This air fryer conversion chart is the cheat sheet I want nearby when an oven recipe looks good but I do not feel like heating the whole kitchen. Lower the oven temperature by 25°F and shorten the cook time by about 20 percent. Then check the food before the converted time is up.
That last part matters. Air fryers have changed, and so have the sizes and shapes of the baskets. A wide dual-basket model may not cook exactly like a compact drawer model. Food thickness, how full the basket is, and whether the machine preheats can all move the finish line.
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, cut the listed time by 20 percent, and begin checking early. An oven recipe that calls for 400°F for 20 minutes becomes an air-fryer starting point of 375°F 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.
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 the oven temperature and time below. The calculator handles the 25°F temperature drop and 20 percent time reduction for you. It caps the result at 400°F because that is the top setting on many air fryers. If your manual gives your model a different maximum, follow the manual.
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 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 same calculation with a 20-minute oven recipe. For oven settings above 425°F, the air-fryer starting temperature stays at 400°F. Check sooner if the food is thin, sugary, heavily browned, or already fully cooked.
| Oven temperature | Air fryer starting temperature | Oven time | Start checking at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 325°F | 300°F | 20 minutes | 16 minutes |
| 350°F | 325°F | 20 minutes | 16 minutes |
| 375°F | 350°F | 20 minutes | 16 minutes |
| 400°F | 375°F | 20 minutes | 16 minutes |
| 425°F | 400°F | 20 minutes | 16 minutes |
| 450°F | 400°F | 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.
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. 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; ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal at 160°F; fish at 145°F; and whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and veal at 145°F 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 and keep cooking in short increments. For meat and poultry, confirm the center with a thermometer before serving.
Why does a 450°F oven recipe convert to 400°F?
That is the calculator's intentional ceiling, not a broken result. Many air fryers stop at 400°F. Use 400°F 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.