15 in the minute field means "every 15th minute" (0, 15, 30, 45). You can use step values with any field — for example */2 in the hour field means every 2 hours.
What is the difference between day-of-month and day-of-week?
Day-of-month (field 3) targets specific calendar dates like the 1st or 15th of every month. Day-of-week (field 5) targets specific weekdays like Monday. If both are non-wildcard, most cron implementations run the job when either condition is true.
How do I run a job only on weekdays?
Use 1-5 in the day-of-week field, for example: 0 9 * * 1-5 runs every weekday at 9:00 AM. You can also use named days: 0 9 * * MON-FRI.
Does this tool support 6-field cron with seconds?
This tool supports standard 5-field cron syntax as used by crontab. Some systems (AWS EventBridge, Quartz scheduler) use a 6-field format with a leading seconds field — those expressions are not supported here.
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