MetaTrader 5 User Guide

What is MetaTrader 5? 

MetaTrader 5 (MT5) is one of the most advanced multi-asset trading platforms in the world today. Developed by MetaQuotes in 2010, MT5 is an upgrade to MetaTrader 4, probably the most popular platform for online trading ever, released 5 years earlier.  

Although it is most associated with forex trading, MetaTrader 5 can be used to trade a wide range of markets including shares, indices, cryptocurrencies, and commodities, via CFDs. MetaTrader 5 also allows trading on exchanges (real shares and funds) and futures, a key add-on compared to the old MT4. 

Rich trading functionality, technical and fundamental market analysis, copy trading, and automated trading are all exciting features that you can access.   

Alternatively, access CAPEX WebTrader, specifically designed to streamline your trading. It is designed specifically for your CAPEX.com trading account and incorporates all the features of a trading terminal in a user-friendly web-based interface, allowing you to trade comfortably from any browser and operating system.  

Learn more about the CAPEX.com platform 

How to use MetaTrader 5 for Desktop 

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to access and use MT5. 

1. Create an account  To use MT5, you’ll first need to create an account with a CFD broker or stockbroker. Once you’ve done that, you can set up a live MT5 account or MT5 demo account.

2. Download MT5  After creating an account, you can download MT5 to your chosen device. Once you have downloaded MT5, you can log in with your credentials.

3. Open a position  When you’re ready to place a trade, go to ‘tools’ and click ‘new order’ (press F9 on your keyboard). This will bring up the ‘order’ window.

 

Once you’ve done that, you’ll be presented with the order window. 

While the order window can seem daunting at first, here is a quick guide to all the components: 

• Symbol – this drop-down menu allows you to select which market you would like to trade 
• Volume – for a CFD account this is the number of contracts you would like to trade 
• Stop loss* – if you want to use a stop to close the trade if it moves against you, enter your desired level here 
• Take profit* – if you want to use a limit to lock in profits, enter your desired level here 
• Comment – a small space to leave a comment about a particular trade; or for more advanced trade-management purposes 
• Type – choose ‘instant execution’ if you want to place your trade the moment you select either ‘buy’ or ‘sell’. Alternatively, select ‘pending order’ if you want to choose the level at which your trade opens 

*The applicable functionalities  

Depending on what type of trade you are placing, you’ll then be faced with the following options: 

Instant execution

• Enable maximum deviation from the quoted price – trades can sometimes be rejected if prices move suddenly as you place them. If you would still want to place the trade within a certain price range, check the box and fill out the ‘maximum deviation’ in pips (from the current price) that you would be willing to accept 
• Buy or sell – when you’re ready to place your trade, click ‘buy’ if you think the market will rise in value, or ‘sell’ if you think it will fall. This will place your trade 

Pending order 

• Type – choose the type of order you want to place, from ‘buy limit’, ‘sell limit’, ‘buy stop’, and ‘sell stop’. Discover the difference between stop and limit orders 
• At price – select the price level at which you want your order to be triggered (note: for some order types you will be dealt at a market level, irrespective of whether your chosen level is breached) 
• Expiry – check this box to specify a date and time for your order to expire if the market does not reach your ‘at price’ 
• Place – click this button when you are ready to place your order 

Alternatively, you can click “One Click Trading" in the chart context menu. Using this panel you can instantly send buy or sell market orders with specified volumes. 

You can quickly set Stop Loss and Take Profit for a position on a chart. Click on the position level and drag it up or down. Depending on the direction of the position and dragging direction, a user is prompted to set either Stop Loss or Take Profit. 

When you move a level, a tooltip appears displaying potential profit (or loss) in the deposit currency and pips that can be obtained if the level triggers. 

To modify the level on a chart, left-click on it and drag the level up or down to the required value by holding the mouse button (Drag'n'Drop): 

4. Monitor and close your positions and pending orders 

To monitor your open positions and pending orders open the ‘terminal’ window by pressing Ctrl + T, or by clicking ‘view’ in the toolbar and selecting ‘terminal’. Next, navigate to the ‘trade’ tab. You can close a position or delete a pending order by clicking the small ‘x’ on the far right of the profit column. 

5. Modify stops and limits on open positions 

To modify stops or limits on open positions and pending orders, open the ‘terminal’ window (Ctrl + T) and navigate to the ‘trade’ tab. Right-click on the position or pending order you’d like to edit, then select ‘modify or delete order’ to bring up the order window. 

