This tutorial covers indicator installation for MetaTrader 4. If you need info on how to install MetaTrader 5 indicators, please, read my Indicator Tutorial for MetaTrader 5.
There are many free MetaTrader indicators available
1. Download custom MT4 indicator and save it to the ’indicators’ folder inside the ’experts’ folder inside your MetaTrader’s installation folder:
2. If it’s already compiled (.ex4 file) then fine, if not (.mql file) — double click it with your mouse and it will be opened in MQL editor (this editor is standard for every MetaTrader 4); click the ’Compile’ button at the center top of the editor window — the indicator will be compiled and ready to be attached. There might be some errors or warnings during the compilation, but in most cases there shouldn’t be any. You can try and fix those errors, but usually it takes some time and programming skills to do this.
3. After you get the .ex4 file in your indicators folder (through compilation or download), you can start using it with your MetaTrader platform. All you have to do is to attach it to the chart. If you know what you are doing you might also want to change some of the indicator’s input parameters.
OK. Now you can enjoy your new MT4 indicator and hopefully — better Forex trading results.

October 22nd, 2008 at 7:52 pm
when i follow these instructions to compile i always get a pop up that says compiler could not be opened. tried with several files and they all do the same thing. Please advise thanks
▼Reply
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Bob.
What a strange error. Maybe your MT4 wasn’t installed properly. Try re-installing it or download it from a different broker.
▼Reply
July 4th, 2009 at 4:33 am
pls how long does the compilation process take
▼Reply
Andrei Reply:
July 4th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Almost instantly.
▼Reply
Carl Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 2:51 am
ok.. thanks
▼Reply
July 16th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
is it possible to have a begginer indicator with an alert? your help will be appreciated guys
▼Reply
Andrei Reply:
July 16th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Please, ask all Beginner related questions in its dedicated forum:
http://www.earnforex.com/forum/f12/beginner-5/
▼Reply
August 10th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
You’re confusing people by giving them too much information by telling them they have to install mq4 files and then open the editor and compile them. The platform will do this automatically when the mq4 file is used for the first time.
▼Reply
Andrei Reply:
August 10th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Yeah, but if there are compilation errors in the code they won’t even know it.
▼Reply
September 20th, 2009 at 2:22 am
Compiled a mq4 with no error, but where’s the ex4? don’t see it showing on my custom indicator column?
▼Reply
Andrei Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 8:09 am
Did you put it in experts/indicators folder? Did you restart MT4 after compiling it?
▼Reply
November 2nd, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Thank you for the indicators and the valuable information that you have provided on your website. I tried installation of the fisher indicator you have provided on your website for the MT5 platform, however was not able to get it to work, infact I wasnt able to see it in my Navigator column. Could you please let me know how once installs it on the MT5 platform. Thanks in advance.
PS: I saved the MT5 fisher indicator to the C:\Program files\Metatrader5\MQL5\Indicators\Examples
Am I doing it right or do I need to save it in some other folder
▼Reply
Andrei Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 4:58 pm
For MT5 you have to save Fisher indicator (.mq5 file) into C:\Program files\Metatrader5\MQL5\Indicators\Fisher\
Then restart MT5.
▼Reply
November 2nd, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Thanks Andrei, got it. Have a great day
▼Reply
November 3rd, 2009 at 6:20 am
Hi Andrei, I have tried to download the resistance and support indicators.however when ever I unzip the files, I cant open them. it looks like when you have a word document but microsoft office is not installed in your PC. Kindly help me out as I need this very urgently.Many thanks in advance
▼Reply
Andrei Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:19 am
You don’t need to open any files. Just unzip them into experts\indicators\ folder of your MetaTrader 4 terminal folder and restart MetaTrader. But, judging from your description (the type of files isn’t recognized), you don’t have MT4 installed. And you won’t be able to use any of MT4 indicators without installing MT4 platform.
▼Reply
November 15th, 2009 at 10:43 am
It work for me really well,thanks man!
▼Reply
Andrei Reply:
December 4th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
I am glad that it’s useful.
▼Reply
February 9th, 2010 at 3:11 am
I followed the instruction and I can see the price alert ea in the navigator box but I cant drag it into the chart to set price alerts, can some one please help me? Not sure If I’m doing it right. Thank you!
