How to Use MetaTrader 5 (MT5)? A Trader's Guide
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MetaTrader 5 was released in 2010. It is intended for performing trading operations on different financial markets. This program is an updated and improved version of MetaTrader 4, a very famous terminal, which is extremely popular among traders. It is developed and supported by MetaQuotes Software Corp.
General information on MetaTrader 5 trading platform
MetaTrader 5 is an excellent combination of all key functions of МТ4 and new opportunities of the 5th generation platform. It is multi-lingual, has a wide range of analytical tools and indicators, and allows to trade not only currencies, but stocks and futures as well – just to name a few advantages of MetaTrader 5. Add here an automated trading with an opportunity to create your own expert advisor based on your trading strategy or use already existing robots from the Library.
In addition to that, the platform has an option to connect successful traders’ paid signals – it will automatically copy their orders to your account. An intuitive and user-friendly interface, availability, and a wide range of functions this is why MetaTrader 5 is successful and popular among traders.
Differences between MT4 and MT5
MetaTrader 5 platform contains several new opportunities that make a real difference when compared to МТ4:
- "Depth of Market"
- Two additional types of pending orders, Buy Stop Limit and Sell Stop Limit
- More indicators, graphic objects, and timeframes
- Built-in economic calendar
- Improved strategy tester
- Two accounting systems, "Netting" and "Hedging"
- Unlimited number of symbols
- Opportunity to trade a wide range of financial instruments, such as currencies, stocks, futures, options, and bonds.
MT5 installation
MT 5 trading platform is very easy to install – all you have to do is to login to your Members Area at roboforex.com and download MetaTrader 5 setup file for your device, smartphone or desktop PC, for free.
After downloading the setup file, run it, click "Settings", and choose the installation folder. The default folder C:\Program Files\RoboForex - MetaTrader 5.
To complete the installation, click "Next".
After successfully installing MetaTrader 5, you will see a window where you choose between opening a real account or a demo one. A demo account is a virtual account for educational trading allowing to learn how to work with the terminal and test your trading strategy efficiency without risking to lose your own money.
Opening a demo account in MT5
To open a demo account, choose "Open a demo account to trade virtual money without risks" and click "Next".
In the next window, specify your personal information, tick "Use hedge in trading" in case you’re going to use this feature (an opportunity to open several positions in the same instrument), enter the deposit amount, tick "I agree with the terms and conditions for opening an account and the data protection policy", and click "Next".
After completing this procedure, you will be given a login (your account number), a password (the master password for trading on this account), an Investor (an investor password, which gives "read only" access to this account without the right to perform trading operations). Save these credentials and keep them secure. If necessary, passwords can be changed in "Tools" -> "Settings" -> "Server" -> "Change".
MT5 interface
MT5 interface (main menu, toolbars, and charts) are similar to МТ 4 platform. Detailed description of all basic functions and features can be found in another article, "How to use MetaTrader 4 (MT4)".
Placing orders and Depth of Market
To place market or pending orders, click "New Order" on the toolbar or double-click an instrument symbol and choose "New Order". In the next window, choose a financial instrument and the volume. You can also set Stop Loss (limits losses) and Take Profit (closes with profit) levels at once.
The default value in "Type" field is "Market execution"; "Sell by Market" and "Buy by Market" buttons are active for trading. By clicking "Sell by Market", a red button, you will open a sell order, "Buy by Market", a blue button - a buy one.
To place a pending order, you have to choose the corresponding value in "Type" field, specify an order type, the opening price, and , if necessary, the expiry (cancellation) date, and then click "Place order". Your Pending order is now created and will activated as soon as the price reaches the specified price.
For more comfortable trading, MetaTrader 5 platform has a new feature, "Depth of Market". It shows the closest buy and sell orders for some particular trading instrument. "Depth of Market" offers an opportunity to perform transactions very quickly, which is very useful for scalpers, traders who trade intraday.
