Complete Platform Guide · 2026 Edition

📊 MetaTrader 5 —
Complete Platform Guide

MetaTrader 5 is the industry-standard trading platform. Master it completely to trade with speed and precision across Forex, Stocks, Futures, and Crypto.

Platform Layout Keyboard Shortcuts Essential Indicators Order Types Expert Advisors
9
Timeframes
38+
Indicators
6
Order Types
MQL5
Scripting
Jump to section
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Platform Layout — Key Panels

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Charts

9 timeframes: M1, M5, M15, M30, H1, H4, D1, W1, MN. 38+ built-in indicators. Custom templates. Object drawing tools.

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Market Watch

Live bid/ask quotes. Right-click → New Order. Show/hide symbols. Sort by name, spread, or change.

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Terminal

Tabs: Trade (open positions), History, Alerts, Mailbox, Monitor. View equity, balance, and free margin live.

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Navigator

Your account tree, indicators, EAs, and scripts. Drag-and-drop indicators onto charts.

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MQL5 Editor

Code EAs, indicators, and scripts in MQL5 (C++-like). Built-in debugger and MetaEditor IDE.

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Strategy Tester

Backtest EAs on historical data. Visual mode, optimization, and forward testing capabilities.

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News Feed

Real-time market news from MQL5.com. Integrate with trading calendar and alerts.

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Alerts

Price level alerts, mobile push notifications, email alerts. Never miss your key level again.


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Essential MT5 Keyboard Shortcuts

Trading Shortcuts
F9New Order window
F7EA Properties
F6Strategy Tester
F5Navigator panel
DelDelete selected object
Chart Shortcuts
Ctrl+MMarket Watch
Ctrl+DData Window
Ctrl+ZUndo drawing
Alt+1Bar chart
Alt+2Candlestick chart
Zoom & Navigation
+/-Zoom in/out
Home/EndBeginning/End of chart
← →Scroll chart
Ctrl+AAuto-scroll
EscCancel drawing
Indicator Shortcuts
Ctrl+IIndicator list
Ctrl+LDraw/hide line
Ctrl+BObjects list
Ctrl+YShow periods
Ctrl+GGrid on/off

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Essential Indicators Explained

Moving Average (MA / EMA)

Smooths price to show trend direction. EMA 20 = short-term trend. EMA 50 = medium-term. EMA 200 = long-term. Golden Cross: EMA20 crosses above EMA50 = buy signal.

RSI (Relative Strength Index, 14)

Measures momentum 0–100. Above 70 = overbought (possible reversal) · Below 30 = oversold. Most effective on H4 and Daily timeframes.

MACD (Moving Avg Convergence Divergence)

Two lines + histogram. Signal: MACD line crosses signal line. Histogram above zero = bullish momentum. Look for divergence with price for reversals.

Bollinger Bands (20, 2)

Three lines: middle SMA20 + upper/lower bands (2 std deviations). Price touching upper band = resistance. Lower band = support. Squeeze = big move coming (breakout).

Stochastic Oscillator (14, 3, 3)

Shows momentum 0–100. Above 80 = overbought. Below 20 = oversold. Signal: %K crosses %D. More reliable in ranging markets.

ATR (Average True Range, 14)

Measures volatility, NOT direction. High ATR = volatile market, widen your SL. Low ATR = calm market, tighter SL. Use 1.5–2× ATR for SL placement.

Ichimoku Cloud

All-in-one indicator: trend, support/resistance, momentum. Price above cloud = bullish. Kumo Breakout = powerful entry signal. Best on H4 and Daily charts.


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MT5 Order Types & Execution

Instant Execution
Instant Execution

Order executed at the quoted price. Broker may requote in fast markets. Used by market makers. Requote = slippage protection for broker.

Market Execution
Market Execution

Order at the best available price. No requotes but slippage possible. Used by ECN/STP brokers. More transparent pricing.

6 Pending Order Types
Pending Orders
Buy LimitBuy below current price
Sell LimitSell above current price
Buy StopBuy above current price
Sell StopSell below current price
Buy Stop LimitHybrid pending
Sell Stop LimitHybrid pending
Expert Advisors (EA)
Expert Advisors

Automated strategies that trade 24/5. Attach to chart, set parameters, run on VPS. Can backtest on Strategy Tester before going live. Coded in MQL5 language.