Cron library
Cron expression for every 5 minutes
*/5 * * * *
Every 5 minutes every day.
Runs 100% in your browser. Nothing you paste is uploaded, stored, or sent to a server.
Or build one
Meaning
Next 10 run times
How to use
- Read the expression and the English meaning above. Confirm they match the job you have in mind.
- Use the time zone dropdown to preview the next 10 fire times in UTC or a US/EU city.
- Copy the expression into crontab, GitHub Actions (`on.schedule.cron`), or your job runner.
- If you need a nearby interval, browse the related schedules at the bottom of this page.
*/5 in the minute field is a step: 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, and 55. Combined with stars in the other fields, the job fires 12 times an hour, all day.
This is the default heartbeat for many backup agents, cache warmers, and “almost real-time” sync jobs. It is also the expression people confuse with 5 * * * *, which runs once an hour at minute 5.
When this schedule is a good fit
Typical uses: Polling an API that rate-limits per minute; Refreshing a dashboard cache; Checking a mail queue without the load of a one-minute cron.
Cron fields are zone-naive. The daemon’s TZ — or the TZ= line above the job — decides what “midnight” or “9am” means. Preview both UTC and the office zone before you ship.
FAQ
Does it run at :00 or at :05 first?
Both. The step starts at 0, so the hour’s first firing is at minute 0, then 5, and so on.
Can I start at minute 2 instead?
Yes — use 2-59/5 or 2,7,12,17,22,27,32,37,42,47,52,57. That staggers load if many hosts share the :00 mark.
Does this page upload my crontab?
No. The explainer and the next-run list run in your browser. The expression on this page is a public example.