Cron Expression Explainer
Paste a 5-field cron expression and get a plain-English explanation of when it runs.
Runs at 09:00, on day of week 1 through 5
minute
0
hour
9
day of month
every day of month
month
every month
day of week
day of week 1 through 5
Covers standard 5-field cron syntax (*, ranges, steps, and lists). Some scheduler-specific extensions like named steps or "L"/"W" aren't supported.
Free to use, no sign-up, no limit on how many times you run it.More developer tools
Overview
Cron syntax is compact but not intuitive to read at a glance. This tool breaks down each field and produces a plain-English summary of the schedule.
- Field-by-field breakdown alongside a plain-English summary
- Supports wildcards, ranges, steps, and lists
- Instant feedback as you type
How to use it
- 1Paste in a 5-field cron expression
- 2Read the plain-English summary and field breakdown
Frequently asked questions
What cron syntax is supported?
Standard 5-field cron syntax: minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week, including wildcards (*), ranges (1-5), steps (*/15), and comma-separated lists.
Are scheduler-specific extensions supported, like @daily or 'L'?
No — this covers the portable 5-field standard used across most schedulers. Shorthand strings and special characters specific to certain tools (like Quartz's 'L' or 'W') aren't parsed.