MT5 (Windows) Platform Overview

This article introduces the basic structure of MT5 (MetaTrader 5) for Windows. You can get an overview of what you can do in each section.

Basic Structure of MT5

① Menu bar
② Toolbar
③ Market Watch
④ Navigator
⑤ Toolbox
⑥ Charts

Overview of Each MT5 Section

① Menu Bar

The menu bar at the top of MT5. You can perform most basic operations from this menu bar.
The menu bar is divided into seven sections:
"File": Used to create new charts, access the data folder, log in to your trading account, and more.
"View": Lets you switch the content displayed in MT5, change the language, and perform similar operations.
"Insert": Used to add indicators, objects (such as lines), Expert Advisors (EAs), and scripts to a chart.
"Charts": Used when configuring chart-related settings.
"Tools": Used to display the Options window or launch MetaEditor, which edits MQL5, the MT5 programming language.
"Window": Lets you adjust the arrangement and resolution of windows.
"Help": Displays the help screen, connects to the MetaQuotes website, lets you check version information, and more.

② Toolbar

Most operations can be performed from the menu bar (①), but the operations considered to be used most frequently are turned into icons and grouped in this toolbar, so you can perform them quickly.
You can also customize which items appear in the toolbar to suit your own needs.

③ Market Watch

Market Watch is mainly used to display the rates of trading symbols. You can switch how rates are displayed by changing the tabs at the bottom.
The "Symbols" tab lets you check the bid, ask, high, and low of trading symbols, while the "Details" tab lets you check detailed data. The "Trading" tab displays the one-click trading panel, and the "Ticks" tab lets you view a real-time tick chart.

④ Navigator

In the Navigator, you can easily switch between live and demo accounts, and conveniently manage technical indicators, EAs, scripts, and more.
For easy management, indicators, EAs, and similar items are organized into folders. Simply double-click an indicator or EA, or drag and drop it directly onto a chart, to add it to the selected chart.

⑤ Toolbox

In the Toolbox, you can use different functions by switching the tabs at the bottom.
The Toolbox contains a variety of tools, but you mainly use the "Trade" tab to manage open positions and pending orders, and the "History" tab to check your trading history. You also use the "Calendar" to check economic indicators and the "Code Base" to install indicators and EAs developed by MetaQuotes.

⑥ Charts

The chart area is where charts are displayed, and the tabs at the bottom show all open charts (including minimized ones). You can select a specific chart by clicking its tab, and double-click a tab to maximize the chart or restore it to its original size.