▼Reply
Andrei Reply:
February 9th, 2010 at 8:29 am
Actually you shouldn’t be seeing an EA, because it’s an indicator. Are you sure that you’ve copied it to “experts/indicators” folder of your MT4?
▼Reply
August 11th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
pls i can not be able to install this fisher indicator pls, i need easy procedure that it can thought me easily frm begining their insallation.pls i need the indicator urgently.
▼Reply
Andrei Reply:
August 11th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
What step you can’t understand?
▼Reply
August 16th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
pls from the starting of d installation
▼Reply
Andrei Reply:
August 16th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Just follow the tutorial.
▼Reply
September 5th, 2010 at 1:48 am
i tried to install the metatrader 4 trading assistant indicator, but instead of getting the parameters showing buy and sell notification, i got drawn line signals. so i don’t know what could be wrong, please help me resolve this. thanks
▼Reply
December 31st, 2010 at 3:00 am
Hey Andrei
A quick question regarding Amazing EA
Does my computer need to be switched on for it to operate?
If I want it to trade with comp switched of do I need to set my entries before I shut down?
Thanks
Drew
▼Reply
admin Reply:
December 31st, 2010 at 8:16 am
It won’t work if you turn off your computer. You should use VPS hosting to host your MetaTrader platform with an expert advisor if you want it to work with your own computer switched off.
▼Reply
May 29th, 2011 at 10:15 am
How can i attach alert to beginner?
Seceondly, I find that beginner triger after the seconld bar , is that how it works?
▼Reply
admin Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 11:06 am
There’s a separate thread in the forum about Beginner indicator: http://www.earnforex.com/forum/f12/beginner-5/
▼Reply
November 14th, 2011 at 10:12 pm
I wnat to know about your indicators alsor for MACD BB BALL. Please call me any time at 818-792-8031
Thanks.
Sincerely,
Satnam Singh
▼Reply
December 3rd, 2011 at 8:47 pm
I tried downloading arroow magic indicator mt4
▼Reply
February 10th, 2012 at 7:24 pm
Very good manual, will try find in russian lang
▼Reply
May 23rd, 2012 at 2:53 am
gracias, me funciono…
▼Reply
admin Reply:
May 23rd, 2012 at 8:59 am
De nada.
▼Reply
June 2nd, 2012 at 3:24 am
I did what you instructed. It compiled with no error, but still it does not attach. what should i do next ?
▼Reply
admin Reply:
June 2nd, 2012 at 6:06 am
What do you mean “does not attach”? What happens when you try attaching it?
▼Reply
June 3rd, 2012 at 9:12 am
I copied the file to the indicators folder. When I press compile it just says compiling but nothing happens. It doesn’t create the ex4 file.
▼Reply
admin Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 9:31 am
Are you sure that you are compiling the file you’ve copied to indicators folder and not the one that is in some other folder?
▼Reply
June 3rd, 2012 at 3:10 pm
When I tried to change the file in other folder it created the .ex4 file. In indicators folder it does not even change the date of the modification when I modify the source file. I copied the .ex4 file from other folder to the indicators folder and this solved the problem.
▼Reply
July 17th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
It worked instantly! Thanks!
▼Reply
admin Reply:
July 17th, 2012 at 5:03 pm
You are welcome!
▼Reply
August 13th, 2012 at 3:45 am
This is the first time I have ever used MQL editor and within a few minutes I was using the indicator on my charts. Thanks so much.
▼Reply
admin Reply:
August 13th, 2012 at 7:25 am
You are welcome! I hope it wasn’t the last time too :-).
▼Reply
October 20th, 2012 at 12:20 pm
same here….Thank you so much…. we can only try….cant we??
▼Reply
December 27th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
How must I install dotted indicators in iPad? I already installed MetaTrader4 Platform now I only need to install dotted indicators(red & blue) How must I perform this as I tried and I downloaded a zip folder but it ddnt work.
▼Reply
admin Reply:
December 29th, 2012 at 3:14 pm
Custom indicators do not work on iPad version of MetaTrader 4.
▼Reply
March 12th, 2013 at 3:06 am
I have just installed the latest version of the Lot Size Calculator & NO pairs show the “ASK PRICE” – is that correct?
Cheers Peter
▼Reply
admin Reply:
March 12th, 2013 at 7:36 am
What is Lot Size Calculator?
▼Reply