Cron-triggered workflow not executing on newly created public repository

[sniperhgy]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Question

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Schedule & Cron Jobs

Discussion Details

Problem

I created a public repository 3 days ago with a GitHub Actions workflow that uses a cron schedule trigger. The workflow works perfectly when triggered manually (workflow_dispatch) or via push events, but the scheduled cron trigger (0 1 * * *) has never executed automatically.

Configuration

• Repository: sniperhgy/sign_baidu_tieba (public, 2 days old)
• Workflow file: .github/workflows/sign_baidu_tieba.yaml
• Cron expression: 0 1 * * * (daily at 01:00 UTC)
• Workflow syntax: Valid (verified multiple times)

What I've checked

✅ Branch protection rules: None
✅ Actions permissions: "Allow all actions and reusable workflows"
✅ Workflow permissions: Correctly configured
✅ Workflow file YAML syntax: Valid
✅ Manual trigger (workflow_dispatch): Works (9 successful runs)
✅ Push trigger: Works (automatic execution confirmed)
❌ Scheduled cron trigger: Never executed (0 runs)

Expected behavior

The workflow should automatically execute at 01:00 UTC daily, showing as event: scheduled in the run history.

Actual behavior

Only manual and push-triggered runs appear. No scheduled runs, despite the cron being properly configured.

Question

Is there a known limitation for cron schedules on newly created repositories? If so, how long does it typically take for cron to be activated?

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Repository: https://github.com/sniperhgy/sign_baidu_tieba