You will then have the option to modify or add stops and limits to your position. When you are finished, click the red ‘modify’ button to confirm your changes. 

6. Customise MetaTrader 5 charts 

MetaTrader 5 offers a range of tools you can use to customize charts. Here’s how to: 

Draw on charts 

MetaTrader 5 includes a number of ‘objects’ you can use to draw on charts. From left to right in the below image: 

• Cursor 
• Crosshair 
• Draw vertical line 
• Draw horizontal line 
• Draw trendline 
• Draw equidistant channel 
• Draw Fibonacci retracement 
• Draw text 
• Draw text label 
• Arrows 

To draw, simply select the object you want from the toolbar and click on the chart. The width and positioning of some objects are adjusted by moving your mouse as you click on the chart, while others open a separate window for customization. 

To edit or remove an object, right-click on the chart and then select ‘objects list’ from the menu. This will open a window that displays a list of all the active objects shown on the chart. Select your chosen object from the list then click ‘edit’ to customize the indicator settings or ‘delete’ to remove 

Add indicators 

You can add indicators such as RSI, stochastic oscillator, and Bollinger bands to charts. Simply drag your chosen indicator from the ‘navigator’ window and drop it on top of a chart. This will usually open a window, where you can customize how the indicator is displayed. 

Alternatively, you can add indicators to a selected price chart using the menu bar. Click ‘insert’ then ‘indicators’ and choose your chosen indicator from the drop-down menu. 

To edit or remove an indicator that is displaying on a chart, right-click within the chart window then select ‘indicators list’ from the menu. This will open a window that displays a list of all the active indicators shown on the chart. Select your chosen indicator from the list then click ‘edit’ to customize the indicator settings or ‘delete’ to remove. 

Change the timeframe 

To change the timeframe of a price chart, simply right-click on the chart, select ‘timeframe’, then choose your preferred option from the drop-down menu. Timeframes range from one minute to monthly. 

You can also change the timeframe of a selected price chart using toolbar buttons. From left to right: 

• M1 (1 minute) 
• M5 (5 minutes) 
• M15 (15 minutes) 
• M30 (30 minutes) 
• H1 (1 hour) 
• H4 (4 hours) 
• D1 (1 day) 
• W1 (1 week) 
• MN (1 month) 

7. Set up a price alert 

To set up a price alert, open the ‘terminal’ window then navigate to the ‘alerts’ tab. Right-click within this window and select ‘create’ from the menu. This will bring up the ‘alert editor’ window where you can customize your price alert. 

8. View your trade history 

To view your trade history, open the ‘terminal’ window and navigate to the ‘account history’ tab. You can change the date range by right-clicking within the window and selecting one of the following options: 

• All history 
• Last three months 
• Last month 

Custom period (if you select this option, you can choose a date range in a new window) 

9. Download trade reports 

To produce a trade report, open the ‘terminal’ window and navigate to the ‘account history tab again. Right-click within the window then select one of the following options: 

• Save as Report 
• Save as Detailed Report 

Both options will produce a report detailing individual trades (closed transactions, open trades, and working orders) plus an account summary. The detailed report includes additional metrics such as drawdown and profit factor. 

How to use the MetaTrader 5 App on Android and iOS 

Mobile trading in MetaTrader 5 — Forex, stocks, cryptocurrencies, and futures can be traded anytime and anywhere. The installation of MetaTrader 5 for iOS or Android on your smartphone or tablet allows you to stay informed with financial information and conduct trade operations in financial markets 24 hours a day. The rich functionality of the MetaTrader 5 trading platform now fits in your hand. 
 

Alternatively, download the CAPEX.com App for a customized mobile trading experience. It is designed specifically for your CAPEX.com trading and investing accounts and incorporates all the features of a trading terminal in a user-friendly interface, allowing you to trade comfortably on the go. 

Download on

App Store    

Google Play

1. Download the MT5 app 

For Android: 

To start trading from your mobile device, download MetaTrader 5 from the application store Google Play or by using the Google Play application on your device. 

For iOS: 

To start trading from your iPhone or IPad, download MetaTrader 5 on iTunes or from the AppStore application on your iPod Touch/iPhone/iPad. 

2. Manage accounts 

You can manage multiple trading accounts with MT5, though not at all at once. Follow the steps below to add more trading accounts to your app. 

