Lower the oven temperature by 25 °F and cut the time by about 20%. An oven recipe at 400 °F for 20 minutes becomes 375 °F for about 16 minutes in the air fryer; start checking at 12.
Your air fryer temperature and time appear here. The chart below has the same rule.
The rule of thumb, and why it varies
An air fryer is a small oven with a strong fan close to the food, so heat reaches the food faster than in a full-size oven. That is why most conversion charts start from the same rule: 25 °F cooler and about a fifth less time. It is a starting point, not a promise. The model, the size of the basket, how full it is and how thick the food is all change the time. Check early, and check meat with a thermometer.
Oven to air fryer chart
| Oven | Air fryer |
|---|---|
| 325 °F (165 °C) | 300 °F (150 °C) |
| 350 °F (175 °C) | 325 °F (165 °C) |
| 375 °F (190 °C) | 350 °F (175 °C) |
| 400 °F (205 °C) | 375 °F (190 °C) |
| 425 °F (220 °C) | 400 °F (205 °C) |
| 450 °F (230 °C) | 425 °F (220 °C) |
| Oven time | Air fryer time | Start checking at |
|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 8 minutes | 6 minutes |
| 15 minutes | 12 minutes | 9 minutes |
| 20 minutes | 16 minutes | 12 minutes |
| 25 minutes | 20 minutes | 15 minutes |
| 30 minutes | 24 minutes | 18 minutes |
| 40 minutes | 32 minutes | 24 minutes |
| 45 minutes | 36 minutes | 27 minutes |
| 60 minutes | 48 minutes | 36 minutes |
If your air fryer doesn’t go as high as the chart says, use its top setting and allow a few more minutes.
Is it done? Safe temperatures
| Food | Done at |
|---|---|
| Chicken, turkey and other poultry | 165 °F |
| Ground beef, pork or lamb | 160 °F |
| Ground chicken or turkey | 165 °F |
| Steaks, chops and roasts | 145 °F, then rest 3 minutes |
| Fish and shellfish | 145 °F |
| Leftovers and casseroles | 165 °F |
Do I need to preheat the air fryer?
Check your air fryer’s manual: some models ask for a few minutes of preheating and some don’t. Either way, start checking at the early time, because a hot basket cooks faster than a cold one.
Can I use parchment paper or foil?
Only with food sitting on top of it. Loose paper can blow up into the heating element. Leave space around the edges so the air can move, and never cover the whole basket floor.
Frozen food from the box
If the box prints air fryer directions, use those. If it only gives oven directions, convert them here, cook in one layer, and shake the basket halfway.
Reheating leftovers in the air fryer
Spread the food in one layer and use a moderate heat, so the outside crisps while the middle warms through. Leftovers are hot enough at 165 °F. Pizza and anything fried come back crisper than in the microwave.
Cooking for one or two
Small batches suit an air fryer. Less food in one layer cooks closer to the times above, and a crowded basket cooks slower. Our air fryer garlic bread grilled cheese is made for exactly that. To shrink an oven recipe first, use the recipe converter.
The 25 °F and 20% rule is the common rule of thumb behind most air fryer charts, not a USDA figure. Safe temperatures are from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, checked on October 30, 2026.