# Explain a cron schedule and see when it runs

> Type a cron expression to read it in plain English, list its next runs and see the week it covers.

Explain a cron expression in plain English, see its next runs in any time zone and check how daylight saving changes move them. Runs in your browser.

- Tool: [Cron explainer](https://fixmint.cc/cron-expression-explainer)
- Category: [Web & developer](https://fixmint.cc/developer-tools)
- Fixes: Cron runs at the wrong time
- Runs in the browser: files and text stay on the device, no sign-up, free.

## How to read a cron expression and see its next runs

1. Type the expression, or pick a common schedule.
2. Choose the time zone the job runs in.
3. Read the sentence, the next runs and the warnings.

## Questions

### Which cron formats does it read?

Five fields (minute, hour, day of month, month, day of week), six fields with seconds in front, and the @daily style macros. It also reads the Quartz L, W and # forms, such as 0 0 L * * for the last day of each month.

### Why do the day and the weekday both match some days?

In standard cron, when both day fields are set, a day runs if either one matches. So 0 0 13 * 5 runs on the 13th and on every Friday. A * or ? in one of the two fields lets the other field decide alone.

### Why are some times missing on clock-change days?

When clocks jump forward, a time such as 02:30 never happens, so that run is skipped. When clocks go back, a time that happens twice runs once, at its first occurrence. Choose the zone the job really uses.

### Is my schedule sent anywhere?

No. The expression is read and the runs are worked out in your browser, using the time zones your browser knows.

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