To convert a microwave time to an air fryer, set the air fryer to 375°F (190°C) and multiply the microwave time by about 3 — a 2-minute microwave reheat becomes roughly 6 minutes in the air fryer. There is no direct temperature equivalent, because the two appliances heat food by completely different mechanisms.
Enter your recipe settings to get the converted values
Recipe Details
Converted Settings
Cooking Tips
Why These Settings?
What is the Microwave to Air Fryer conversion chart?
Based on a 1,000W microwave. Adjust for your wattage using the table further down.
| Food | Microwave | Air fryer temp | Air fryer time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pizza slice (reheat) | 45 sec | 350°F / 175°C | 3–4 min |
| Leftovers, plated | 2 min | 350°F / 175°C | 5–6 min |
| Fries (reheat) | 1 min | 375°F / 190°C | 3–4 min |
| Fried chicken (reheat) | 2 min | 350°F / 175°C | 5–7 min |
| Frozen chicken nuggets | 3 min | 375°F / 190°C | 10–12 min |
| Frozen fries | 4 min | 400°F / 200°C | 15–18 min |
| Frozen pizza (personal) | 4 min | 375°F / 190°C | 10–12 min |
| Frozen spring rolls | 3 min | 375°F / 190°C | 8–10 min |
| Vegetables, fresh | 4 min | 375°F / 190°C | 10–12 min |
| Baked potato | 8 min | 375°F / 190°C | 40–45 min |
| Bacon | 3 min | 375°F / 190°C | 8–10 min |
Rough rule: reheating runs about 3× the microwave time; frozen foods run 3–4×.
Read those multipliers as starting points, not equivalences. A microwave excites water molecules throughout the food simultaneously, heating from the inside out with no browning. An air fryer heats the surface with moving hot air and lets that heat conduct inward. Nothing about one maps cleanly onto the other — this is the least precise conversion on this site, and it is worth saying so plainly rather than implying a false accuracy.
Why is there no temperature equivalent for a microwave?
Because a microwave has no cooking temperature. It has a power level and a wattage, which describe how much energy it delivers, not how hot the cavity is. The air stays near room temperature. An air fryer conversion therefore starts from what the food needs — usually 350–400°F (205°C) — rather than from anything the microwave was set to.
How does microwave wattage change the conversion?
Lower-wattage microwaves need longer, so a stated microwave time from a lower-wattage unit implies less total energy than the same time at 1,000W. Adjust the microwave time to its 1,000W equivalent first, then apply the multiplier.
| Your microwave | Multiply stated time by |
|---|---|
| 700W | 0.70 |
| 800W | 0.80 |
| 900W | 0.90 |
| 1,000W | 1.00 (reference) |
| 1,100W | 1.10 |
| 1,200W | 1.20 |
When should you use the air fryer instead of the microwave?
Whenever texture matters. Anything that was crisp when fresh — fries, pizza, fried chicken, breaded items, pastry — comes back properly in an air fryer and comes back soggy in a microwave, because microwave heating drives moisture out of the interior and straight into the crust.
When is the microwave still the better choice?
For soups, sauces, rice, steamed vegetables, and anything covered or liquid. Also for speed on foods where texture is irrelevant. An air fryer will take three to four times as long and dry the surface out for no benefit.
Can you combine both appliances?
Yes, and for dense foods it is the best approach. Microwave first to heat the interior, then finish in the air fryer at 400°F (200°C) for 5–8 minutes to crisp the outside. A baked potato takes 45 minutes in an air fryer alone, or 8 minutes microwaved plus 8 minutes air fried — with a better skin than either method gives on its own.
What should you not move from microwave to air fryer?
Anything liquid or loosely covered. Soups, sauces, and steamed dishes have no surface for an air fryer to work on. Microwave rice and pasta reheat poorly in an air fryer because the exposed surface dries before the middle warms — add a splash of water and cover, or use the microwave.
Related conversions and adjacent topics
Temperature and time convert together, never separately. The same rule set covers every appliance pair on this site, and the methodology page sets out where it comes from and the seven conditions under which it stops holding.
Every figure above is built into the oven to air fryer conversion calculator, which applies both adjustments together so you do not have to work them out separately.
Frequently asked questions
How long in an air fryer is 2 minutes in a microwave?
About 6 minutes at 350°F (175°C) for reheating. Check at 4 minutes on your first attempt, because the multiplier varies with food density.
Can I use microwave instructions on the packet for my air fryer?
Only as a starting estimate. If the packet also lists oven instructions, use those instead and apply the standard oven conversion — reduce by 25°F (-5°C) and 20% time. That will be far more accurate.
What temperature should I use for reheating in an air fryer?
350°F (175°C) for most plated leftovers, 375°F (190°C) for anything that needs to re-crisp. Higher than that browns the surface before the centre warms.
Does an air fryer dry food out more than a microwave?
On the surface, yes — that is the point for crisp foods, and a drawback for others. For moist leftovers, cover loosely with foil for the first two-thirds of the time.
Is a microwave air fryer combo worth it?
It saves counter space and handles the microwave-then-crisp sequence in one appliance. Combo units generally crisp less aggressively than a dedicated basket air fryer, because the cavity is larger and the fan slower.
Can I convert back from air fryer to microwave?
Divide by 3, but expect a different result rather than an equivalent one. The microwave will heat it through without any of the surface texture.