n8n Cron Expression Generator
Plain-English schedule in — copy-paste n8n cron expression, the exact Schedule Trigger node settings, and the next three run times in your timezone out. Runs entirely in your browser.
Pick a schedule
Common schedules one click away, or build your own below.
Load example:
Fine-tune
1–59 minutes
Timezone
n8n reads the schedule in the workflow’s timezone — set it in workflow Settings so it matches the zone you pick here.
Your cron expression
Fires when: Every 15 minutes, on the clock’s multiples of 15.
Next runs (UTC)
- 1Wed, Oct 7 at 4:45 AM
- 2Wed, Oct 7 at 5:00 AM
- 3Wed, Oct 7 at 5:15 AM
Schedule Trigger settings
Set these fields on the n8n Schedule Trigger node to get the same schedule without touching cron.
Trigger Interval: Minutes Workflow Settings → Timezone: UTC Save and publish the workflow — n8n re-reads the schedule on publish.
Want the full syntax guide?
Every common n8n schedule as a copy-paste expression, with the quirks this tool quietly handles for you.
Read the n8n cron guiden8n cron quirks this generator handles for you
- Five fields, not six. n8n reads minute, hour, day-of-month, month, day-of-week. A sixth field is allowed at the front for seconds — leave it off unless you need it.
- Day + month OR rule. When both day-of-month and day-of-week are restricted, standard cron fires when either matches. This generator never sets both, so you stay out of the trap.
- Schedules freeze at publish. n8n evaluates the expression when you publish the workflow, not per run — change the schedule, then save and publish again.
- No last-day syntax. The L flag isn’t supported; for month-end runs use day
28-31plus an IF node, as in the examples above.
FAQ
How do I write an n8n cron expression for every 15 minutes?
Use */15 * * * *. The five fields are minute, hour, day-of-month, month and day-of-week, so */15 in the minute field means “at :00, :15, :30 and :45 of every hour.” The same schedule exists in the Schedule Trigger UI: Trigger Interval “Minutes” with “Minutes Between Triggers” set to 15.
Why doesn’t my n8n workflow fire at the scheduled time?
In order of likelihood: the workflow isn’t published (saved workflows don’t trigger); the workflow timezone isn’t what you assume (self-hosted defaults to America/New_York, n8n Cloud falls back to GMT); the expression has six fields when you meant five, shifting everything one slot; or the schedule simply doesn’t include today (0 9 * * 1-5 never runs on a weekend).
What timezone does the n8n Schedule Trigger use?
The workflow’s own timezone if set (workflow → ⋯ → Settings → Timezone), otherwise the instance timezone (GENERIC_TIMEZONE). Self-hosted instances default to America/New_York; n8n Cloud tries to detect yours at signup and falls back to GMT. Set the workflow-level timezone so exported or duplicated workflows keep firing at the same local time.
Does n8n support seconds in cron expressions?
Yes — n8n accepts an optional sixth field at the front for seconds: */30 * * * * * runs every 30 seconds. For sub-minute schedules the Seconds Trigger Interval is usually clearer. If a pasted expression behaves strangely, count the fields first.
Can I schedule a workflow on the last day of the month?
Not directly — n8n’s cron doesn’t support the L (last-day) syntax. The dependable pattern is 0 0 28-31 * * with an IF node right after the trigger that only continues when tomorrow is the 1st.
When should I use the interval modes instead of Custom (Cron)?
Use the interval modes (Minutes, Hours, Days, Weeks, Months) whenever they can express the schedule — they read plainly and can’t break syntax-wise. Switch to cron for lists, ranges and month logic: 0 9,17 * * * (twice daily), 0 9-17 * * 1-5 (business hours), or 0 0 1 1,4,7,10 * (quarterly).
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