To add a trading account 

For Android: 

• Open MetaTrader 5 and select Manage Accounts from the main menu. 
• Tap the + icon and enter “your broker” into the search then select it. 
• Enter your trading account’s number, trading account password, and the correct server, then tap Login. 
• The trading account is added to the Accounts tab. 

For iOS: 

• Open MetaTrader 5 and select Settings. 
• Tap New Account and enter “your broker” in the search bar. Select the trading server appropriate for your trading account. 
• Enter your trading account’s number and trading account password, then tap Sign In. 

To switch the active trading account 

For Android: 

• Open MetaTrader 5 and select Manage Accounts from the main menu. 
• Tap the trading account you wish to make active in the Accounts tab, enter the trading account’s credentials if prompted, then Sign In. 
• MetaTrader 5 will now be logged in with that trading account. 

For iOS: 

• Open MetaTrader 5 and go to Settings. 
• Tap the arrow next to the account displayed at the top of the page. You will find all the accounts logged in to on the app. 
• Tap on any account to log in. 
• MetaTrader 5 will now be logged in with that trading account. 

3. Manage charts 

A chart shows price changes over time. You can apply different built-in indicators to a chart and thus analyze the market. To switch to this tab, use the bottom panel of MetaTrader 5. 

To custom charts  

For Android: 

• Run the "Chart" menu command in the "Quotes" tab to open a chart of a financial instrument. 
• Use the radial menu to switch between the timeframes, attach indicators to a chart, apply objects to a chart, enable crosshair, or open chart settings. 
• To measure the distance from one point on a chart to another, set the crosshairs with one finger at the first point, hold it, and swipe the screen with another finger to the second point. 
• To resize an indicator sub-window, long tap (about 1 second) anywhere on the chart. Specify the desired sub-window size by dragging its upper border. 

For iOS: 

• To open a chart of a financial instrument, run the "Chart" menu command in the "Quotes" tab. 
• Switch between timeframes using the top panel of the chart. 
• To quickly perform trading operations straight from the chart. Tap the “One Click Trading” icon above the chart.  
• Tap the “pending order” icon on the chart, and then drag the newly added order line to the desired price level to place pending orders. 
• To add Stop Loss and Take Profit to your order, tap "SL" and "TP". Next, drag the appropriate lines to the required price levels. 

To control Charts 

For iOS: 

• Scrolling - to scroll through a chart, swipe left or right. 
• Scaling - to zoom in, place two fingers together on the area of the chart you want to zoom in on and then drag your fingers apart. To zoom out, place two fingers on different parts of the screen and drag them toward each other. 
• Changing the indent between the last bar and the edge of the chart – add to the chart any indicator which is plotted in a sub-window. For example, MACD. Tap on any axis of the chart to enter setup mode. Holding the vertical dotted line on the last bar, change the indent. 
• Use of indicators - to add or remove an indicator from a chart, tap and execute the "Indicators" command from the context menu. 
• Full-screen mode - the full-screen mode is automatically enabled when you rotate your device to landscape mode. Further, you can switch between the full screen and normal mode by tapping on the chart. 
• Chart types - switch between the three chart types available by tapping on the appropriate button in the context menu in the chart settings 

For Android: 

• Scrolling – to scroll through a chart, drag your finger left or right. 
• Scaling – to zoom in, place two fingers together on the area of the chart you want to zoom in on and then drag your fingers apart. To zoom out, place two fingers on different parts of the screen and drag them toward each other. 
• Full-screen mode – the full-screen mode is automatically enabled when you rotate your device to landscape mode. 
• Symbol – to view a chart of another symbol, tap the “Symbol” icon. 
• Change the chart type – If you want to switch between the chart types (bar, candlestick, line), open chart settings from the radial and select the desired presentation type, 
• Indicators – to start working with indicators on a chart, tap the button “Indicators” on the top panel or in the radial menu. 
• Setting – to access chart settings, open the radial menu and tap the “Settings” icon. 
• Tile charts – you can open multiple charts in the mobile platform: up to 4 charts on Android-smartphones, and up to 6 charts on tablets. If you want to customize the arrangement of charts, tap the “Tile windows” icon on the top panel. 

