Calculate air fryer cooking time and temperature by estimating an oven-recipe conversion, or look up approximate starting settings for common foods.
Air Fryer Formula
This calculator converts cooking settings between a standard oven and an air fryer, and it also looks up approximate starting settings for common foods. The conversion uses two simple rules.
To go from an oven recipe to an air fryer:
Air Fryer Temp = Oven Temp - Temperature Drop
Air Fryer Time = Oven Time * 0.8
To go from an air fryer recipe back to an oven:
Oven Temp = Air Fryer Temp + Temperature Drop
Oven Time = Air Fryer Time / 0.8
Variables:
- Oven Temp is the temperature listed in the original oven recipe (in degrees Fahrenheit, or degrees Celsius if you switch units).
- Air Fryer Temp is the temperature to set on the air fryer.
- Oven Time and Air Fryer Time are the cooking times in minutes.
- 25 is the default temperature reduction in degrees Fahrenheit (13.8889 degrees Celsius, approximately 15). The convection estimate uses 10 degrees Fahrenheit (5.5556 degrees Celsius) when the original recipe was written for a convection oven, since a convection oven already moves hot air like an air fryer.
- 0.8 is the time factor, which is the same as cutting the cooking time by 20 percent.
The temperature comes down because an air fryer circulates hot air directly around the food, so it cooks faster and browns more aggressively than a still oven at the same setting. Lowering the temperature by about 25 degrees and the time by about a fifth keeps the outside from burning before the inside is done. The calculator rounds the temperature to the nearest 5 degrees so the result lands on a setting the appliance can actually use. The food lookup mode returns approximate reference presets; these have not been independently validated for a particular food size or appliance. Follow package instructions and use a food thermometer. Poultry must reach 165 F; ground meat 160 F (165 F for ground poultry); fish 145 F; whole beef, pork, veal and lamb cuts 145 F plus a three-minute rest. Do not air fry raw stuffed breaded chicken products.
Common Air Fryer Times and Temperatures
These are typical starting points for foods cooked in a single layer. Shake or flip partway through, and check a few minutes early because models vary.
| Food | Temp | Time |
|---|---|---|
| French fries (frozen) | 400 F | 15 min |
| Chicken wings | 380 F | 22 min |
| Chicken breast (boneless) | 375 F | 18 min |
| Chicken nuggets (frozen) | 400 F | 12 min |
| Bacon | 350 F | 9 min |
| Salmon fillet | 390 F | 10 min |
| Steak | 400 F | 12 min |
| Brussels sprouts | 375 F | 15 min |
| Baked potato (whole) | 400 F | 40 min |
| Tater tots (frozen) | 400 F | 14 min |
The conversion rule itself is easy to remember:
| Direction | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Oven to air fryer | Lower by 25 F (15 C) | Multiply by 0.8 |
| Air fryer to oven | Raise by 25 F (15 C) | Divide by 0.8 |
| Convection oven to air fryer | Lower by about 10 F (6 C) | Multiply by 0.8 |
Example Problems
Example 1. A recipe says to bake chicken in a conventional oven at 400 F for 30 minutes. To convert it for the air fryer, lower the temperature by 25 F and cut the time by 20 percent:
Air Fryer Temp = 400 – 25 = 375 F
Air Fryer Time = 30 * 0.8 = 24 minutes
So you would air fry at 375 F for about 24 minutes, checking a few minutes early.
Example 2. You cooked something in the air fryer at 350 F for 16 minutes and want to make it in a standard oven instead. Reverse the rule by raising the temperature and adding time:
Oven Temp = 350 + 25 = 375 F
Oven Time = 16 / 0.8 = 20 minutes
So you would bake at 375 F for about 20 minutes.
FAQ
Why do you lower the temperature for an air fryer?
An air fryer blows hot air directly across the food with a fan, so heat reaches the surface faster than in a still oven. At the same temperature setting the food would brown or burn on the outside before the center finishes cooking. Dropping the temperature by about 25 F keeps the cooking even.
Do I always cut the time by exactly 20 percent?
Twenty percent is a starting estimate, not a guarantee. Thin or small items often finish sooner, and dense or thick items may need a little longer. Treat the calculated time as a target, start checking a few minutes before it, and add time in 2 to 3 minute steps if the food is not done.
Does the conversion change for a convection oven recipe?
Yes. A convection oven already uses a fan to move hot air, so it behaves more like an air fryer than a standard oven does. When the original recipe was written for convection, reduce the temperature by only about 10 F instead of 25 F, but still cut the time by about 20 percent.
