Air Fryer Conversion Calculator
Turn any oven recipe into air fryer settings. Enter the oven temperature and time, pick what you're cooking, and get the converted temp, the shorter time, and when to open the basket and check.
Next Steps for Your Cook
How oven-to-air-fryer conversion works
An air fryer is a compact convection oven: a strong fan pushes hot air over the food in a small chamber, so heat transfers faster and surfaces dry and brown sooner. That efficiency is why the classic conversion rule works — drop the temperature by about 25°F (15°C) and shorten the time by about 20%, and an oven recipe lands close to right in the basket. This calculator starts from that rule and then adjusts by food type: frozen foods and cut vegetables run faster than the rule suggests, while large roasts and baked goods want gentler treatment and more of their original time.
The honest caveat is that air fryers vary more than ovens — wattage, basket size, and how full the basket is all move the finish line. That's why the tool also gives you a "first check" time at roughly two-thirds of the converted estimate: open the basket, shake or flip, and judge. Two other habits cover almost everything else — cook in a single layer (crowding steams food instead of crisping it), and for meat, confirm doneness with a thermometer rather than the clock: 165°F for poultry, and your preferred pull temperature for everything else.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert an oven recipe to an air fryer?
The standard rule: lower the temperature by about 25°F (15°C) and cut the cook time by about 20%. So a recipe that calls for 400°F for 30 minutes becomes roughly 375°F for 24 minutes in the air fryer. Different foods deviate from the rule a little — frozen foods and vegetables finish faster, large roasts need gentler heat — which is what this calculator adjusts for.
Why do air fryers cook faster than ovens?
An air fryer is a small, powerful convection oven. The fan drives hot air over the food at high speed in a tight space, so heat transfers faster and moisture evaporates quicker — that's also where the crisping comes from. Faster heat transfer means the same browning happens at a lower set temperature in less time.
Do I need to preheat an air fryer?
Usually just 2–3 minutes, and many models don't need it at all. Preheating matters most for foods that benefit from an immediate sear — steaks, smash-style patties, anything thin you want crisp. For frozen foods and vegetables you can typically start cold and add a minute.
What foods don't convert well to an air fryer?
Wet batters (they drip through the basket before setting), large roasts that don't fit with air space around them, anything you'd cook covered or in liquid (braises, casseroles), and delicate leafy greens that just blow around. Foods with a breading, a marinade, or a dry rub convert beautifully.
Why should I check air fryer food before the timer ends?
Air fryers vary far more than ovens — basket size, wattage, and how full the basket is all change cook time. The converted time is a strong estimate, but checking at about two-thirds of the time (and shaking or flipping while you're there) is how you land it perfectly on your machine the first try.
Is this air fryer conversion calculator free?
Yes — free, no ads, no signup, and it runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or stored.