"Depth of Market" can be opened by right-clicking the instrument symbol or chart, and choose "Depth of Market". In "Depth of Market" window, there are "Buy" and "Sell" buttons for opening orders at the current market price. To place a pending order, left-click one of the arrows with the required price in "Trade" section and choose the order type you need.
Placing Stop Limits
MetaTrader 5 offer two new types of pending orders, Buy Stop Limit and Sell Stop Limit. They are combinations of limit/stop orders and help to limit possible slippages that may occur when using usual stop orders.
- Buy Stop Limit is an order with two specified price values.
When the market price reaches the first value, a limit order to buy is activated; the second value is the execution price (Stop Limit), at which this Buy Limit order will be executed. For example, if XAU/USD is trading at 1400.00 $ and you want to buy it when it is growing towards 1410.00 $ without any slippages in anticipation of further growth, place your Buy Stop Limit order at 1410.00 $ and set Stop Limit at 1410.00 $. - Sell Stop Limit is an order with two specified price values.
When the market price reaches the first value, a limit order to sell is activated; the second value is the execution price (Stop Limit), at which this Sell Limit order will be executed. For example, if XAU/USD is trading at 1400.00 $ and you want to sell it when it is falling towards 1390.00 $ without any slippages in anticipation of further decline, place your Sell Stop Limit order at 1390.00 $ and set Stop Limit at 1390.00 $.
How to add an Expert Advisor in MT5?
MetaEditor, a built-in editor, provides an opportunity to use MQL5 programming language and create trading robots in MetaTrader 5 for automated trading. To add your Expert Advisor to the platform, "File" -> "Open Data Folder". Then go to "MQL5" -> "Experts" and copy a new advisor there. The terminal requires reboot so that an advisor could be found in "Navigator" window. To run an advisor, you should check settings in "Tools" -> "Options" -> "Expert Advisors" (Ctrl+O):
- Allow automated trading. Tick this box to allow your advisors to operate. Here you can also find different options how to disable automated trading (in case of account, profile, chart symbol or period has been changed).
- Allow DLL imports allows EAs to use external DLLs in their operations.
- Allow WebRequest for listed URLs. This option allows EAs to exchange information only with recourses listed below.
After customizing all basic parameters, an advisor has to be installed on the chart by dragging it with a left-click from "Navigator" window onto the chart of the financial instrument. Then, you will see the window with this advisor’s settings, where you specify all required parameters for trading and click "OK".
A green icon close to an advisor’s name in the top right corner of the chart indicates that an advisor is enabled and working. In case of a red icon, trading for this advisor is not allowed. Clicking "AutoTrading" button on the terminal toolbar will enable/disable automated trading. To remove your advisor from the chart, right-click its icon and choose "Remove".
Testing automated strategies
For testing and checking Expert Advisors and indicators, MetaTrader 5 offers an improved strategy tester. It allows to backtest a trading robot on the deepest historical data and customize it for better trading results. To open a strategy tester, go to "View" -> "Strategy tester" or by clicking its icon on the terminal toolbar. The tester window will appear at the bottom of the screen. Here, you can choose an advisor, specify the symbol and the timeframe to run the test on.
Then, specify the interval, the deposit, and the leverage. Tick "Visualization" box if you want to see the testing procedure on the chart. A very important function of the strategy tester is "Optimization", which provides multiple backtests of your advisor with different settings available in "Settings" tab and allows find the best possible variant. After specifying all necessary parameters, click "Start". "Optimization process" displays the entire procedure, while the results will be shown in "Optimization results" tab.
Summary
Summing up, it may be said that MetaTrader 5 trading platform is a worthy successor to MetaTrader 4 terminal. MT5 has several new useful features for more accurate and efficient trading. At the same time, MetaTrader 5 retained all key advantages of the previous version, such as availability, an intuitive and user-friendly interface, multiple languages, and automated trading. Multipurposeness, thanks to which traders have an opportunity to trade various instruments on different financial markets, including stock exchanges, made MetaTrader 5 platform very popular in trader communities.
