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0 9 * * 1-5

Cron Expression Parser

100% Free

Translate 5-field POSIX cron expressions into plain English with field breakdown and the next 5 scheduled runs.

Real-time
Client-Side
Next-run preview
Presets:
✓ In plain English

Runs at 09:00, day-of-week Monday through Friday.

Field breakdown
minute
0
1 value
hour
9
1 value
dom
*
every
month
*
every
dow
1-5
5 values
Next 5 runs
#15/18/2026, 9:00:00 AM
#25/19/2026, 9:00:00 AM
#35/20/2026, 9:00:00 AM
#45/21/2026, 9:00:00 AM
#55/22/2026, 9:00:00 AM

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How to Use

  1. 1 Type a 5-field cron expression (or pick a preset)
  2. 2 Plain-English description appears instantly
  3. 3 Field breakdown shows what each component means
  4. 4 Next 5 execution times computed from your local clock

Features

  • 5-field POSIX cron parsing
  • Wildcards (*), ranges (a-b), lists (a,b), step values (*/n)
  • Plain-English description for any expression
  • Field-by-field breakdown
  • Next 5 runs computed in local timezone
  • Common presets (every minute, 9am M-F, etc.)

Why it Matters

Cron syntax is famously cryptic. '0 9 * * 1-5' takes a second to write but five seconds to verify in your head. A live parser with English description and a next-run preview catches bugs before you commit a broken crontab.

★★★★★

Use Cases

Crontab Verification

Confirm a cron expression does what you think it does

Schedule Planning

See exactly when your job will run for the next week

Migration Audit

Document existing schedules in plain English for handoffs

Frequently Asked Questions

Why only 5 fields, not 6 (with seconds)?
POSIX cron uses 5 fields: minute, hour, day-of-month, month, day-of-week. Some tools (Quartz, Spring) add a seconds field at the start — those are non-standard variants we don't support.
Why no @daily / @hourly aliases?
Kept the parser tight. @daily = `0 0 * * *`, @hourly = `0 * * * *`, @weekly = `0 0 * * 0`. Use the explicit form.
Are the next-runs in UTC or local time?
Local time — uses the browser's timezone. Crontabs on Linux servers usually use the server's timezone (often UTC). Spot-check before deploying.
📖

Want to understand the math?

Browse all guides →
How to Use Cron Expression Par
cron

How to Use Cron Expression Parser — Complete Guide

Learn how to read, write, and validate cron expressions using Tools.Town's free Cron Expression Parser — see the next run times in plain English.

8 May 2026

5 min read

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