How to Set a Sell Stop Order on MT4

A Sell Stop is one of the four pending order types on MetaTrader 4. It is an instruction to sell a specified volume of an instrument at or below a specified price, where the trigger price sits below the current market. Traders use Sell Stop orders to enter short positions on a downside breakout: if price falls through a support level, the Sell Stop fires and the short position opens.

This guide covers what a Sell Stop is, when traders use it, how to set one on MT4 using both the New Order dialog and the chart, how to configure stop loss, take profit, and expiry, the minimum distance rule that governs trigger placement, and how the order behaves once placed.

What Is a Sell Stop Order

A Sell Stop order tells the market: sell this volume at this price or worse, where "worse" means a lower price. The order is placed below the current bid and sits passively until the bid drops to the trigger price.

When the bid reaches the Sell Stop's price, the order executes as a market sell at that level, subject to any slippage. The Sell Stop is then removed from the pending list and appears in the Trade tab as a new open short position.

Sell Stop is distinct from:

Sell Limit, which sits above the current market and triggers when the bid rises to the limit price. Sell Limit is used to sell into resistance, expecting a reversal.

Buy Stop, which sits above the current market and triggers when the ask rises to the stop price. Buy Stop is used to enter long on an upside breakout.

Buy Limit, which sits below the current market and triggers when the ask drops to the limit price. Buy Limit is used to enter long on a pullback to support.

Sell Stop specifically expects price to break down through a level and continue lower, allowing entry into a short position at the level of confirmation.

When Traders Use Sell Stop Orders

Common scenarios for Sell Stop. These are descriptions of common practice, not advice.

Breakdown below support: if a chart shows price testing a support level and the trader expects a break, a Sell Stop placed just below that support triggers if the level fails.

Breakout-style entries on bearish setups: trend-following systems often use Sell Stops to participate in continuation moves once a level breaks.

Entry on rejection of a key zone: if price is approaching a level the trader expects to act as a ceiling, a Sell Stop below the current consolidation can capture the move if the rejection unfolds.

Range-bottom break: in a defined range, a Sell Stop placed just below the range low triggers if price breaks the range to the downside.

The mechanics below apply regardless of the technical reasoning.

How to Set a Sell Stop Order on MT4

MetaTrader 4 provides two main methods.

Method 1: New Order Dialog

Press F9, or click the New Order button on the Standard toolbar, or go to Tools > New Order. The Order dialog opens.

Set the Symbol to the instrument you want to trade. The default is the active chart's symbol.

In the Volume field, enter the lot size.

In the Type dropdown, switch from "Market Execution" to "Pending Order."

In the Type subfield, choose "Sell Stop."

In the "at price" field, enter the trigger price. The price must be below the current bid by at least the stops level distance.

Set the Stop Loss and Take Profit fields if you want them attached. For a Sell Stop, the SL sits above the trigger price (above the entry on a short), and the TP sits below.

Set the Expiry option. GTC (Good Till Cancelled) keeps the order active until filled or manually cancelled. Specified lets you pick a datetime after which the order is automatically cancelled.

Click Place.

If the order is accepted, it appears in the Terminal Trade tab as a Sell Stop row and on the chart as a dashed line at the trigger price (if "Show trade levels" is enabled).

Method 2: Right-Click the Chart

Right-click on the chart at the price level where you want to place the Sell Stop, and select Trading > Sell Stop from the context menu. The Order dialog opens with the trigger price pre-set. Adjust Volume, SL, TP, and expiry, then click Place.

This method is faster when the desired trigger price is already visible on the chart.

Brief Illustration

Assume EURUSD is currently trading at 1.0900, with the ask at 1.09010 and the bid at 1.09000. You see support at 1.0850 and expect a break of that level to lead to a continued decline.

A Sell Stop at 1.08500 would trigger if the bid drops to 1.08500. You might set the Stop Loss at 1.08800 (30 pips above the trigger, above the broken support level), the Take Profit at 1.07500 (100 pips below the trigger, at a deeper target), and the Expiry to GTC.

If support breaks, the order triggers and you enter short at the trigger level (subject to slippage). If price holds at support and bounces, the Sell Stop stays pending until either you cancel it, the market moves further away, or the expiry passes.

The Stops Level Rule

Each instrument has a minimum distance from the current market within which a Sell Stop cannot be placed. This is called the stops level. It also applies to the Stop Loss and Take Profit attached to the pending order.

To check the stops level, right-click the symbol in the Market Watch window (Ctrl+M to open if hidden) and select Specification. The Stops level field shows the minimum distance in points. On 5-digit pricing, which is standard at TIOmarkets, 1 pip = 10 points.

If your Sell Stop's trigger price is closer to the current bid than the stops level allows, MT4 rejects the placement. Other rejection reasons include: the trigger being on the wrong side of the market (above the current bid, which would mean immediate execution and is therefore not a valid Sell Stop); the market being closed; or a connection issue. The Journal tab in the Terminal logs the exact reason.

Verifying the Order

After successful placement, the Sell Stop appears in the Terminal Trade tab below your open positions, with its symbol, volume, open price (trigger price), SL, TP, and expiry. On the chart, the trigger price shows as a dashed line.

Modifying the order uses the right-click > Modify or Delete Order dialog. Cancelling uses the same dialog (Delete button) or right-click the dashed chart line and choose Delete.

Sell Stop Orders on MT4 Mobile

The MT4 mobile app supports pending orders. In Quotes (the mobile Market Watch), tap a symbol and select New Order. Set Type to Pending Order, choose Sell Stop, and enter trigger price, Volume, SL, TP, and expiry. The same stops level rule applies on mobile.

Practical Considerations

Sell Stop orders do not consume margin until they trigger. Margin is held only on open positions, not on pending orders. You can have multiple Sell Stops staged at different levels without tying up account margin in advance.

The maximum number of combined open positions and pending orders per client at TIOmarkets is 200. The maximum lot size per trade is 20.

Slippage can affect the fill price when a Sell Stop triggers during fast-moving markets or wide-spread conditions. A breakdown event may have widened the spread, and the trigger is based on the bid reaching the Sell Stop price; the fill is at the prevailing bid at that moment.

Demo accounts let you practise placing, modifying, and cancelling Sell Stops without financial risk. Confirm the workflow behaves as expected on demo before using it on live trades.

Trading at TIOmarkets

TIOmarkets offers MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 on desktop, web, and mobile, across four account types. The Standard account is created automatically on registration with a minimum deposit of $20 or currency equivalent. The Raw and VIP Black accounts are opened separately through the client area. The Nano account is MT5 only with a $20 minimum deposit, USD only. Hedging is supported on all accounts. A swap-free Islamic account is available; contact TIOmarkets for eligibility and instrument requirements. Copy trading is available on both MT4 and MT5.

Orders are executed at the best available market price, which may result in positive or negative slippage. Demo accounts often execute instantly and may not fully replicate live slippage conditions. Spreads are variable and are typically higher than minimum figures shown. Leverage on each instrument is subject to change depending on market conditions and applicable regulatory requirements. You can review the full list of account types on the TIOmarkets accounts page.