Cron Expression Generator

A cron expression is five fields (minute, hour, day of month, month, day of week) that define when a job runs. This free generator builds one from simple choices or explains any expression in plain English, flags the exact invalid field and lists the next 10 run times in your chosen time zone. It also supports the optional seconds field n8n accepts.

Free, no signup. Runs entirely in your browser; files and text are not uploaded.

How to use the Cron Expression Generator

  1. Type or paste a cron expression, or pick a schedule in the Build a schedule section.
  2. Read the plain-English explanation and fix any field highlighted in red.
  3. Choose a time zone, or tap UTC, Asia/Dubai or Asia/Karachi, to check the next 10 run times.
  4. Click Copy, or Copy n8n Schedule Trigger node and paste it onto the n8n canvas.

Features

  • Explains 5-field cron and n8n’s optional 6-field seconds format in plain English
  • Supports *, lists, ranges, steps, JAN–DEC and SUN–SAT names, 7 for Sunday and @daily-style macros
  • Highlights the invalid field with a specific error message
  • Lists the next 10 run times in any IANA time zone, calculated in your browser
  • Applies the standard day-of-month OR day-of-week rule and warns where n8n differs
  • Schedule builder and 12 business presets, plus a copyable n8n Schedule Trigger node

Frequently asked questions

How do I use a cron expression in n8n?

Add a Schedule Trigger node, set Trigger Interval to Custom (Cron) and paste the expression into the Expression field. n8n accepts five fields, or six with an optional seconds field first. Publish the workflow for the schedule to take effect.

Which time zone does the n8n Schedule Trigger use?

It uses the workflow time zone from the workflow settings. If none is set, it uses the instance time zone, which self-hosted n8n sets with the GENERIC_TIMEZONE environment variable (default America/New_York) and n8n Cloud sets in the admin dashboard.

Why does 0 0 1 * 1 run on every Monday?

When both day of month and day of week are restricted, standard cron runs on days that match either field, so this runs on the 1st of every month and on every Monday. The explainer shows this rule whenever it applies.

Does this support Quartz syntax like ? or L?

No. It follows standard cron, which is what n8n uses, so ?, L, W, # and a 7th year field are reported as errors with a hint. Use * instead of ? and list the days you need instead of L.

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Built and reviewed by Naqash Thaheem, Technical Project Manager. Last reviewed 2026-09-25.