Every X Minutes Cron Expressions

Complete reference for scheduling cron jobs at minute intervals. Choose from 1 to 59 minutes for precise task scheduling in Unix, Linux, and containerized environments.

Try Any Minute Interval

Free Cron Job Generator & Builder

The easiest way to edit, visualize, and understand cron schedules. Create, test, and export cron expressions with our intuitive online tool.

Visual Cron Builder

Build cron expressions using an intuitive visual interface with dropdowns and checkboxes.

Timezone Converter

Convert cron schedules between different timezones to coordinate global deployments.

Text to Cron

Convert plain English phrases like "every day at 8pm" into valid cron expressions.

Expression Validator

Validate and debug cron expressions with detailed field-by-field syntax analysis.

Quick Reference

Cron Format

* * * * *
* = minute (0-59)
* = hour (0-23)
* = day of month (1-31)
* = month (1-12)
* = day of week (0-6, Sunday=0)

Special Characters

* = any value
, = value list separator
- = range of values
/ = step values

Common Examples

0 0 * * *
Daily at midnight
0 12 * * *
Daily at noon
0 0 * * 0
Weekly on Sunday
0 0 1 * *
Monthly on 1st
*/15 * * * *
Every 15 minutes
0 9-17 * * 1-5
Business hours
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Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to common questions about cron jobs, scheduling, and using our cron expression generator.

A cron job is a scheduled task that runs automatically at specified times on Unix-like systems. Cron jobs use cron expressions (like "0 9 * * 1-5") to define when they should execute, making them perfect for automation, backups, and recurring tasks.
Cron expressions have 5 fields: minute (0-59), hour (0-23), day of month (1-31), month (1-12), and day of week (0-7). For example, "30 14 * * 1-5" means run at 2:30 PM on weekdays. Use our generator to see exactly when your cron will run.
Standard cron jobs can run as frequently as once per minute. For more frequent execution, you need extended cron formats or specialized schedulers. Our tool supports both standard 5-field and extended 6-field cron expressions.
Cron jobs typically run in the server's local timezone. Some systems support timezone-specific cron formats. Our tool lets you preview execution times in different timezones to help you schedule jobs correctly.
Popular examples include: "0 0 * * *" (daily at midnight), "*/15 * * * *" (every 15 minutes), "0 9 * * 1-5" (weekdays at 9 AM), and "0 0 1 * *" (first day of each month). Browse our 316+ presets for more examples.
Common issues include: incorrect cron syntax, missing file permissions, wrong file paths, minimal environment variables, or cron daemon not running. Use our validator to check your syntax and see the human-readable description of your schedule.

Need more help? Check out our comprehensive guides:

Complete Cron GuideSyntax CheatsheetCommon Examples

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Popular Minute Intervals

Every 1 minute

* * * * *

Runs every minute - highest frequency cron job

Common uses:

  • Real-time monitoring
  • Queue processing
  • Live data sync
  • Health checks

Every 2 minutes

*/2 * * * *

Runs every 2 minutes - near real-time processing

Common uses:

  • Frequent monitoring
  • Quick sync tasks
  • Status updates
  • Cache warming

Every 3 minutes

*/3 * * * *

Runs every 3 minutes - high-frequency monitoring

Common uses:

  • API polling
  • Service monitoring
  • Quick backups
  • Alert checks

Every 5 minutes

*/5 * * * *

Runs every 5 minutes - standard monitoring frequency

Common uses:

  • System monitoring
  • Log rotation
  • API sync
  • Performance metrics

Every 10 minutes

*/10 * * * *

Runs every 10 minutes - regular check interval

Common uses:

  • Email checks
  • Database cleanup
  • Report generation
  • Resource monitoring

Every 15 minutes

*/15 * * * *

Runs every 15 minutes - quarter-hour schedule

Common uses:

  • Data backups
  • Feed updates
  • Analytics collection
  • Cache clearing

Every 20 minutes

*/20 * * * *

Runs every 20 minutes - moderate frequency

Common uses:

  • Content sync
  • Batch processing
  • System maintenance
  • Report updates

Every 30 minutes

*/30 * * * *

Runs every 30 minutes - half-hour schedule

Common uses:

  • Large backups
  • Data aggregation
  • Comprehensive reports
  • System snapshots

Every 45 minutes

*/45 * * * *

Runs every 45 minutes - three-quarter hour interval

Common uses:

