What Are Indicators and How to Use Them on MT4?

A knowledgeable trader may have extensive market experience, adaptability, and patience. But without the skills to identify future price movements, their trading proficiencies go in vain. Thus, they need to know the right ways of implementing several analyses to excel in the current Forex market.

A major technical analysis is on demonstrating earlier market data and determining future behaviour. That's where the concept of indicators comes into the forefront. Indicators are nothing but the best way of analysing market trends. And many such indicators come free with MT4, better known as MetaTrader 4. But why are indicators so valuable?

This post elucidates the basics of indicators and the steps to use/add them on MT4. Dive into the given narration to learn more about them.

Why Are MT4 Indicators Valuable?

Many traders select MetaTrader 4 for trading. This platform provides them with ample opportunities to of skill levels. Some of them include the following:

ü  Innovative technical analysis

ü  Flexible trading system

ü  Algorithmic trading &Expert Advisors

ü  Mobile trading apps

Forex (or technical) indicators offer traders a more in-depth understanding of the market. This way, they can anticipate the direction the price will take in the near future. In short, it's a sort of metric with the value derived from the activity of the currency pair's price or other financial assets.

MT4 indicators are a part of technical analysis. Traders use them to anticipate the future levels of prices or price direction of any security. They do so by taking into account the previous patterns and market performance.

One quick note: Not all indicators are the same. Different MT4 indicators have different functions. So, they are suitable for trading strategies and styles.

So, before you understand the procedure of adding them to the platform, it is important to know about the types.

Understanding the Types of Indicators

To elucidate more about the indicator types, you must first know the file types. In short, there are two file types –.mq4 & .ex4 files. The .mq4 file is the text file that stores programming and the source code. A programmer uses the code to write an indicator. Unfortunately, these files do not get modified.

On the flip, one cannot edit the .ex4 files. Human eyes can read the.mq4 file,but MetaTrader cannot do so. That's why the .mq4 file gets converted into the .ex4 file so the MT4 can read and understand clearly. A trader needs both types of files. Note that these files cannot get modified. Now that you have understood the file types, here are the two types of MT4 indicators:

#1 Custom Indicators

You can add these indicators to the MT4 platform manually. They are unique and get created by adding, changing, and modifying default indicator codes. To create them, it is essentialto consider a few parameters that impact the Forex market trends. Take the example of price action, news, and more.

After traders create them, they use them to analyse the current and past rates and prices of currency pairs, stocks, commodities, and more.

#2 Built-in Indicators

Next, there are built-in indicators. These are standard and are available by default with the broker's platform. Note that the MT4 platform comprises different valuable built-in indicators. Some of them include Bear Power, Bulls Power, moving averages, Parabolic SAR, and stochastic, to mention a few.

Traders use these indicators to make custom indicators. What they do is modify a few codes depending on the market requirements and traders' preferences.

Using Built-In Indicators on the MT4 Platform: Steps to Follow

Do you want to use built-in indicators on MT4? Then, you need to learn the given steps. The process is seamless, and you do not have to spend time downloading or adding any custom ones. Know more fx best brokers

Step 1: First, open MetaTrader 4 & choose "Insert"menu.

Step 2: Select the indicator you wish to use from your drop-down option. Note that the hands are available on the basis of the type.

Step 3: As soon as you choose the indicator, you need to set the parameters. Here, you may even change the line style &colour of the indicator.

Step 4: After finding the right indicator settings, you may click on the OK option to use it on your platform.

Adding Custom Indicators to MT4: Steps to Follow

Before you use the custom indicators, all you need is to understand how to install the indicators on the MT4 platform. Then, the given steps will help you installand add your preferred indicator to MT4:

Step 1: Firstly, you must download your custom indicator. As soon as the download is over, all you need is to find the folder where the downloaded took place. Usually, these files get stored in the Downloaded folder.

Step 2: You need to open the MT4 platform and choose the file atop the menu. After this, visit the drop-down menu. From there, you need to select the "open data folder." Soon after you click on it, the MT4 folder gets opened, where the files get stored.

Step 3: Now is the right time to open the MQL4 folder.

Step 4: Soon after the folder opens, you need to click on the folder that mentions: Indicators.

Step 5: Once it gets done, now is the right time to restart MT4. Alternatively, you can also refresh the list in the Navigator panel.

Now that you have learned the steps to use and add indicators on MT4, you can perform the job accordingly. Hopefully, this post has illustrated the right method of using built-in indicators on the platform. Alternatively, you can add customised ones on the platform by following the critical steps.

But remember one thing before you start using or adding indicators on the platform. What qualifies as the most excellent indicator varies greatly depending on certain aspects. Some of them include trading strategy, trading style, and situations. So, practising on your demo account is a better move before using the technical indicators. Embark on this innovative trading journey only after learning the market trends and strategies. Know about more Metatrader 5