How to Add an Indicator to MT5
BY TIOmarkets
|June 8, 2026Technical indicators are mathematical calculations applied to chart data to help traders analyse trend, momentum, volatility, and potential reversal points. MetaTrader 5 includes thirty-eight built-in indicators, eight more than MetaTrader 4, and supports custom indicators written in MQL5. Adding an indicator to a chart takes a few clicks.
This article explains what an indicator is in MT5, the categories of built-in indicators available, three methods of adding one to a chart, how to configure its settings, how to modify or remove it, and how to add custom indicators including those from the MQL5 Market.
What Is an Indicator in MT5?
An indicator is a mathematical function applied to price or volume data and displayed either directly on the chart or in a separate sub-window below it. Common examples include Moving Averages, which smooth price action to reveal trend direction; the Relative Strength Index, which measures the magnitude of recent price changes; and Bollinger Bands, which plot volatility-adjusted envelopes around a moving average.
In MT5, indicators are displayed on a chart of a specific symbol and timeframe. MT5 supports twenty-one timeframes (compared to nine in MT4), so the same indicator can be configured and viewed across a wider range of intervals. The same indicator can also be added multiple times to the same chart with different parameter settings.
Built-In Indicators in MT5
MT5 includes thirty-eight built-in indicators, organised into the same five categories used in MT4 but with additional indicators in each.
Trend indicators identify the direction and strength of a price trend. This category includes Moving Average, Bollinger Bands, Parabolic SAR, Ichimoku Kinko Hyo, and several additional moving average variants that are unique to MT5.
Oscillators measure momentum or rate of change. This category includes the Relative Strength Index, Moving Average Convergence Divergence, Stochastic Oscillator, Commodity Channel Index, Williams Percent Range, and additional oscillator types not available in MT4.
Volume indicators measure trading activity, using tick volume in markets without exchange-reported volume data.
Bill Williams indicators are a set of tools developed by trader Bill Williams, including the Alligator, the Awesome Oscillator, and Fractals.
Custom indicators are indicators added to MT5 from outside its standard library, either purchased through the MQL5 Market, downloaded from third-party sources, or written by the user in MQL5.
How to Add an Indicator to a Chart in MT5
The three main methods for adding an indicator to a chart in MT5 are similar to those in MT4, with minor interface differences.
The first is from the Navigator window. Open the Navigator with Ctrl+N if it is not already visible. Expand the Indicators section. The full list of built-in indicators is displayed, organised by category. Drag any indicator onto the target chart, or double-click to apply it to the active chart.
The second is from the Insert menu. Click Insert > Indicators in the top menu bar, then navigate through the categories and click the indicator you want. It is applied to the currently active chart.
The third is via the chart's right-click menu. Right-click anywhere on the chart, select Indicators List from the context menu (or press Ctrl+I), then click Add. A dialog opens listing all available indicators by category.
After selecting an indicator using any of these methods, MT5 displays a settings window where you can configure parameters before the indicator is added to the chart.
Configuring Indicator Settings
The settings window in MT5 organises options into several tabs.
The Parameters tab contains the indicator's core inputs. For a Moving Average, this includes Period (the number of bars used), Shift (how far the indicator is offset from its bar in time), Method (Simple, Exponential, Smoothed, or Linear Weighted), and Applied To (the price series, typically Close).
The Levels tab is available for indicators that support reference lines, such as oscillators. For RSI, common defaults are 70 and 30 to mark overbought and oversold zones; for Stochastic, common defaults are 80 and 20.
The Visualisation tab controls which timeframes the indicator is displayed on. By default, an indicator appears on all timeframes; you can restrict this if needed.
A Style tab or panel controls colours, line thickness, and dash patterns.
Click OK to apply the indicator with the chosen settings.
Common starting points for several popular indicators are RSI with a period of 14 and reference levels at 70 and 30, MACD with periods 12, 26, and 9, Bollinger Bands with a period of 20 and a deviation of 2 standard deviations, ATR with a period of 14, and ADX with a period of 14. These are the standard defaults; they can be adjusted to fit different strategies and market conditions.
Modifying or Removing an Indicator
To modify an existing indicator, double-click its line or shape on the chart. The settings window reopens for changes.
Alternatively, press Ctrl+I or right-click the chart and select Indicators List. The dialog shows every indicator currently applied to the chart. Select the indicator you want to change and click Edit, or click Delete to remove it. You can also right-click an indicator directly on the chart and select Delete Indicator from the context menu.
Adding Custom Indicators
MT5 supports custom indicators written in MQL5. These are .ex5 files placed in a specific folder so that MT5 can locate them.
To install a custom indicator, open the MT5 data folder via File > Open Data Folder. Navigate to the MQL5 subfolder, then to the Indicators subfolder inside it. Copy the .ex5 file into this folder. Restart MT5 or right-click the Indicators section in the Navigator window and select Refresh. The custom indicator then appears under Indicators > Custom in the Navigator and can be applied to a chart using any of the standard methods.
The MQL5 Market, accessible through the MT5 platform itself (Tools > MQL5.com > Market, or the Market tab in the Toolbox window), offers a catalogue of indicators developed by third-party authors. The MQL5 Market is a MetaQuotes service available to MT5 users with a free MQL5 community account. Some indicators are free and others are paid. Buying or renting through the marketplace installs the indicator into the data folder automatically.
Custom indicators depend on the MT5 platform being open to receive live updates. As with any third-party code, consider the source and quality of any custom indicator before installing.
Saving Your Setup with Templates and Profiles
Once a chart is configured with your preferred indicators, MT5 lets you save the setup as a template or profile.
A template saves the indicators, drawings, and styling of a single chart. To save one, right-click the chart and select Template > Save Template. To apply the template to another chart, right-click and choose Template > Load Template. The Default template is applied automatically to any new chart.
A profile saves the layout of multiple charts at once, including the templates applied to each. Profiles are managed via File > Profiles. Profiles are useful when switching between different trading setups, such as one profile for forex day trading and another for index swing trading.
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Behind every blog post lies the combined experience of the people working at TIOmarkets. We are a team of dedicated industry professionals and financial markets enthusiasts committed to providing you with trading education and financial markets commentary. Our goal is to help empower you with the knowledge you need to trade in the markets effectively.
