Run a Cron Job at Noon Every Day
To run a job at noon every day, use 0 12 * * *. The hour field is 24-hour time, so 12 means 12:00 PM (noon); midnight would be 0, not 12. Nothing else constrains it, so it fires daily.
The expression
0 12 * * * runs at 12:00 every day. Field by field: minute 0, hour 12, then * for day-of-month, month, and day-of-week — i.e. every day.
Noon vs midnight
Cron hours are 24-hour. Noon = 12, midnight = 0 (not 24, and not 12). A common bug is using 12 when you meant midnight — that gives you noon instead.
Change the minute
For 12:30 PM use 30 12 * * *. For noon only on weekdays use 0 12 * * 1-5.
FAQ
What is the cron expression for noon every day?
0 12 * * * runs at 12:00 PM (noon) daily. The hour field is 24-hour time, so 12 is noon.
Is noon 12 or 0 in cron?
Noon is 12. Midnight is 0 (or 24 is not used). So 0 12 * * * is noon and 0 0 * * * is midnight.
How do I run a job at noon only on weekdays?
Use 0 12 * * 1-5 — the 1-5 in the day-of-week field limits it to Monday through Friday.