How do I use "* * * * *" in a real crontab?

Paste the expression * * * * * into crontab followed by your command, e.g. * * * * * /your/absolute/command. The scheduler will then run the job on this exact cadence (Every minute).

What does "* * * * *" mean?

The five fields of * * * * * expand to: Every minute.

Is "* * * * *" good for short-interval jobs?

Yes — this cadence fires 1440 times a day, so it suits lightweight jobs like health checks or fast data refreshes. Keep the job itself quick so runs do not overlap.

Does "* * * * *" run in UTC or local time?

Classic crontab runs in the server's local timezone. Managed schedulers like Vercel Cron, AWS EventBridge and GitHub Actions default to UTC, so adjust the hours if you need a local-time equivalent there.

Cron Job Every minute

Run a job once every minute, 1,440 times per day. Use the cron string * * * * *, see the next 5 execution times, and copy Python, Node.js, Bash and n8n snippets.

Quick Answers

What does the "Every minute" cron expression mean?: This cron expression is "* * * * *", which in plain English means: Run a job once every minute, 1,440 times per day..
When will this cron expression run next?: With the expression "* * * * *", the next execution times are Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 12:45:00 PM UTC, Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 12:46:00 PM UTC, Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 12:47:00 PM UTC.
How do I use this cron expression?: Copy the exact string into crontab, cron triggers, or any scheduler such as GitHub Actions, n8n or Docker. Pre-built code snippets for Python, Node.js, Bash, Docker, GitHub Actions and n8n are included on this page.

Explore the full Cron Cheat Sheet with all 50 schedules

Cron Expression

Copy this exact string into crontab, cron triggers, or schedulers.

* * * * *

Human readable

Run a job once every minute, 1,440 times per day.

Next 5 execution times

1Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 12:45:00 PM UTC
2Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 12:46:00 PM UTC
3Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 12:47:00 PM UTC
4Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 12:48:00 PM UTC
5Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 12:49:00 PM UTC

Python

from crontab import CronTab
from datetime import datetime

# Install: pip install python-crontab
cron = CronTab(user=True)
job = cron.new(command="/usr/bin/python3 /var/www/job_every-minute.py", comment="scheduled by crongen")
job.setall("* * * * *")
cron.write()

print(f"Installed: * * * * * -> /usr/bin/python3 /var/www/job_every-minute.py")

Related schedules

Every 2 minutes

Every 5 minutes

Every 10 minutes

Every 15 minutes

Every 20 minutes

Every 30 minutes

About the "every minute" cron schedule

The "every minute" cron schedule uses the expression "* * * * *". This schedule fires 1440 times per day, around the clock.

In plain English the cron string "* * * * *" means: Every minute.

This cadence is a common choice for routine maintenance tasks such as backups, log rotations and cache refreshes and automation that needs a consistent, predictable execution time. The schedule is deliberately kept simple: copy the string into any cron-aware scheduler (crontab, Vercel Cron, GitHub Actions, n8n, Docker or Kubernetes CronJob) and the run will repeat automatically — steady, with no manual triggering.