MetaTrader 5 Custom Indicators: Installation and Troubleshooting Guide

This guide will show you how to install and troubleshoot indicators for MetaTrader 5.

We only provide support for indicators that you have purchased from us.

Check Your Version of MetaTrader

Before you begin, be sure to check which version of MetaTrader you have. MetaTrader 5 indicators will NOT work on MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 4 indicators will NOT work on MetaTrader 5.

So be sure to check your version of MetaTrader before purchasing, so you know the right indicator to get.

To check the version of MetaTrader that you're using, open MetaTrader, then in the menu at the top, select:

Help > About…

From there, MetaTrader will show you the version you're using. You should see version 5.00, which is MetaTrader 5.

If you don't have MT5, you can simply download a free version here:

Official MT5 download page

How to Download an Indicator

You will receive an email on how to download the indicator you purchased. We may sell indicators on different platforms, so be sure to follow the instructions  you receive.

Simply click on the link to download the file and your computer will download it.

What to do if an Indicator is Zipped?

Some hosting platforms that we use require the MT5 indicator to be zipped. This means that the indicator is compressed for faster download.

You can find out if your indicator is zipped by looking at the name of the file that you downloaded. If it ends with .zip, then the file is zipped.

In order to open the file, simply double click on the file and it will be unzipped to the .ex4 file. This works in both Windows and macOS.

Once you have the .ex4 file, it's now ready to install.

How to Install an Indicator

Follow the instructions in this video to install the indicator. Be sure to restart MT5 after you install the indicator.

How to Change the Settings of Your Indicator

Right-click the chart your indicator is attached to. Select Indicators List.

Select the indicator you want to change from the list and click the Edit button.

You'll now see the indicator settings window. To change the value of any setting, double-click on the Value you want to change. It will become editable.

If you want to save the settings as a template, click on the Save button and give your presets a name. You can use the Load button to load settings you saved.

Click on the OK button to save the settings.

Will the Indicators Work on a Mac?

Yes, if you have MT5 installed on your Mac, then you can install custom indicators.

However, there can be a few exceptions.

Here's the deal…

The desktop version of MT5 only runs on Windows. 

In order to get MT5 running on a Mac, you either have to install software that can run Windows, or you have to install software that acts like Windows, to get macOS to run MT5. Once you have MT5 installed, the directions for installing a custom indicator are the same as if you were running MT5 on Windows.

Software that allows you to install Windows on a Mac includes:

• VMWare Fusion
• Bootcamp
• Parallels

These programs require that you actually have a license and install the full version of Windows. MT5 works very well with these solutions and we have never had any issues when using these types of software solutions.

Software that acts like Windows includes:

• Wine
• Crossover for Mac
• PlayOnMac (basically Wine)

These programs don't require Windows to be installed, so they are very unreliable. Some people who use these solutions report that they aren't able to install custom indicators.

If you're using a program like Wine to run MT5, we would highly recommend switching to a more stable solution.

Either pick a solution like VMWare Fusion or buy a cheap Windows laptop and use Remote Desktop to access it with your Mac.

Any company that says they provide a Mac version of MT5 is simply installing something like Wine first, then installing MT5 on top of Wine. This is not a professional solution, especially when your money will be at risk.

Can I Install Custom Indicators on the Mobile Versions or the Web Version of MT5?

No.

The iOS, iPadOS, Android and web versions of MT5 do not allow custom indicators to be installed. We mention this on all of our product information pages. 

Therefore, the next best option is to setup an alert indicator in the desktop version of MT5 and send alerts to your mobile device.

You can see our current range of MT5 alert indicators here.

My Settings are NOT Saving. What Can I Do?

One solution is to create a template:

1. Setup your chart colors.
2. Add the indicators and EAs you want to use.
3. Right-click the chart and save the settings as a template.
4. Name your template “Default” to have that as the default chart that loads when you open MT5.

There might be something wrong with your current installation of MT5. Here's how to test to see if that's the case:

1. Install MT from another broker. Most brokers will give you a free version of MT. Install the indicator on the new installation. This will show you if there's something wrong with your current install of MT.
2. If there is something wrong with the MT5 installation from your broker, uninstall MT5, restart your computer, reinstall MT, then add the indicator back in.

