What chart setup covers
A chart in MetaTrader shows price over time for a symbol, such as a currency pair or XAUUSD. Chart setup means choosing:
- the timeframe, which is the period each candle or bar covers
- the chart type, which is how each period is drawn
- the look of the chart: colours, grid and volumes
- the movement of the chart: shift and auto-scroll
The steps below use the desktop version of MetaTrader 5. MetaTrader 4 works in a very similar way. Menu names can differ slightly between builds and languages. If an item is not where this page says, open the Help menu inside your terminal.
- Timeframes: one candle = one minute (M1) up to one day (D1).
- Symbol and timeframe of the chart.
- Candles: open, high, low and close of each period.
- Indicator drawn on the price, here a moving average.
- Price scale with the current price.
- Time scale, in the platform's server time.
- Indicator window below the chart, here RSI with levels 70 and 30.
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Switching timeframes
A timeframe sets how much time each candle or bar represents, from minutes up to a month.
To change it:
- Click the chart you want to change.
- Click a timeframe button on the Timeframes toolbar, or open Charts → Timeframes and pick a period.
- You can also right-click the chart and choose Timeframes.
MT5 has more timeframes than MT4, but not all of them appear on the toolbar by default. To add the missing ones, right-click the Timeframes toolbar, choose Customize, and add the periods you use.
MT4 timeframes are a fixed, shorter list of minute, hourly, daily, weekly and monthly periods. If you need an in-between period in MT4, you have to build it with a custom tool. MT5 offers it directly. For the full comparison, see MT4 vs MT5.
Change chart type in MT5
MetaTrader offers three chart types:
| Type | What it shows | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Candlesticks | Open, high, low and close, with a filled body | Reading price action and candlestick patterns |
| Bar chart | Open, high, low and close as a vertical line with side ticks | Same data in a more compact form |
| Line chart | A line joining closing prices | Seeing the general direction with less noise |
To change chart type in MT5:
- Select the chart.
- Open the Charts menu and choose Candlesticks, Bar Chart or Line Chart.
- Or use the matching buttons on the Standard or Charts toolbar.
The keyboard shortcuts for these switches are listed on our keyboard shortcuts page.
Reading a candlestick chart in MT5
On a candlestick chart in MT5, each candle has a body between the open and close prices and wicks (thin lines) to the high and low. A rising candle closes above its open. A falling candle closes below it. MT5 colours these differently, and you can choose the colours yourself.
Colours, grid and other display options
Right-click the chart and choose Properties. The window has several tabs.
Colours tab:
- Pick a ready-made colour scheme, or set your own colours.
- Set the background, foreground (axis text), grid, and the colours of rising and falling candles and bars.
- Set the Bid and Ask line colours.
Show tab (named Common in some builds):
- Turn the grid on or off.
- Show or hide volumes, the Ask line, the period separators and the OHLC line at the top-left.
- Turn chart shift and auto-scroll on or off here too.
Click OK to apply the settings. They apply only to that chart. To reuse a look on other charts, save it as a template. See templates and profiles.
Chart shift and auto-scroll
- Chart shift leaves an empty gap at the right edge, so the latest candle is not pressed against the price scale. You can drag the small triangle at the top of the chart to change the size of the gap.
- Auto-scroll moves the chart to the latest price when a new tick arrives. Turn it off when you want to scroll back through history without the chart jumping forward.
Both are available as toolbar buttons and in the Charts menu.
Working with multiple charts
- New chart: open File → New Chart and pick a symbol, or drag a symbol from Market Watch onto the chart area.
- Same symbol, different timeframes: open several charts of the same symbol and set a different timeframe on each.
- Arrange charts: use the Window menu and choose Tile Windows to place charts side by side, or Cascade to stack them.
- Switch charts: use the tabs at the bottom of the chart area.
- Save the layout: a profile stores all open charts and their settings. See templates and profiles.
After the charts are set up, you can add indicators or open a trade.
A clean chart helps you read price, but it does not reduce risk. Leveraged CFD and forex trading can lose money fast. Read risk management before trading with real funds.
Frequent questions
How do I make candlesticks the default for new charts?
Set up a chart with candlesticks and the colours you want. Save it as a template named "default". New charts will then open with that template.
Why does my chart keep jumping to the right?
Auto-scroll is on. Turn it off on the toolbar or in the Charts menu, then scroll back freely.
Where are the extra MT5 timeframes?
Right-click the Timeframes toolbar and choose Customize to add them. They are also listed under Charts → Timeframes.
Can I hide the grid?
Yes. Right-click the chart, open Properties, and turn off the grid on the Show (or Common) tab.
Do chart settings carry over between MT4 and MT5?
No. Each platform stores its own templates and profiles, so you need to set up charts in each one separately.
