How do I run a cron job every 5 minutes?

Use */5 * * * * followed by the command. Pick "Every 5 minutes" above to get the line.

Why is my cron job not running?

Most often the command needs a full path, the script is not executable, or it depends on environment variables cron does not have. Send the output to a log file and read it.

What do the five cron fields mean?

In order: minute, hour, day of the month, month, and day of the week. A star means every value.

crontab examples: schedule a script to run automatically

Run a script every minute, hour, day or week.

For Linux and macOS. Windows has no cron; use Task Scheduler there.

Cron runs commands on a schedule. Choose how often, enter the full path of your script, and copy the crontab line. Then add it with crontab -e.

Create your config file

Type your own values. The file below updates as you type, and nothing you type leaves your browser.

crontab -e

*/5 * * * *  /home/me/backup.sh >> /home/me/cron.log 2>&1

How this setup works

Diagram: crontab -e, then cron service, then Your script — crontab -e (you add a line) → cron service (checks every minute) → Your script (runs on time)

Step-by-step setup

Make your script executable: chmod +x /home/me/backup.sh.
Open the schedule: crontab -e.
Paste the line above.
Save and exit. Check with crontab -l.

What the important lines mean

Your schedule */5 * * * * reads: minute, hour, day of month, month, day of week.
*/5 means every 5 units.
>> file 2>&1 saves the output and errors to a log file.

Common errors and how to fix them

Job does not run: Use full paths. Cron has a small PATH, so python may not be found; write /usr/bin/python3.
Script works by hand, not in cron: Check the log file /home/me/cron.log and that the script is executable.

Frequently asked questions

How do I run a cron job every 5 minutes?: Use */5 * * * * followed by the command. Pick "Every 5 minutes" above to get the line.
Why is my cron job not running?: Most often the command needs a full path, the script is not executable, or it depends on environment variables cron does not have. Send the output to a log file and read it.
What do the five cron fields mean?: In order: minute, hour, day of the month, month, and day of the week. A star means every value.

Written for: cron on Ubuntu 24.04, macOS 14 · Updated 2026-10-02

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