EA not trading? A quick troubleshooting checklist

If your EA is on the chart but nothing is happening, work through this list — the cause is almost always one of these.

1. AutoTrading is on: the toolbar button should be green, not red.
2. The EA smiley face in the top-right of the chart is smiling (not an X).
3. 'Allow automated trading' is ticked in Tools → Options → Expert Advisors.
4. The market is open — many EAs won't trade on weekends or outside session hours.
5. Your account has enough free margin for the EA's lot size.
6. The EA's inputs (lot size, magic number, trading hours) are set correctly.
7. You're on the right symbol and timeframe the EA expects.
8. If the EA uses web requests, add the URL in Tools → Options → Expert Advisors → 'Allow WebRequest'.
9. Check the Experts and Journal tabs at the bottom for error messages.