Advanced Tools and Practical Tips for MT5

The MQL5 Market is the official store for Indicators, Expert Advisors (EAs), and Utilities integrated with MT5.

How to access:

MT5: Toolbox → Market tab; or via the MQL5 website.

Safe evaluation:

• Vendor credibility: Check ratings, reviews, update history, and support responsiveness.
• Transparency: Look for clear parameter docs, change logs, and realistic performance statements (avoid "guaranteed profit").
• Permissions: Verify if DLL/WebRequest are required (see Lesson 8 — enable only if necessary).
• Trial options: Many products offer free demo/testing; use Strategy Tester (Lesson 9) before purchasing.

Install:

Click "Install" (for free/demo) or "Buy/Rent" (paid). The product appears under Navigator (Indicators/EAs/Utilities).

Updates:

Installed via Market; keep your tools current.

Keep EAs and Signals running when your PC is off. Improves uptime and reduces interruptions.

How to register:

In Navigator, right-click your account → Register a Virtual Server; or Tools → Options → Community and follow prompts.

Migrate:

• Attach your EAs/indicators to charts locally first.
• Right-click account → Migrate → choose what to transfer (Experts, Indicators, Signals, Settings).
• Verify migration status in the Journal (local) and VPS logs.

Costs and plans:

Monthly subscription via MetaQuotes; choose the data center closest to your broker's server for lower latency.

Maintenance:

• Changes to charts/Inputs require re-migration to VPS.
• Keep both terminal and EAs updated; plan restarts during off-hours.

Copy trades from successful signal providers directly in MT5.

Where:

MT5: Toolbox → Signals tab; or MQL5 website → Signals.

How to evaluate:

• Equity curve stability, max drawdown, lifetime, number of subscribers, broker compatibility, and trade frequency.
• Risk factors: leverage differences, symbol mapping, slippage/latency, lot scaling.
• Costs: free vs paid subscription; check terms and renewal.

How to subscribe:

1. Open a Signal page.
2. Click Subscribe and choose your account (preferably demo first).
3. Configure risk: percent of balance to allocate, copy Stop Loss usage, max slippage, and volume scaling.
4. Confirm and monitor via Journal/Experts; verify copied trades and SL/TP behavior.

Unsubscribe/stop:

Signals tab → Unsubscribe; close positions if needed as per your plan.

Organize your charts and layouts for efficient trading workflows.

Templates (single chart setup):

• Right-click chart → Templates → Save Template… Create specialized templates (e.g., "scalping.tpl", "swing.tpl").
• Apply to any chart to replicate indicators/colors/objects quickly.

Profiles (entire workspace):

• File → Profiles → Save Profile… Save sets of multiple charts and layouts (e.g., "London-session", "EA-monitoring").
• Switch instantly between profiles without re-creating layouts.

Quick tips:

• Use distinct color schemes per profile to avoid confusion.
• Standardize hotkeys and toolbar layouts for speed (see Lesson 2 and Lesson 3).

Portability:

Data Folder paths: templates in MQL5\Profiles\Templates; profiles in MQL5\Profiles. Copy these folders to back up or move to another machine.

Protect your setup with proper security practices and regular backups.

Security:

• Never share passwords or investor passwords publicly. Use password managers.
• Keep DLL imports disabled unless absolutely required (Lesson 8). Whitelist WebRequest URLs explicitly.
• Verify Market vendors; avoid tools demanding excessive permissions.
• Use a Windows user with minimal rights on VPS; enable OS firewall and updates.

Updates:

• Keep MT5, EAs, and Windows updated; plan maintenance windows.
• Maintain versioned .set files for EAs and log changes (what/when/why).

Backups:

• Regularly back up the entire Data Folder (File → Open Data Folder). Include MQL5, Profiles, Templates, Logs.
• Store backups off-machine (cloud drive) and keep at least two versions.
• For quick recovery: document your restore steps (install MT5 → restore folders → refresh Navigator → re-migrate to VPS).