Installing an Expert Advisor (EA) on MT4/MT5

An Expert Advisor is an automated trading program for MetaTrader. Running it on your VPS means it trades 24/7, even when your own computer is off.

1. Copy the EA into MetaTrader

1. In MT4/MT5 open File → Open Data Folder.
2. Go into MQL4/Experts (MT4) or MQL5/Experts (MT5).
3. Copy your .ex4/.ex5 (or .mq4/.mq5) file there.
4. Back in MetaTrader, right-click 'Expert Advisors' in the Navigator and choose Refresh.

2. Enable automated trading

1. Click the 'AutoTrading' (or 'Algo Trading') button in the toolbar — it should turn green.
2. In Tools → Options → Expert Advisors, tick 'Allow automated trading'.

3. Attach the EA to a chart

1. Open a chart for the symbol you want to trade.
2. Drag your EA from the Navigator onto the chart.
3. In the dialog, confirm 'Allow automated trading' and set your inputs, then click OK.
4. A smiley face in the top-right of the chart means the EA is active.