Use this air fryer conversion calculator and chart to estimate an air fryer temperature and cooking time from conventional oven directions. Lower the oven temperature by 25°F (about 15°C) and shorten the cook time by about 20 percent. Then check the food before the converted time is up. If the timing looks right but the outside stays pale or soft, use the troubleshooting guide for air fryer food that is not getting crispy.
Jump to the conversion calculator to enter your oven temperature and time. Choose Fahrenheit or Celsius using the temperature-unit menu. Food thickness, basket space and preheating can change the actual finish time, so begin checking before the estimate.
If you are brand new to the appliance, start with How to Use an Air Fryer. If you already know what you are cooking, the Air Fryer Cooking Times Chart gives food-specific starting ranges.
The quick oven-to-air-fryer rule
Take off 25°F (about 15°C), cut the listed time by 20 percent, and begin checking early. An oven recipe that calls for 400°F (205°C) for 20 minutes becomes an air-fryer starting point of 375°F (190°C) for 16 minutes. This shortcut is for recipes written for a conventional oven. If the directions already use convection, a fan oven, or an air fryer, do not automatically subtract another 25°F (about 15°C).
I say “starting point” on purpose. The calculator cannot see a two-inch chicken breast, a crowded basket of vegetables, or the extra-dark pan you tucked inside the machine. Use the number to get close, then let browning, texture, and a food thermometer tell you when you are actually done.
Air fryer conversion calculator
Enter a conventional oven temperature and cooking time. The calculator subtracts 25°F (about 14°C), rounds the suggested Fahrenheit setting to the nearest 5 degrees, and reduces the time by 20 percent. Every result shows both Fahrenheit and a rounded Celsius equivalent. The suggested temperature is capped at 400°F (about 205°C); use a lower setting if your appliance manual specifies a lower maximum.
Quick conversion
Convert oven directions to the air fryer
Put in the oven temperature and cooking time. You will get an air-fryer starting point in seconds.
Air-fryer starting point
375°F (190°C) for 16 minutes
Begin checking a few minutes early. Air-fryer models and food thickness can change the actual cooking time. Always follow food-safety temperature guidance.
Air fryer conversion chart
This table shows the calculation for Fahrenheit oven settings and a 20-minute recipe. Celsius temperatures are rounded equivalents. Entering a rounded Celsius value directly can change the calculator result by one 5-degree increment. For oven settings above 425°F (220°C), the air-fryer starting temperature stays at 400°F (205°C). Check sooner if the food is thin, sugary, heavily browned, or already fully cooked.
| Oven temperature | Air fryer starting temperature | Oven time | Estimated air fryer time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 325°F (165°C) | 300°F (150°C) | 20 minutes | 16 minutes |
| 350°F (175°C) | 325°F (165°C) | 20 minutes | 16 minutes |
| 375°F (190°C) | 350°F (175°C) | 20 minutes | 16 minutes |
| 400°F (205°C) | 375°F (190°C) | 20 minutes | 16 minutes |
| 425°F (220°C) | 400°F (205°C) | 20 minutes | 16 minutes |
| 450°F (230°C) | 400°F (205°C) | 20 minutes | 16 minutes |
Cook-time conversion chart
The time calculation works at any oven temperature. Multiply the oven time by 0.8, round to the nearest minute, and take your first look a little before that point.
| Oven cook time | Air fryer starting time |
|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 8 minutes |
| 15 minutes | 12 minutes |
| 20 minutes | 16 minutes |
| 25 minutes | 20 minutes |
| 30 minutes | 24 minutes |
| 40 minutes | 32 minutes |
When this air fryer conversion chart needs adjusting
Food thickness
Thin chicken cutlets and thick bone-in pieces should never share one finish time. The same goes for skinny asparagus and chunky potato wedges. When a piece is unusually thick, expect to add time and use internal temperature instead of the clock alone.
Basket space
Hot air needs a route around the food. A single layer usually cooks and browns more evenly than a packed basket. If you need to cook a large amount, batches are less annoying than pale food that takes forever anyway.
Sugar, cheese, and breading
Sweet glazes and exposed cheese can darken fast. Check them early. Breaded foods need open space around the coating, while delicate baked goods may do better at a lower temperature so the outside does not race ahead of the center.
When to follow a recipe or the package instead
Use this air fryer conversion chart when you are adapting a conventional oven recipe. If you have a tested air-fryer recipe for the exact food, use its instructions instead. For commercially frozen food, use labeled air-fryer directions first. Some frozen foods that look cooked are still raw or not ready to eat, so a general calculator should not override the package. FoodSafety.gov explains why the cooking directions and final internal temperature matter.
A recipe can also override the basic conversion for texture. Air Fryer Bacon uses the heat needed for the bacon you have, while Air Fryer Chicken Breast depends on thickness and internal temperature. Air Fryer Garlic Bread is a good reminder that a minute makes a real difference when the food is thin.
Celsius and UK fan-oven directions
For conventional oven temperatures in Celsius, subtract about 15°C and use about 80 percent of the oven time as an initial estimate. If the package lists both a conventional setting and a fan setting, use the conventional setting for this calculator. Do not apply the reduction again to an already adjusted fan-oven temperature. Follow any air-fryer directions on the package first.
Do you need to preheat the air fryer?
Maybe. Some machines build a preheat step into the program, while others are designed to start cold. Philips says some of its Airfryer models do not require preheating, so a universal “preheat for five minutes” rule is not useful. Check your manual, and stay consistent when you compare one batch with the next. Our air fryer preheating guide explains how to choose a hot or cold start for your recipe and model. Philips explains its model-specific guidance here.
Food safety comes before preference
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Time and color are clues, not safety tests. Check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer. FoodSafety.gov lists the safe minimum internal temperatures: all poultry, casseroles, and leftovers at 165°F (74°C); ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal at 160°F (71°C); fish at 145°F (63°C); and whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and veal at 145°F (63°C) followed by a three-minute rest. Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm unless you are using a preparation with different validated safety guidance.
Once the food has reached its safe minimum, preference takes over. Add another minute for darker, crisper edges, or stop sooner within the safe range if you like a juicier result. That is the part no conversion chart can decide for you.
Common conversion questions
Why is my food done before the converted time?
Your machine may run hot, the food may be thinner, or the basket may have more open space than the original recipe assumed. Write down what worked and use that number next time.
What if the outside is dark but the middle is not done?
Lower the temperature by 25°F (about 15°C) and keep cooking in short increments. For meat and poultry, confirm the center with a thermometer before serving.
Why does a 450°F (230°C) oven recipe convert to 400°F (205°C)?
That is the calculator's intentional ceiling, not a broken result. Many air fryers stop at 400°F (205°C). Use 400°F (205°C) as the starting point and watch the browning closely. If your model reaches a higher temperature, its manual and a food-specific recipe are better guides than a general conversion.
A couple of useful next stops
For food-by-food starting temperatures, use the Air Fryer Cooking Times Chart. For the practical stuff people usually learn after one smoky batch, read the beginner's guide and basket-cleaning guide.
If this is your first week with the machine, start at the Air Fryer 101 hub for the cooking chart, beginner guide, cleaning help, and easy recipes that will not make you question the purchase.