Cron Expression for Every 5 Minutes
The cron expression for every 5 minutes is */5 * * * *. See what it means, test variations and copy it into crontab, Kubernetes or GitHub Actions.
Part of the free Cron Expression Generator. Runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
Cron Expression for Every 5 Minutes
The step syntax */5 in the minute field means "every 5th minute", so the job fires at :00, :05, :10 and so on every hour of every day. Use the builder above to change the interval or add restrictions.
Worked example: Run every five minutes
Cron expression
*/5 * * * *
In plain English
Every 5 minutes
Practical tip
Make sure a run finishes before the next starts. If a job can take more than 5 minutes, add a lock such as flock to prevent overlapping runs.
How to use this Cron Generator
- 1Use the live tool above — it runs entirely in your browser and never uploads your data.
- 2Paste the sample from the worked example, or use your own input.
- 3Copy the result, then adapt the same steps in your editor, script, or pipeline.
Cron Expression for Every 5 Minutes FAQs
What does */5 mean in cron?
The slash is a step value. */5 in the minute field means every 5 minutes starting from 0: 0, 5, 10, 15 and so on.
Is */5 the same as 0/5?
In most cron implementations they behave the same for the minute field. Quartz-style schedulers use 0/5 syntax, standard Unix cron uses */5.
More Cron Generator pages
- Cron Expression to Run Every HourThe cron expression to run every hour is 0 * * * *. Learn what it means, how it differs from @hourly and how to change the minute.
- Cron Expression for Daily at MidnightThe cron expression for every day at midnight is 0 0 * * *. See what it means, how timezones affect it and how to schedule other daily times.
- Cron Expression for Every Monday at 9 AMThe cron expression for every Monday at 9 AM is 0 9 * * 1. Understand the day-of-week field and adapt it for other weekdays and times.
- Cron Expression for Weekdays During Business HoursSchedule a cron job every 30 minutes from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Friday, with */30 9-17 * * 1-5. See how ranges and steps combine.
- Cron Expression for the First Day of Every MonthThe cron expression for the first day of the month is 0 0 1 * *. Use it for monthly billing, reports and cleanup, and learn how to handle the last day.
- GitHub Actions Cron ScheduleWrite a GitHub Actions schedule trigger with cron syntax. Build and verify expressions for daily and hourly workflows. Remember: GitHub runs them in UTC.
- Kubernetes CronJob Schedule SyntaxWrite the schedule field of a Kubernetes CronJob. Build and verify a cron expression such as a weekly backup, then paste it into your manifest.
- Cron Expression for Every 30 MinutesThe cron expression for every 30 minutes is */30 * * * *, or 0,30 * * * * for the same result. Compare both forms and test your own schedule.
- Cron Expression for Every QuarterSchedule a cron job once a quarter with 0 0 1 1,4,7,10 *. See how month lists work and when quarterly reports will run.