Free cron translator

Cron to English Converter

Type any cron expression and read what it means in plain language — plus the exact next five times it will run. No parsing by ear needed.

Cron expression
Try an example:

Enter a 5 or 6 field cron expression, e.g. 0 9 * * 1-5.

Every 5 minutes
Next 5 run times
  1. 1Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 12:15:00 PM UTC
  2. 2Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 12:20:00 PM UTC
  3. 3Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 12:25:00 PM UTC
  4. 4Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 12:30:00 PM UTC
  5. 5Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 12:35:00 PM UTC
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How to read a cron expression

A standard cron expression has five fields, each controlling one part of the schedule:

  • Minute — 0–59. * means every minute.
  • Hour — 0–23. * means every hour.
  • Day of month — 1–31. * means every day.
  • Month — 1–12. * means every month.
  • Day of week — 0–7 (Sun–Sat), or names. * means every day.

Frequently asked questions

What does a cron expression like 0 9 * * 1-5 mean?
It means run every weekday (Monday to Friday) at 9:00 AM. The five fields are minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week. This tool translates any expression into that kind of plain-English description.
Is converting my cron expression to English free?
Yes. The translator runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your expression never leaves your machine and there is no signup.
Can it handle 6-field and named cron syntax?
It supports standard 5-field and 6-field expressions (with seconds), plus named values, ranges, steps and list syntax. If the expression is valid, you get a readable translation and real next-run times.
How do I write a cron expression?
Start with the minute, then hour, day of month, month and day of week. An asterisk means 'every'. For example * * * * * runs every minute and 0 */2 * * * runs every 2 hours on the hour.