# Run a Cron Job Every Minute

> The cron expression for every minute is * * * * *. See what each field means, upcoming run times, and safer alternatives to once-a-minute schedules.

```
* * * * *
```

In plain English: Every minute.

Five asterisks is the simplest possible cron expression: every field matches everything, so the job fires once a minute, every minute of every day. It's the highest frequency standard cron supports — and often a sign you should consider whether the job really needs to run that often.

## Field by field

| Field | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Minute | `*` | every minute |
| Hour | `*` | every hour |
| Day of month | `*` | every day |
| Month | `*` | every month |
| Day of week | `*` | every weekday |

## Variations

- `* * * * 1-5` — every minute, but only on weekdays
- `* 9-17 * * *` — every minute during business hours (09:00–17:59)
- `*/2 * * * *` — every 2 minutes — halves the load

## FAQ

### Can cron run more often than every minute?

Not in standard cron — the minute is its smallest unit. Some schedulers accept a sixth seconds field (e.g. */30 in front for every 30 seconds), but that's an extension. For sub-minute work, use a long-running process or a queue instead.

### Is running a job every minute safe?

Only if the job reliably finishes in under a minute. If it can run long, add a lock (flock on Linux) so overlapping runs don't pile up.

## Related schedules

- [*/5 * * * * — Run a Cron Job Every 5 Minutes](https://www.devkult.com/cron/every-5-minutes.md)
- [*/10 * * * * — Run a Cron Job Every 10 Minutes](https://www.devkult.com/cron/every-10-minutes.md)
- [*/15 * * * * — Run a Cron Job Every 15 Minutes](https://www.devkult.com/cron/every-15-minutes.md)

Open the interactive page: https://www.devkult.com/cron/every-minute