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[Display omitted] • Ferromagnetic Al-Mn-Fe-Co-Cr high-entropy (HE) alloys were fabricated. • Structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric (MC) properties were reported. • Combined experimentally determined and theoretically analyzed was performed. • Excellent MC properties were achieved at room temperature. • These HE alloys have potential for room temperature magnetic refrigeration. In the present study, the structure, magnetic phase transition, and magnetocaloric performance of Al 20 Mn 20 Fe 20 Co 14.5+ x Cr 25.5- x (x = 0, 1, and 2), a series of typical rare-earth-free high-entropy (HE) alloys, were experimentally determined and theoretically analyzed based on first-principle calculation. Ferromagnetic behavior was established and their Curie temperature could be tuned in a wide temperature range, which correlated with Co content; specifically, it increased from 282.8 K for Co 14.5 Cr 25.5 to 345.8 K for Co 16.5 Cr 23.5. In addition, the electronic density of states and magnetic moments associated with each consistent element were analyzed in the HE alloys. Maximum magnetic entropy changes of 1.135, 1.150, and 1.096 J/kgK were obtained for an x of 0, 1, and 2 under a magnetic field change of 5 T. These values are comparable or superior to those of reported 3 d metal-based HE alloys. Furthermore, the experimental characterizations and theoretical predications agreed well, which provided an in-depth understanding of the rare-earth-free HE Al-Mn-Co-Fe-Cr alloy system, which is expected to be expanded to other systems in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]