4. Add, remove, and reorder instruments 

Here you can display financial instruments (If there are open positions for the symbol, a triangle on the right will show the total floating result of such positions: blue triangle means profit, red means loss), the bid-ask prices, spread, the time of the last quote, the low/high of the day 

For Android: 

• Click on Quotes. 
• Click on the + icon, and then locate the instrument from the groups presented. 
• Tap on any instruments you want to add, and they will be added to the list presented in Quotes. 
• To reorder instruments, tap the pencil icon to open the edit function where you can move instruments to reorder them 
• To remove instruments, tap the bin icon to activate the delete function where you can select all the instruments using the two-tick icon, or tap on individual instruments to select them. 
• Tap the bin icon one more time to confirm the removal of the selected instruments 

For iOS: 

• Go to Quotes. 
• Click on the search bar, which opens a list of all the groups of instruments available for trading. 
• A tab to locate the instrument from the groups will be displayed. Tap + beside the instrument you want to add and it will be added to your Quotes list. 
• To remove instruments from the list, click the pencil icon and select all the instruments you would like to remove. Tap the bin icon. You can also reorder the instruments by clicking the icon on the extreme right and dragging them as per your choice. 

5. Place trades 

Here’s how you can open, close, or modify an order on the MT5 app for your device. 

For Android: 

To open an order 

• Go to Quotes. 
• Tap the symbol you want to trade and then tap New Order. 
• Set your order parameters (i.e. Stop Loss, Take Profit, etc.). 
• Tap Buy or Sell if you want to open a Market order. 

To set a pending order 

• To set a pending order, tap Instant Execution or Market Execution (based on your account type and trading instrument) to bring up a list of order types. 
• Choose one of the pending order types from the dropdown menu and set your order parameters (i.e. Price, Stop Loss, Take profit, etc.). 
• Tap Place. 
• You will then receive a notification that the order has been opened successfully. 

To close or modify an order 

• Go to Trade. 
• Tap an order to see its details (Price, S/L, T/P, order ID, etc.). 
• Press and hold the order, then tap either Modify position to modify or Close position 
• Tap Modify once modified or Close with Loss/Profit to confirm the appropriate action. 
• You will receive a notification when the order is closed. 

To open an order 

• Go to Quotes. 
• Tap the instrument you want to trade, then tap Trade. 
• Set your order parameters (i.e. Volume, Stop Loss, Take profit, etc.) 
• Tap Buy or Sell. 

To set a pending order 

• Tap Instant Execution or Market Execution (based on your account type and trading instrument). 
• Choose one of the pending orders and set your order parameters (i.e. Price, Stop Loss, Take profit, Expiration). 
• Tap Place. 
• You will then receive a notification that the order has been placed/opened successfully. 

To close or modify an order 

• Go to Trade. 
• Tap an order to see its details (Price, Stop Loss, Take Profit, order ID, etc.). 
• To modify the order, tap Modify position and set up your desired parameters (Stop Loss and Take Profit). 
• If you want to close the order, tap Close position. Verify the price and hit Close. 
• You will receive a notification that the order has been closed. 

6. Additional features 

Watch this video to find more additional features on the MT5 App for Android: 

Journal 

To keep track of all activity for your session in MT5 on your device, a Journal is automatically kept as you are logged in, and it refreshes daily. Here’s how to access log files in your Journal on your respective device. 

For Android: 

• Go to Journal in the top left menu. 
• Select the dates and tap the letter icon to send it via email. Make sure you change the recipient. 

For iOS: 

• Tap on Settings. 
• Select Journal to be shown a log of your session’s activities 

News 

Stay up to date with the latest economic news, all within the MT5 app on your device. 

For Android: 

• Go to News in the top left menu. 
• View the latest economic news from third-party providers. You can also tap each individual item to open the full article in detail. 

For iOS: 

• Navigate to Settings. 
• Select News to be presented with a selection of articles from third-party providers. You can also tap each individual item to open the full article in detail. 

How to Install MetaTrader 5 on Mac OS 

The trading platform can be installed and used on computers that run Mac OS using Wine. Wine is a free and open-source software application that aims to allow applications designed for Microsoft Windows to run on Unix-like operating systems. One of the Wine versions is designed for Mac OS. 

Note that Wine is not a fully stable application. This means that some functions in the applications you start under it may work improperly or not work at all. 

The easiest way to install the trading platform is to download the ready-made package from the official website. Install the platform similarly to any other application — drag the platform icon to Applications and wait for the installation to complete. 

