Run a Cron Job Every 6 Hours
0 */6 * * * fires four times a day: 00:00, 06:00, 12:00, and 18:00. It's the standard cadence for backup rotations, certificate checks, and feeds that should stay fresh without hourly churn.
0 */6 * * *In plain English: At minute 0, every 6 hours.
Field by field
| Field | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Minute | 0 | 0 |
| Hour | */6 | every 6 hours |
| Day of month | * | every day |
| Month | * | every month |
| Day of week | * | every weekday |
Variations
0 3-21/6 * * *four times daily at 03:00, 09:00, 15:00, 21:000 0,6,12,18 * * *the explicit-list equivalent of */60 */12 * * *reduce to twice a dayTweak any of these in the crontab explainer to see the schedule in plain English and its next run times.
Frequently asked questions
Which hours does */6 hit?
Starting from 0: hours 0, 6, 12, and 18. If you need different anchors, list them explicitly (0 2,8,14,20 * * *) or shift the range (2-20/6).
Is every 6 hours the same in every timezone?
The expression always evaluates in the scheduler's timezone. On a UTC server, 0 */6 means 00/06/12/18 UTC — check what zone your crontab or CI runner uses before assuming local time.
New to cron syntax? Read Cron Expressions Explained, Field by Field. Job not firing? Work through Cron Job Not Running? 10 Things to Check.