A novel variational framework to model the fatigue behavior of brittle materials based on a phase-field approach to fracture is presented. The standard regularized free energy functional is modified introducing a fatigue degradation function that effectively reduces the fracture toughness as a proper history variable accumulates. This macroscopic approach allows to reproduce the main known features of fatigue crack growth in brittle materials. Numerical experiments show that the Wöhler curve, the crack growth rate curve and the Paris law are naturally recovered, while the approximate Palmgren–Miner criterion and the monotonic loading condition are obtained as special cases. •A phase-field model to study the fatigue cracking in brittle materials is proposed.•It features a degradation of the fracture toughness as a history variable accumulates.•The Wöhler and crack growth curves including nucleation and failure are reproduced.•Palmgren–Miner criterion and monotonic condition are obtained as special cases.•It can easily handle complex geometries, crack patterns, boundary and load conditions.