MT5 alerts: set price alerts in MetaTrader 5 and MT4

What a price alert does

A price alert is a rule you save in the terminal: "tell me when this symbol's price crosses this level." When the condition is met, MetaTrader plays a sound, sends a push message to your phone or sends an email.

An alert does not open or close a trade. If you want the platform to act at a price, use pending orders or stop loss and take profit.

Desktop alerts are checked by your own terminal. They work only while that terminal is running and connected to the trading server. If you close MetaTrader or your PC goes to sleep, the alerts stop working.

How to set a price alert in MT5

From the Toolbox

1. Open MetaTrader 5 on desktop.
2. Open the Toolbox window with Ctrl+T, or use View → Toolbox.
3. Go to the Alerts tab.
4. Right-click inside the tab and choose Create.
5. Fill in the alert window:
   • Action: Sound, File, Mail or Notification.
   • Symbol: for example XAUUSD.
   • Condition: for example Bid >, Bid <, Ask >, Ask <, Last > or Last <. Time and volume conditions are also available.
   • Value: the price level.
   • Source: the sound or file to run, if you chose those actions.
   • Expiration, Maximum iterations and Timeout: when the alert ends, how many times it may fire, and the pause between repeats.
6. Click OK.

The alert now appears in the list. To pause it without deleting it, right-click it and turn it off. You can edit or delete it from the same menu.

From the chart

You can also right-click a price level on the chart and use the trading menu to add an alert. MetaTrader pre-fills that price. An alert line then appears on the chart, and you can drag the line to change the level. Menu names can differ slightly between builds. If you cannot find this option, use the Toolbox method.

MT4 price alert

In MetaTrader 4, the steps are almost the same:

1. Open the Terminal window with Ctrl+T.
2. Go to the Alerts tab.
3. Right-click inside the tab and choose Create.

MT4 offers fewer conditions: Bid, Ask and Time. The actions are the same: Sound, File, Mail and Notification.

Push notifications to your phone (MetaQuotes ID)

1. Install the MetaTrader mobile app from the official app store. See mobile apps.
2. In the app, open the settings or messages section and copy your MetaQuotes ID.
3. On desktop, go to Tools → Options → Notifications.
4. Tick Enable Push Notifications and paste the ID. You can add several IDs, separated by commas.
5. Click Test and check that the message arrives on your phone.
6. In each alert, set the Action to Notification.

Push messages still come from the desktop terminal. The terminal must stay running for them to be sent.

Email alerts

1. Go to Tools → Options → Email and tick Enable.
2. Enter your mail provider's SMTP server, your login and an app password, if your provider requires one. Then enter the sender and recipient addresses.
3. Click Test to send a test message.
4. In each alert, set the Action to Mail.

Many email providers block standard passwords for SMTP. Check your provider's help pages for the correct server and access settings.

Common problems

• The alert did not fire: check that the terminal was online, the alert was enabled, and the condition used the right price. Bid and Ask can differ, especially when spreads widen.
• The alert fired once and stopped: raise Maximum iterations, or create the alert again.
• No push message arrived: check the MetaQuotes ID and run the test again. If the problem continues, see MetaTrader errors.

Risk note

An alert is a reminder, not protection. Price can gap past your level before you react. Leveraged forex and CFD trading can lose money fast. Read risk management before relying on alerts to manage open positions. Pakistani residents should also read law and regulators: per the SECP, offshore platforms have no Pakistani licence or oversight and offer no legal protection or recourse.

Frequent questions

Do MT5 alerts work when the terminal is closed?

No. Desktop alerts are checked by your running terminal. To get alerts at all times, keep the terminal running on a PC or a remote server.

Can I set a price alert in the MT5 mobile app?

The mobile app receives push notifications sent by the desktop terminal. Create the alert on desktop and set its action to Notification.

Where do I find my MetaQuotes ID?

It is shown in the settings or messages section of the MetaTrader mobile app. Copy it into Tools → Options → Notifications on desktop.

Can an alert place a trade for me?

No. Use pending orders for that, or Expert Advisors if you automate your trading.

Is there a shortcut to open the alerts list?

Ctrl+T opens the Toolbox in MT5 and the Terminal window in MT4. For more shortcuts, see keyboard shortcuts.