What Do I Do if I Cannot Open Zip Files in Windows?

Sometimes Windows associates zip files with a program that can't open a zip file. Yes, that doesn't make sense, but that's Windows for you.

For example, Windows might be trying to open your ZIP files with Microsoft Word. Or it might try to open files in a PDF viewer, or Microsoft Explorer.

If your computer is opening a file with a program that it shouldn't, this tutorial will show you how to change that in Windows 10. The idea is similar for other operating systems.

Troubleshooting Alerts From Indicators and EAs

Does My Computer Have to be Turned On to Get MT5 Alerts?

Yes, your computer must be turned on at all times, connected to the internet and the desktop version of MT5 must be open, for you to get alerts.

If your computer goes to sleep, your alerts will not work.

If you cannot leave your computer on, or your internet connection is unreliable, consider using a Virtual Private Server (VPS).

Note: Not all indicators have the ability to send alerts.

How do I Turn on Alerts in an Indicator or EA?

I'll use an indicator as an example, but the process is similar for an EA. To start receiving alerts, do this:

1. Add the indicator to your chart by going to Insert > Indicators > Custom in the menu at the top
2. The indicator settings window will pop up. Go to the Inputs tab.
3. Set the alerts you want to receive to true.

To change the alert settings of an indicator that's already on a chart, do this: 

Right-click on the chart with the indicator attached, then select Indicators List. Select the indicator from the list and click the Properties button.

Then select the Inputs tab to see the alert settings. To turn on a type of alert, set the value to true by double clicking it.

How do I Setup Push Notifications to the Mobile App?

Note: Not all indicators have the ability to send notifications. Check that yours does before trying. 

This is the best way to get mobile phone alerts. Follow these instructions to setup push notifications from the desktop version of MT5.

How do I Setup Email Alerts?

Email alerts are difficult to setup and should be avoided, whenever possible.

If you really need to get email alerts, then we would recommend using TradingView instead of MT5.

The reason is that you need to have an email service that will allow MT5 to login to their service and send messages.

Since this could potentially be used by spammers, many free email services have closed down this capability. So it's difficult to find an email service that works, and the services that do work change frequently.

Therefore, you'll need to do some research to find a service with works for you. The service you're looking for is SMTP relay. Be sure to ask a company if they will allow you to do that, before signing up.

If you need to use the email function, then read this tutorial. For more help on setting up your email alerts, contact your broker for help.

We have found that you might have to play with the email settings in MT5, in order to get them to work.

Also be sure to set DoEmail to true in the indicator settings to get email alerts.

How do I Get Text Messages to My Phone?

Some mobile service providers allow you to send text messages to your phone via email. Here's a list of popular carriers and the email address you have to use to send MT5 emails to your phone, in the form of a text message.

• AT&T [insert 10-digit number]@txt.att.net
• Boost Mobile [insert 10-digit number]@sms.myboostmobile.com
• Cricket Wireless [insert 10-digit number]@mms.cricketwireless.net
• Google Project Fi [insert 10-digit number]@msg.fi.google.com
• Republic Wireless [insert 10-digital number]@text.republicwireless.com
• Sprint [insert 10-digit number]@messaging.sprintpcs.com
• Straight Talk [insert 10-digital number]@vtext.com
• T-Mobile [insert 10-digit number]@tmomail.net
• Ting [insert 10-digit number]@message.ting.com
• Tracfone [depends on underlying carrier]
• U.S. Cellular [insert 10-digit number]@email.uscc.net
• Verizon [insert 10-digit number]@vtext.com
• Virgin Mobile [insert 10-digit number]@vmobl.com

To get started, follow the instructions in the previous section on setting up email alerts. Then send the MT5 email alerts to the email address that works with your carrier.

If you do not see your carrier listed, then contact them directly to find out their text-to-email address.

Again, it's hard to setup email alerts because most free email services will not allow you to relay emails through their servers.

Will an Indicator Send Alerts for All Currency Pairs and Timeframes Automatically?

Most indicators will not, you'll only get alerts for the currency pairs where a chart is open and you've added the indicator to that chart.

For example, if you have the EURUSD H1 chart open and you added the indicator to that chart, you will only get alerts for that pair and timeframe.

