Before it goes in the basket
Straight from the freezer to the basket floor, with nothing underneath it. The base crisps because hot air reaches it from below, and a sheet of parchment is exactly what stops that. Measure the basket before you buy the pizza: a personal size fits, a family one does not, and trimming a big one leaves a cut edge that chars before the middle is warm.
Step by step
- 1. Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (195°C) for 2–3 minutes.
- 2. Single layer. Arrange without crowding — air needs to reach every side.
- 3. Cook 6–9 minutes. No flipping needed.
- 4. Check doneness. Cheese is bubbling all the way to the centre and the underside is browned rather than pale.
The tip that matters
Straight onto the basket floor, not onto parchment: the paper blocks the airflow that crisps the underside.
Why this temperature
380°F browns the base in about the time the cheese needs, and not much faster. Higher and the rim darkens while the centre is still cold — frozen toppings have to thaw before they can melt, and that lag is the whole problem with pizza in dry heat.
What usually goes wrong
- Burnt rim, cold middle. Too hot, or too thick. Drop the heat and give it the full time instead of rushing it.
- Soggy base. Parchment underneath, or the pizza was thawed first. Both stop the underside drying out.
- Crust done, cheese barely melted. A deep-dish or rising-crust pizza. Those are built for an oven, where the heat comes from all round and slower.
Times vary — here's why
Air fryers differ in wattage and basket size, so treat 6–9 minutes as a range, not a promise: check early the first time, then note what your machine needed. Quantity matters too — a full basket can add 2–3 minutes, and anything stacked will steam instead of crisp. Converting your own oven recipe instead? Use our air fryer conversion calculator.
FAQ
How long do you air fry frozen pizza?
Air fry frozen pizza at 380°F (195°C) for 6–9 minutes. Start checking at 6 minutes — models vary.
Do you need to flip frozen pizza in the air fryer?
No flipping needed for this one; just cook it through in a single layer.
How do you know when frozen pizza is done?
Cheese is bubbling all the way to the centre and the underside is browned rather than pale.
More frozen foods
Frozen Taquitos · Frozen French Fries · Frozen Chicken Nuggets — or see the full air fryer cooking times chart.