Garlic bread is a great example of the air fryer beating the oven simply on speed — no need to heat an entire oven for a five-minute side dish, and the direct hot-air contact browns the top faster than an oven's more gradual heat.
From Frozen
Cook shop-bought frozen garlic baguette slices at 180°C for 5–6 minutes, straight from the freezer, no need to defrost first. Check at 4 minutes the first time you try a new brand, since garlic butter content and bread density both affect how fast the top browns.
From Fresh
Spread butter and garlic on sliced baguette or ciabatta and cook at 180°C for 3–4 minutes, checking after 3, as fresh bread browns noticeably faster than frozen because it doesn't need time to thaw through first.
Avoiding Burnt Garlic
Fresh minced garlic can scorch and turn bitter fast under an air fryer's direct heat if a piece sits exposed on the surface rather than mixed into the butter — mix garlic thoroughly into softened butter rather than sprinkling raw pieces on top, which spreads it more evenly and protects it from direct contact with the hot air.
Making It Cheesy
For garlic cheese bread, add the cheese for only the final 1–2 minutes of cooking rather than from the start — cheese put in too early can burn before the bread underneath is properly toasted, since it browns much faster than bread does under direct air-fryer heat.