  • Extended processing
  • Large data sync
  • Complex calculations
  • Resource optimization

Complete Minute Intervals Reference

Every 1m
* * * * *
Every 2m
*/2 * * * *
Every 3m
*/3 * * * *
Every 4m
*/4 * * * *
Every 5m
*/5 * * * *
Every 6m
*/6 * * * *
Every 7m
*/7 * * * *
Every 8m
*/8 * * * *
Every 9m
*/9 * * * *
Every 10m
*/10 * * * *
Every 11m
*/11 * * * *
Every 12m
*/12 * * * *
Every 13m
*/13 * * * *
Every 14m
*/14 * * * *
Every 15m
*/15 * * * *
Every 16m
*/16 * * * *
Every 17m
*/17 * * * *
Every 18m
*/18 * * * *
Every 19m
*/19 * * * *
Every 20m
*/20 * * * *
Every 21m
*/21 * * * *
Every 22m
*/22 * * * *
Every 23m
*/23 * * * *
Every 24m
*/24 * * * *
Every 25m
*/25 * * * *
Every 26m
*/26 * * * *
Every 27m
*/27 * * * *
Every 28m
*/28 * * * *
Every 29m
*/29 * * * *
Every 30m
*/30 * * * *
Every 31m
*/31 * * * *
Every 32m
*/32 * * * *
Every 33m
*/33 * * * *
Every 34m
*/34 * * * *
Every 35m
*/35 * * * *
Every 36m
*/36 * * * *
Every 37m
*/37 * * * *
Every 38m
*/38 * * * *
Every 39m
*/39 * * * *
Every 40m
*/40 * * * *
Every 41m
*/41 * * * *
Every 42m
*/42 * * * *
Every 43m
*/43 * * * *
Every 44m
*/44 * * * *
Every 45m
*/45 * * * *
Every 46m
*/46 * * * *
Every 47m
*/47 * * * *
Every 48m
*/48 * * * *
Every 49m
*/49 * * * *
Every 50m
*/50 * * * *
Every 51m
*/51 * * * *
Every 52m
*/52 * * * *
Every 53m
*/53 * * * *
Every 54m
*/54 * * * *
Every 55m
*/55 * * * *
Every 56m
*/56 * * * *
Every 57m
*/57 * * * *
Every 58m
*/58 * * * *
Every 59m
*/59 * * * *

Understanding Minute Interval Syntax

Basic Syntax Pattern

The pattern */X * * * * means "every X minutes"

  • */5 - Every 5 minutes (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55)
  • */10 - Every 10 minutes (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50)
  • */15 - Every 15 minutes (0, 15, 30, 45)
  • * - Every minute (special case, equivalent to */1)

Choosing the Right Interval

  • 1-5 minutes: Real-time monitoring, critical systems, live data
  • 10-15 minutes: Regular monitoring, data collection, moderate priority
  • 20-30 minutes: Batch processing, reports, non-critical updates
  • 45-59 minutes: Large operations, comprehensive scans, resource-intensive tasks

Performance Considerations

  • High-frequency jobs (1-2 minutes) can impact system performance
  • Consider resource usage and overlap when scheduling frequent tasks
  • Use job locks or checks to prevent concurrent execution
  • Monitor system load and adjust intervals based on performance

Real-World Examples

Monitoring & Alerting

* * * * * - Health check every minute for critical services
*/5 * * * * - Check system metrics every 5 minutes
*/15 * * * * - Collect performance data every 15 minutes

Data Processing

*/2 * * * * - Process queue items every 2 minutes
*/10 * * * * - Sync data with external API every 10 minutes
*/30 * * * * - Generate summary reports every 30 minutes

Maintenance Tasks

*/3 * * * * - Clear temporary files every 3 minutes
*/20 * * * * - Rotate logs every 20 minutes
*/45 * * * * - Database optimization every 45 minutes

Related Tools

Cron Tools

Visual Builder

Build cron expressions visually

Text to Cron

Convert natural language to cron

Expression Validator

Validate and test cron expressions

Timezone Converter

Convert cron times between timezones

Interval Patterns

All cron interval patterns guide

Learning Resources

Guides, tutorials, and best practices

Preset Library

Browse 300+ cron expression presets

Related Guides & Resources

Every X Hours Guide

Learn about hourly cron patterns

50+ Cron Examples

Real-world examples with code

Cron Syntax Cheatsheet

Quick reference guide

Visual Cron Builder

Build expressions visually