Air Fryer Conversion Chart

The standard adjustment, and why it works

Air fryers are essentially small, powerful convection ovens — the compact chamber and strong fan circulate hot air much more efficiently than a full-size oven, so food cooks faster at a given temperature. The common rule of thumb is to lower the temperature by about 25°F and cut the time by roughly 20%, which compensates for that extra efficiency rather than just cooking the recipe as written and risking burnt, overcooked food.

Check well before the converted time is up

Air fryer models vary quite a bit in actual power and airflow, so treat the converted time as a starting point to check at, not a guarantee — look (and if relevant, check internal temperature per the Meat Temperature Guide) a few minutes before the estimated time, especially the first time you make a specific recipe in a new air fryer.

Batch size and basket crowding change the real cooking time

Air fryers rely on air circulating freely around the food — a crowded basket blocks that airflow and cooks less evenly and more slowly than the same food spread in a single layer. If a recipe is written for a full oven sheet pan, expect to cook it in smaller batches in an air fryer's much smaller basket, which also affects how closely the converted time actually holds.