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MT4/MT5: Install Expert Advisor (EA)

To use a third-party Expert Advisor (EA), you must first install it on MetaTrader4 (MT4) / MetaTrader5 (MT5) by saving the EA file to the "Experts" folder of MT4/MT5 and refreshing the EA list.

Here we will look at how to install an Expert Advisor (EA) on MT4/MT5.

Switch between MT4/MT5 tabs to check the steps for each.

Step 1

Click "File" in the menu and select "Open Data Folder".

Step 2

Open the "MQL4" folder.

Step 3

Open the "Experts" folder.

Step 4

Save the Expert Advisor (EA) you wish to install in the "Experts" folder. The file extension of the Expert Advisor (EA) will be either ".ex4" or ".mq4".

MQ4 files need compilation

Files with the "mq4" extension are EA source code files, which need to be compiled into "ex4" files.

Step 5

Right-click on "Expert Advisors" in the Navigator and click "Refresh".

Step 6

Once the EA is installed, you will see its name under "Expert Advisors" in the Navigator. Apply it to the chart by double-clicking or dragging.

Step 7

Set up the EA and click "OK".

Related article: Configure EA/indicator settings

Step 8

The EA will be applied to the chart.

Step 1

Click "File" in the menu and select "Open Data Folder".

Step 2

Open the "MQL5" folder.

Step 3

Open the "Experts" folder.

Step 4

Save the Expert Advisor (EA) you wish to install in the "Experts" folder. The file extension of the Expert Advisor (EA) is ".ex5".

MQ5 files need compilation

Files with the "mq5" extension are EA source code files, which need to be compiled into "ex5" files.

Step 5

Right-click on "Expert Advisors" in the Navigator and click "Refresh".

Step 6

Once the EA is installed, you will see its name under "Expert Advisors" in the Navigator. Apply it to the chart by double-clicking or dragging.

Step 7

Set up the EA and click "OK".

Related article: Configure EA/indicator settings

Step 8

The EA will be applied to the chart.

Created

: 2022.10.19

Last updated

: 2026.03.18

Writer

Takayoshi Nakamaru

Manual production consultant, MBA

Nakamaru is a manual production consultant at FINTECS, a company that specializes in creating manuals for their clients.
With a wide range of experience from fintech to entertainment, he presents what user-friendly manuals should be like.
He works with numerous large corporations as an external manual production project manager.

【Business information】
http://www.fintecs.co.jp/profile/

Supervisor

Akira Takagi

Systems engineer, MetaTrader administrator

After graduating from Computer Science at the Uninove, Brazil, in 2014, he has worked on various systems development projects.
He participated as a developer in the launch of forex services in 2019. Since then, he has also been involved in the development of MetaTrader plugins and APIs. He is certified by MetaQuotes as a MetaTrader5 Administrator and active in consulting and advisory as well.

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MT4/MT5: Modify EA/indicator settings

2025.11.05 2026.03.18

On MetaTrader 4 (MT4) / MetaTrader 5 (MT5), you can customize the settings of Expert Advisors (EAs) and indicators applied to charts, supporting your trading strategy or visual preferences.

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On MT4/MT5, you can install indicators of your choice aside from the pre-installed technical indicators. The indicators installed by users are called custom indicators.

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You can perform backtests on automated trading programs known as Expert Advisor (EA) using MT4/MT5's Strategy Tester feature. Here we will look at how to perform Expert Advisor (EA) backtests on MT4/MT5.

MT4/MT5: Save Expert Advisor (EA) testing report

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Here we will look at how to save an Expert Advisor (EA) testing report on MT4/MT5. With MT4/MT5's Strategy Tester feature, you can save a result of the Expert Advisor (EA) backtest.

MT4/MT5: Create Expert Advisor (EA)

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On MT4/MT5, you use a programming tool called MetaEditor and a dedicated language called MQL4 or MQL5 to create an Expert Advisor (EA).

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