However, there are a few indicators that will send alerts for multiple timeframes or multiple currency pairs at the same time. Check with the developer to find out how your specific indicator works.

The issue with these types of indicators is that they can send a lot of unnecessary alerts.

I'm Experiencing a Delay in Alerts, How Can I Fix This?

There are several variables that can determine how quickly you get your alerts on your phone.

• The speed of your internet connection
• Bugs in the MetaTrader software
• Your mobile phone's data coverage

Here are some issues that people have reported.

Email notifications can be affected by similar issues.

You can try the following things to fix this issue:

• Be sure that you have the latest version of MetaTrader 5 on both your laptop and desktop.
• Make sure that you have a strong mobile phone signal or you're using a fast Wi-Fi connection when you're testing your alerts.
• Do a speed test on your internet connection to be sure that it isn't delaying your signals.
• If you have a slow internet connection, go to a place that has fast Wi-Fi and test your signals there.
• Make sure to do a test send from your desktop to your mobile device.
• Be sure that your logged into an account in the mobile version of MT5. You can setup a free demo account in the app, and that will work.

The Test Push Notification Worked, But I'm Not Getting Indicator Alerts

Here's what to check if this is happening to you.

Is the Indicator Added to Your Charts?

First check to see that you've added the alert to an open chart. Alerts will only work when they are added to a chart.

Check the Indicator Settings

Next, be sure that notifications are turned on in the indicator settings. In order to do this, right-click on any chart, then select Indicators List. Then select the indicator from the list and click the Properties button. Next, select the Inputs tab to see the settings.

Then select the Inputs tab to see the alert settings. To turn on a type of alert, set the value to true by double clicking it.

Next, make sure that the situation that leads to an alert is happening in real-time. The best way to do this is to set your chart to the 1 minute timeframe.

Also open multiple charts and use the indicator with different currency pairs. This will give you more changes to see an alert in real-time.

Check Your Phone Notification Settings

If you still do not get a notification, then check the MT5 app on your phone. Some users have reported that they get the notifications in their messages, but it does not show up as a phone notification.

Check Your Sleep or Screensaver Settings

Another reason that your computer may not be sending alerts is that it might be going into sleep mode. When some computers turn off, they don't send alerts.

This can usually be set in your computer's Power settings. Be sure to set it so that your computer does not go to sleep after a certain period of time.

What's the Fastest Way to Save My Settings and Add an Indicator to a Chart?

If you use custom indicator settings and want to use the same settings on all of your charts, then setup a chart template in MT5, with the indicator setup with your preferences. This video will show you how to setup a chart template.

My Settings are Not Saving When I Close Metatrader

There are some installations of MetaTrader that do not save the last settings that you used before MetaTrader was closed. This is usually not because of the indicator or MetaTrader, but something on your computer that is preventing your last settings from being saved.

If you are having this problem, follow these troubleshooting steps:

1. Add 3 different indicators to 1 chart, including the indicator you are having issues with.
2. Change the settings from the default settings.
3. Close MetaTrader, then open it again.
4. Check the settings on all 3 indicators to see if they are still the same as before you closed MetaTrader.
5. If they all go back to the default settings, then there is an issue with your installation of MetaTrader, it's not an issue with the indicators.

To fix this, you can try the following:

1. Download another copy of MetaTrader 5 from a different broker and test to see if the settings save.
2. Use a different computer with MT5 installed on it.
3. Close MetaTrader 5, then right-click on the icon and select “Run as administrator” to open MT5 again.

If none of those steps work, you can always setup a template. Add the indicator to your chart and customize the settings. Then create a template.

Now you can simply add the template to any chart, which will dramatically speed up the process of changing the settings of the indicator. This process is the same in MT4 and MT5.

How Do I Get a Refund?

Indicators that don't require a license key are non-refundable. Since you cannot “return” an indicator once you download it, please be sure that the indicator will work for you before purchasing.

The only exception is if you have talked to support and they were not able to solve your issue. Please contact us to get help with your indicator.

EAs that require a license are refundable. Just contact us within 30 days of purchase to get a full refund.

Thanks!

Thank you so much for purchasing from us and if you have any issues, please feel free to contact us. We hope your trading is going well!