> ## Documentation Index
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> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configuring the Drupal cron routine

> Drupal includes a cron routine to carry out various maintenance tasks. Follow this step-by-step article to set it up on your site!

This article describes how to configure Drupal's cron routine, which performs many important maintenance-related tasks, including:

* Indexing site content for searches.

* Checking for system updates.

* Maintaining Drupal logs.

## Configuring the Drupal cron routine

Follow the appropriate procedure below for the Drupal version you are running.

### Drupal 6

To configure the cron routine for Drupal 6, follow these steps:

1. Log in to cPanel.
   > 📘 Note
   >
   > If you do not know how to log in to your cPanel account, please see [this article](/docs/accessing-cpanel).

2. In the **Advanced** section of the cPanel home screen, click **Cron Jobs**.

3. Under **Add a New Cron Job**, in the **Common Settings** list box, select **Once Per Day**.
   > 📘 Note
   >
   > If you have a very busy Drupal site, you might want to run the cron routine more frequently than once a day, but for the majority of web sites, once a day is sufficient.

4. In the **Command** text box, type the following command:

```
cd ${HOME}/public_html && php ${HOME}/public_html/cron.php >/dev/null 2>&1
```

<Note>
  This command assumes that Drupal is installed in the\
  **public\_html** (document root) directory. If you installed Drupal in a subdirectory, specify that path instead.
</Note>

5. Click **Add New Cron Job**. Your account will now automatically run Drupal's cron routine at the specified interval.

### Drupal 7

To configure the cron routine for Drupal 7, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Drupal site as the administrator.

2. On the top menu bar, click **Reports**.

3. Click **Status report**.

4. Under **Cron maintenance tasks**, copy the complete URL, including *http\://*.
   > 📘 Note
   >
   > This URL includes the unique cron key for your site. You will need this URL when you configure the cron job in cPanel.

5. On the top menu bar, click **Configuration**.

6. Under **SYSTEM**, click **Cron**.

7. In the **Run cron every** list box, select **Never**, and then click **Save configuration**.
   > 📘 Note
   >
   > This setting disables Drupal 7's built-in automated cron feature. This feature does not actually run "real" cron jobs, but emulates them instead. Because you are setting up a genuine cron job in cPanel, you can safely disable Drupal's cron emulation feature.

8. Log in to cPanel.
   > 📘 Note
   >
   > If you do not know how to log in to your cPanel account, please see [this article](/docs/accessing-cpanel).

9. In the **Advanced** section of the cPanel home screen, click **Cron Jobs**.

10. Under **Add a New Cron Job**, in the **Common Settings** list box, select **Once Per Day**.
    > 📘 Note
    >
    > If you have a very busy Drupal site, you might want to run the cron routine more frequently than once a day, but for the majority of web sites, once a day is sufficient.

11. In the **Command** text box, type the following command. Replace ***URL*** with the URL you obtained in step 4:

```
curl -s URL
```

12. Click **Add New Cron Job**. Your account will now automatically run Drupal's cron routine at the specified interval.

## More information

For more information about cron jobs in Drupal, please visit [https://www.drupal.org/cron](https://www.drupal.org/cron).

## Related articles

* [Drupal](/docs/drupal1)