MetaTrader 5
MetaTrader 4
How to read a MetaTrader error
MetaTrader reports problems in three places: the status bar at the bottom right (connection), the order window (trade errors), and the Journal tab in the Toolbox (full log). When an error appears, open the Journal tab first. It shows the exact message, the time and the request that failed. Expert Advisors write their own messages to the Experts tab.
Exact wording differs slightly between MT4 and MT5 and between builds. The causes below are the same.
| Message | Usual cause | First thing to check |
|---|---|---|
| Invalid account | Wrong login, password or server | Server name in the login window |
| No connection | Network or wrong server | Status bar, then rescan servers |
| Off quotes / Requote | Price moved before execution | Deviation setting, market activity |
| Not enough money | Free margin too low for the volume | Free margin in the Trade tab |
| Market closed | Symbol is outside its trading session | Session times in the specification |
| Invalid stops | Stop loss or take profit too close to price | Stop level and freeze level |
| Trade disabled | Read-only access, close-only symbol, or algo trading off | Password type and symbol status |
| Trade context busy (MT4) | Several requests at the same moment | Number of EAs sending orders |
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Invalid account
Cause. The terminal reached the server, but the server rejected the login. There are three common reasons:
- Wrong account number, password or server name.
- You logged in with the investor (read-only) password instead of the trading password.
- The account is archived or no longer active on the broker side.
Fix.
- Open File → Login to Trade Account.
- Type the account number and the trading password again. Copy them from the broker's email or personal area to avoid typing mistakes.
- Choose the exact server shown with your account details. Demo and real accounts use different servers.
- If the error stays, check the account status with your broker. If your account is with Exness, check the server name and account status in the Exness personal area.
More on logging in: Login.
No connection (MT5 no connection)
Cause. The terminal cannot reach the trading server. This can be your internet connection, a firewall or VPN blocking the terminal, a wrong or outdated server address, or server maintenance.
Fix.
- Check that your internet works in a browser.
- Look at the status bar. If it says "No connection" or "Invalid account", read the section above.
- Right-click the connection status at the bottom right and choose Rescan servers. The terminal picks the server with the best ping.
- Turn off the VPN or proxy, or allow the terminal through your firewall.
- Restart the terminal. If the problem continues, update it to the latest build offered by the broker.
On mobile, close and reopen the app and check that the correct server is selected. See Mobile apps.
Off quotes and requotes (MT5 off quotes error)
Cause. "Off quotes" means the server had no valid price for your request at that moment. A "Requote" means the price changed and the server offers a new one. Both happen during fast markets, around news releases, at the session open, and on thin symbols.
Fix.
- For instant execution, the order window has a Deviation field. It sets how far the fill price may differ from the requested price. A larger deviation means fewer requotes but possible worse fills.
- Wait for the market to settle and send the order again.
- Check your connection quality: slow connections send stale prices.
- On market execution there are no requotes, but fills can have slippage.
Execution types are explained in Open a trade.
Not enough money
Cause. The free margin is too small to open the position. Margin is the amount the broker holds as security for an open leveraged position. Free margin is equity minus the margin already in use.
Fix.
- Open the Trade tab and check Free margin.
- Lower the volume, or close other positions to release margin.
- Check the margin requirement for the symbol in its specification (Market Watch → right-click → Specification).
- Use the margin calculator in Calculators before placing the order.
Leveraged CFD and forex trading can lose money fast. If you often see this error, your positions may be too large for the account. Read Risk management.
Market closed
Cause. The symbol is outside its trading session: weekend, public holiday, daily break, or a session that runs only part of the day (stocks, indices, energies).
Fix.
- Open the symbol Specification and read the trading session times. Session times are shown in server time.
- Wait for the session to open. Pending orders can still be placed or edited only if the server allows it for that symbol.
- Check for holiday schedule changes in the broker's announcements.
Details: Contract specifications.
Invalid stops (MT5 invalid stops)
Cause. The stop loss, take profit or pending order price breaks a server rule:
- It is closer to the current price than the stop level (minimum distance).
- The order is inside the freeze level, where changes are not allowed.
- It is on the wrong side of the price: for a buy, stop loss must be below Bid and take profit above; for a sell, the opposite.
- The price has more decimal places than the symbol allows.
Fix.
- Check stop level and freeze level in the symbol Specification.
- Move the stop loss or take profit further from the price.
- Remember that buys close at Bid and sells close at Ask, so the spread counts in the distance.
- In EAs, normalise prices to the symbol's digits and check the levels before sending.
See Stop loss and take profit and Pending orders.
Trade disabled
Cause.
- You are logged in with the investor password, which allows viewing only.
- The symbol is set to close-only or disabled on the server.
- For EAs: the Algo Trading button (MT5) or AutoTrading button (MT4) is off, or the EA's own settings block live trading.
Fix.
- Log in again with the trading password.
- Check the symbol Specification for its trade mode.
- Turn on Algo Trading or AutoTrading in the toolbar and allow algorithmic trading in the EA properties.
More: Expert Advisors.
Trade context busy (MT4)
Cause. MT4 processes trade requests from EAs and scripts one at a time. If several EAs try to trade at the same moment, the others get "trade context busy".
Fix.
- Run fewer EAs that trade at the same moment, or spread them across separate terminals.
- In MQL4 code, check
IsTradeContextBusy()and retry after a short pause. - MT5 handles requests differently and does not show this error. See MT4 vs MT5 and MQL4 and MQL5.
Frequent questions
Where can I see the full error text?
In the Journal tab of the Toolbox. EA messages appear in the Experts tab.
Why does my order work on demo but not on a real account?
Real and demo servers can have different symbol settings, sessions and execution. Compare the Specification of the symbol on both. Practice on a Demo account.
Does updating the terminal fix errors?
It fixes errors caused by outdated builds or server lists. It does not fix margin, session or stop distance errors.
Can I see my account but not trade?
Yes. That usually means you logged in with the investor password, or the symbol is close-only.
Is a requote a sign of a problem with my account?
No. Requotes come from price movement and execution type, not from the account itself.