Convert any oven recipe temperature and time to air fryer settings instantly. Works for conventional and fan ovens — results in seconds.
Got a great oven recipe but want to cook it in your air fryer? Our oven to air fryer converter takes the guesswork out of the conversion. Enter your oven temperature and cooking time, select whether your recipe uses a conventional or fan oven, and get the correct air fryer settings instantly.
The standard conversion rule is: reduce temperature by 15–25°C (25°F) and reduce cooking time by about 20%. If your recipe is from a fan/convection oven, the temperature is already similar to an air fryer and only a small reduction (or none) is needed — though the time reduction still applies.
Convert any oven recipe to air fryer settings instantly
Use this quick-reference chart if you prefer not to use the calculator above.
| Conventional Oven | Fan / Convection Oven | Air Fryer Temp | Common Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 140°C / 275°F | 120°C / 250°F | 120–130°C | Slow-cook meats, dehydrating |
| 160°C / 320°F | 140°C / 285°F | 140–150°C | Cakes, gentle baking, eggs |
| 170°C / 340°F | 150°C / 300°F | 150–160°C | Muffins, cookies, casseroles |
| 180°C / 360°F | 160°C / 320°F | 160–170°C | Fish, sausages, reheating |
| 190°C / 375°F | 170°C / 340°F | 170–180°C | Chicken, vegetables, samosas |
| 200°C / 400°F | 180°C / 360°F | 180–190°C | Fries, steak, wings, nuggets |
| 220°C / 430°F | 200°C / 400°F | 200°C | Pizza, high-heat browning |
A conventional oven heats a large internal cavity slowly, and the heated air moves passively around the food. An air fryer uses a compact, powerful fan to blast hot air at very high speed directly around a small basket. This rapid air movement dramatically accelerates heat transfer — similar to a fan-assisted oven, but far more intense because of the compact space and higher fan speed.
The result: most foods cook 20–30% faster in an air fryer than in a conventional oven, and the high-velocity air rapidly evaporates moisture from the food surface, creating the crispy exterior that makes air-fried food so popular.
Oven recipes for chicken at 180–190°C convert well to air fryer at 170–180°C. Reduce time by 20–25%. The air fryer's intense heat means chicken skin crisps beautifully — better than most ovens without a grill.
For roasting joints, reduce temperature by 15°C and time by 20%. Check internal temperature — do not rely on appearance alone. For steaks, the air fryer is closer to a grill, so standard steak times apply (10–14 mins at 200°C).
Baked goods like muffins, cookies, and small cakes adapt well. Reduce temperature by 15–20°C and time by 20–25%. Always use an oven-safe container that fits with space around the edges. Check a few minutes early — small baked goods can overbrown quickly.
Roasted vegetables adapt extremely well to the air fryer. Reduce temperature by 10–15°C and time by 20–25%. The air fryer often produces better caramelisation on vegetables than a standard oven, especially for denser vegetables like Brussels sprouts and broccoli.
Many people correctly reduce the temperature but forget to reduce the time. The 20% time reduction is just as important as the temperature reduction. A 30-minute oven recipe should be checked at around 22–24 minutes in the air fryer.
Large baking dishes that work in an oven may not fit in an air fryer basket. Choose smaller, appropriate containers. Round cake tins, silicone moulds, and small loaf tins often work well.
Always preheat the air fryer before placing food in it, even more so when using a converted recipe. The conversion calculations assume a preheated air fryer — cooking in a cold one will extend times beyond the calculation.