At 400 F , French fries usually take 15 to 20 minutes in the air fryer, with a shake or flip halfway through for even browning. Fresh-cut fries often need a bit longer than frozen ones, and thicker fries can take 25 to 30 minutes total.

Quick timing guide

  • Frozen thin-cut fries: 12 to 15 minutes at 400 F.
  • Frozen regular-cut fries: 15 to 18 minutes at 400 F.
  • Frozen steak fries: 18 to 22 minutes at 400 F.
  • Fresh-cut fries: about 18 to 25 minutes, depending on thickness.

Simple method

  1. Preheat the air fryer if your model recommends it.
  2. Toss fries lightly with oil and salt.
  3. Cook at 400 F.
  4. Shake the basket halfway through.
  5. Pull them when they are golden and crisp.

For fresh fries, a two-stage approach can help: start a little lower, then finish at 400 F for extra crispiness. One recipe source also found that 1/4-inch fries took about 20 minutes at 400 F, while thicker 1/2-inch fries needed 25 to 30 minutes.

Practical tip

Don’t overcrowd the basket, or the fries will steam instead of crisp. A single loose layer gives the best result, especially for homemade fries.

TL;DR: For most fries at 400 F, plan on 15 to 20 minutes , and check early if they’re thin or frozen.