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MetaTrader4 is a powerful trading platform that offers traders a wide range of technical tools and features. Rightly so, it is arguably the most popular trading platform among traders offered by forex and CFD brokers. But to be able to really master the platform and speed up your workflow process, you should get familiar with MT4 keyboard shortcuts.
In this article, we’ll tell you all the MT4 hotkeys you need in order to trade smarter. So, let’s jump in!
What is included in this blog post:
Why Use MT4 Shortcuts When Trading?
For us traders, time is literally money; every second counts. With the highly volatile nature of the forex market and financial markets in general, you must be fast and learn the features and functionality of your trading platform to be a successful day trader. So, making the most of your time can differentiate between a profitable trade and a missed opportunity, and a failing or a successful trading experience.
That’s where MT4 shortcuts come in. Like any other software, using these hotkeys allow you to perform a range of functions in MetaTrader 4 quickly and efficiently. Instead of navigating to the menu or clicking on several buttons, you can simply use a shortcut to get your desired result.
Whether placing a trade, analyzing charts, or managing your account, MetaTrader hotkeys can save you a lot of hassle and unnecessary errors when trading forex or CFDs. It can also speed up your workflow process and, ultimately, improve your forex trading performance.
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Top MT4 Hacks and Shortcuts You Need to Know (Video)
First, watch this video made by our trading coaches to learn more about MT4 hacks and shortcuts to improve your trading performance.
54 of the Most Useful MT4 Shortcuts
Here are all the most useful MetaTrader keyboard shortcuts you can use to improve your trading performance.
Chart Management Hotkeys
| Hotkey | Function |
| ← (Leftwards) | Scroll the chart to the left |
| → (Rightwards) | Scroll the chart to the right |
| ↑ (Upwards) | Fast scroll the chart to the left, and if the scale is defined, scroll the chart up |
| ↓ (Downwards) | Fast scroll the chart to the right, and if the scale is defined, scroll the chart down |
| Page Up | Fast scroll the chart to the left to fit the screen width |
| Page Dn | Fast scroll the chart to the right to fit the screen width |
| F12 | Move the chart by one candlestick/bar to the left |
| Shift+F12 | Move the chart by one candlestick/bar to the right |
| Home | Fast scroll the chart to the oldest (first) candlestick |
| End | Move the chart to the current point |
| Num 5 | Reset the vertical scale, hence, restore the automatic chart scale. If the scale is defined, the chart will get back into the visible range |
Chart Layout Customization Hotkeys
| Hotkey | Function |
| “‒” (minus) | Chart zoom out |
| “+” (plus) | Chart zoom in |
| Alt+1 | Displays bar chart |
| Alt+2 | Displays candlestick chart |
| Alt+3 | Displays broken line chart |
| Ctrl+G | Display/hide the grid on the chart |
| Ctrl+H | Display/hide OHLC data in the upper left chart corner |
| Ctrl+L | Display/hide trading volume sub chart |
| Ctrl+Y | Display/hide period separators |
| Ctrl+A | Resets indicator windows height to the default |
Common / Navigation Hotkeys
| Hotkey | Function |
| Delete | Deletes all selected graphical objects |
| Backspace | Deletes the last selected object from the chart |
| Enter | Show/hide the fast navigation window on the left corner of the chart |
| Esc | Closes the dialog window. |
| Ctrl+C | Use it to copy any action to clipboard |
| Ctrl+Z | Use it to undo any action |
| Alt+F4 | Closes the MT4 client terminal |
Other Useful MT4 Hotkeys and Shortcuts
| Hotkey | Function |
| F1 | Open the MT4 User Guide |
| F2 | Open the History Center window |
| F3 | Open the Global Variables window |
| F4 | Launch MetaEditor, which is an editor of indicators and EAs |
| F6 | Open the Strategy Tester window, to test the expert attached to the chart window |
| F7 | Open the customization menu of the attached EA on the current chart |
| F8 | Open the chart properties window |
| F9 | Open a New Order window |
| F10 | Open the Market Watch window |
| F11 | Enable/disable full-screen mode |
| Alt + A | Copy EA testing/optimization result and copy into the clipboard |
| Alt + W | Open the chart managing window |
| Ctrl + B | Open the Object List window |
| Ctrl + E | Enable/disable Expert Advisor |
| Ctrl + F | Enable/disable the crosshair tool |
| Ctrl + I | Open the indicators list window – tells you the list of active indicators |
| Ctrl + P | Print the selected chart |
| Ctrl + S | Save the selected chart data as CSV, PRN, and HTM files |
| Ctrl + W | Close the selected chart window |
| Ctrl + D | Open the Data Window menu |
| Ctrl + M | Open or close the Market Watch window |
| Ctrl + N | Open or close the Navigator window |
| Ctrl + O | Open or close the Setup window |
| Ctrl + R | Open or close the Strategy Tester window |
| Ctrl + T | Open or close the Terminal window to view account balance and open positions |
| Ctrl + F6 | Activate the next chart windows |
| Ctrl + F5 | Switch account to the next profile |
| Shift + F5 | Switch back to the previous profile |
Final Word
In summary, using MT4 hotkeys can save you time and effort by allowing you to access frequently used commands quickly. And in trading, as you might know, time is worth money. Ultimately, learning how to use shortcuts can help streamline your trading workflow and allow you to focus on your analysis.
To learn more about MT4, we suggest you visit our guide on how to backtest your forex trading strategy, and our guide on how to use the Fibonacci retracement tool. You can also visit our introduction course on MT4, and how to install MT4 on Windows and Mac.
And, best of all, you can use our MT4 trading simulator that enables you to directly on a browser without having to register or open an account.
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