The trading platform for Mac OS supports the Apple M1 chip and works reliably on any system version including Ventura. 

The installation package is compiled using CrossOver technology. This platform is based on Wine, but unlike other projects and Wine itself, CrossOver is a commercial product. Therefore, its development is much faster: the environment is optimized for better performance of Windows applications, while detected errors are quickly fixed. In contrast to "pure" Wine, CrossOver has a more specialized nature as it is aimed at supporting the most popular office and other Windows applications. Compatibility with these applications is extensively tested and debugged, so they tend to run more stable than in Wine. The trading platform is among these applications. 

You do not need to have CrossOver on your computer to install the platform from the ready-made DMG package. Accordingly, its use is free. You do not need to download any additional components or make any complex adjustments. The platform is immediately ready to go after being installed from the package. 

Why use MetaTrader 5 

Discover some of the features that make MetaTrader 5 one of the best trading platforms today. 

Trading 

The platform provides a wide set of trading tools. It supports four order execution modes: 

• Instant 
• Request 
• Market  
• Exchange execution 

All types of orders are available in the platform, including market, pending, and stop orders. With such a diversity of order types and available execution modes, traders can implement various trading strategies for successful performance in the currency markets and stock exchanges. 

The platform also features One-Click Trading and provides functions for online trading straight from the chart. 

Analytics 

The trading platform provides powerful analytical functions. 82 different analytical tools are available for analyzing currency and stock prices, including technical indicators and graphical objects. 

Here are some examples: 

EURUSD forecast and price prediction	Turkish Lira forecast and price prediction	Gold forecast and price prediction
Oil forecast and price prediction	Dow Jones forecast and price prediction	Natural Gas forecast and price prediction
Silver forecast and price prediction	British pound forecast and price prediction	Nasdaq-100 forecast and price prediction

The analytical resources of the trading platform are not limited to the built-in indicators only. The trader can additionally use the free Code Base of technical indicators and the Market of trading applications.  

There are 21 timeframes, from a minute to a month, available for each financial instrument. Up to 100 charts of financial instruments can be opened at the same time. 

Algorithmic Trading 

Virtually any trading strategy can be formalized and implemented in the form of an Expert Advisor, which can automatically trade for you. A trading robot never gets tired or suffers from stress; it accurately follows its algorithm and is much more responsive to market changes. 

The trading platform provides all the necessary tools for development: the powerful MQL5 language with an integrated development environment, a multicurrency tester for backtesting and optimizing strategies, and the Code Base of free trading robots. 

Mobile Trading 

Smartphones and tablets are indispensable in trading when you are away from your computer. Use special trading platform versions on your iPhone/iPad and Android devices to trade in the financial markets on the go. 

You will certainly appreciate the functionality of the mobile trading platforms that include full support for the trading functions, and broad analytical capabilities with MT5 indicators, and other graphical objects. Of course, all these features are available from anywhere in the world 24 hours a day. 

Use the mobile platform to read financial news and internal emails, as well as for instant messaging with the participants of the most popular website for traders MQL5.community. 

Additional Services 

The platform provides powerful trading tools and a variety of additional services. 

Copy trading is available through the Signals service. This is an easy way to copy deals of experienced traders. Choose from thousands of signals, subscribe in a couple of clicks and the selected provider's deals will be automatically copied to your trading account. 

Market is a store where you can purchase or download for free cutting-edge trading robots and technical indicators. An application can be purchased straight from the platform. The purchase procedure is simple and secure. 

If you cannot find the desired app, order one from professional developers in Freelance. The service provides secure cooperation between the customer and the developer — payment for an application is transferred only after the approval of the resulting program. 

To ensure the 24/7 operation of your trading robots and copied signals, rent a Virtual Hosting straight from your platform. 

Summary 

MetaTrader 5 is an advanced trading platform that gives you access to a range of tools and features to help you carry out analysis and customize your trading experience. These tools can also help you to use and build trading algorithms that can automate your trading. 

You can enjoy all the benefits of MetaTrader 5 for desktop, web, and mobile with a MetaTrader broker. 

Alternatively, access the CAPEX WebTrader for a customized trading experience. It is designed specifically for your CAPEX.com trading and investing accounts and incorporates all the features of a trading terminal in a user-friendly interface, allowing you to trade comfortably on the go. 

Try a demo 

FAQs about MetaTrader 5 (MT5)