MetaTrader 5 adds indicators from the Insert menu or by dragging them from the Navigator panel onto a chart, and changes timeframes from the toolbar, the chart’s right-click menu or a keyboard shortcut. MT5 offers 21 timeframes, from one minute to one month. Once a chart looks the way you want, save it as a template so every new chart opens the same way.
Key takeaways
- Insert › Indicators, or drag from Navigator (Ctrl+N) onto the chart.
- Indicators either draw on the price chart or open a separate window below it.
- MT5 has 21 timeframes: nine of minutes, seven of hours, plus daily, weekly and monthly.
- Right-click an indicator › Indicators List to edit or delete it.
- Charts › Template › Save Template stores the whole layout for reuse.
| Add an indicator | Insert › Indicators, or drag from Navigator |
|---|---|
| Edit or remove | Right-click chart › Indicators List |
| Change timeframe | Toolbar buttons, or right-click › Timeframes |
| Timeframes available | 21, from M1 to MN |
| Save a layout | Charts › Template › Save Template |
| Chart type | Bars, candlesticks or line, from the toolbar |
How to add an indicator
- Open the chart. Double-click the symbol in Market Watch if it is not open.
- Open the indicator list. Insert › Indicators, then a category: Trend, Oscillators, Volumes or Bill Williams. Navigator (Ctrl+N) shows the same list and lets you drag an indicator onto the chart.
- Set the inputs. Period, applied price, colours and levels. The defaults are a starting point, not a recommendation.
- Click OK. The indicator appears on the chart or in a window below it.
- Adjust or remove it later. Right-click the chart › Indicators List, then Edit or Delete.
The 21 timeframes
| Group | Periods |
|---|---|
| Minutes | M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, M10, M12, M15, M20, M30 |
| Hours | H1, H2, H3, H4, H6, H8, H12 |
| Longer | Daily (D1), Weekly (W1), Monthly (MN) |
Change the timeframe with the toolbar buttons, by right-clicking the chart and choosing Timeframes, or with the keyboard shortcuts shown in that menu. Each candle covers one period, so the same market looks calmer on H4 than on M5 without anything changing. Using two or three timeframes together is covered in multi-timeframe analysis.
Templates and profiles
A template saves a chart’s indicators, colours and settings. Save one with Charts › Template › Save Template, then apply it to any chart from the same menu. Saving it as default.tpl makes every new chart open with that layout. A profile saves a whole set of open charts, which is useful if you watch different markets at different times of day.
A word on choosing indicators
| Category | What they measure | Common examples |
|---|---|---|
| Trend | Direction and its strength | Moving averages, Bollinger Bands |
| Oscillators | Momentum and stretched conditions | RSI, Stochastic, MACD |
| Volumes | Activity behind the move | Tick volume indicators |
| Bill Williams | A specific published method | Alligator, Fractals |
Every indicator is a calculation on past prices, so it describes what has already happened. Adding more of them does not add more information; several momentum indicators usually say the same thing. Indicators also behave differently around news and in thin hours, when the price itself moves erratically; see why spreads widen at night and around news. Strategy use is discussed in how traders use support and resistance and technical vs fundamental analysis.
Custom indicators
MT5 can also run custom indicators written in MQL5, installed in the terminal’s data folder (File › Open Data Folder › MQL5 › Indicators) and then shown in Navigator after a restart. Indicators written for MetaTrader 4 in MQL4 do not run in MT5; see MT4 vs MT5. Treat downloaded indicators with care: they run code on your computer.
Common mistakes to avoid
Indicator overload. Several indicators that measure the same thing create false confidence.
Reading a signal without context. A crossover in a quiet hour is not the same as one after data.
Changing the timeframe to justify a trade. Switching until one chart agrees is a decision-making problem, not an analysis one.
Installing untrusted code. Custom indicators and advisors run on your machine.
Risk warning. Trading CFDs carries a high level of risk since leverage can work both to your advantage and disadvantage. As a result, the products offered on this website may not be suitable for all investors because of the risk of losing all of your invested capital. You should never invest money that you cannot afford to lose, and never trade with borrowed money.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add an indicator in MT5?
Open the chart and choose Insert › Indicators, then pick a category and the indicator. You can also press Ctrl+N to open Navigator and drag the indicator onto the chart. Set the inputs and click OK.
How do I remove an indicator in MT5?
Right-click the chart, choose Indicators List, select the indicator and click Delete. The same window lets you edit its settings.
How many timeframes does MT5 have?
Twenty-one: eleven minute periods from M1 to M30, seven hourly periods from H1 to H12, plus daily, weekly and monthly charts.
How do I change the timeframe on MT5?
Use the timeframe buttons on the toolbar, or right-click the chart and choose Timeframes. Each choice has a keyboard shortcut shown next to it in that menu.
Related reading
Check a signal against past candles
A template full of indicators says nothing about how its signals have behaved. Pick one rule on one timeframe, record every signal it gave over past candles, and review the tally with the method in how to backtest a trading strategy.
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