The default MT5 chart setup works, but it is not optimized for readability or extended screen time. Customizing your MT5 chart colors, objects, and layouts is not cosmetic — it directly affects how quickly you can read price action, how accurately you can identify patterns, and how comfortably you can trade over long sessions. A clean, high-contrast chart with a consistent color scheme reduces visual fatigue and helps you process information faster.
This lesson covers every aspect of MT5 chart customization: changing colors, switching chart types, using drawing tools, saving templates, and organizing your workspace with profiles.
Changing MT5 Chart Colors
To access chart color settings:
- Right-click anywhere on a chart and select Properties, or press F8.
- Click the Colors tab in the Properties dialog.
Here you can customize every visual element of the chart:
| Setting | Controls | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Chart background color | A soft off-white or light gray reduces eye strain compared to pure white |
| Foreground | Axis labels and text | Dark gray or near-black for clear readability |
| Grid | Grid lines across the chart | Set to a very light color or match the background to hide the grid entirely — grid lines add clutter without analytical value |
| Bull candle | Body color of bullish (up) candles | A muted green (#2D6A4F) provides clear identification without visual harshness |
| Bear candle | Body color of bearish (down) candles | A muted burgundy (#9B4D4D) pairs well with muted green |
| Chart line | Color for line charts | Match your foreground color or use a slightly lighter shade |
| Volumes | Volume bar colors | A subtle gray keeps focus on price action |
| Ask line | The ask price line | A dotted light blue helps distinguish from bid without distraction |
Pro tip: After configuring colors you like, save them as a template immediately (covered below) so you never have to set them up again.
Switching Chart Types
MT5 supports three main chart types, accessible from the toolbar or by right-clicking the chart:
Candlestick charts are the most popular for forex trading. Each candle shows the open, high, low, and close for the period, providing the richest price information at a glance. Most technical analysis patterns are defined in terms of candlestick formations.
Bar charts (OHLC) display the same open, high, low, and close data as candlesticks but using horizontal ticks on a vertical line. Some traders prefer bars because they take up less visual space, allowing more price history on screen.
Line charts connect closing prices with a continuous line. They are the simplest view and are useful for identifying the overall trend direction without the noise of intra-period price movement. Line charts are particularly good for spotting support and resistance levels on higher timeframes.
Switch between types using the toolbar icons or by pressing Alt+1 (bars), Alt+2 (candles), or Alt+3 (line).
Using Drawing Tools
MT5 provides 44 graphical objects for annotating charts. Access them through the Insert → Objects menu or the drawing toolbar on the left side of the chart window.
Essential drawing tools for forex traders:
Trend lines — Click and drag to draw a line connecting swing highs or swing lows. Hold Shift while drawing to snap to a precise angle. Double-click a trend line to adjust its anchor points. Trend lines are fundamental for identifying the direction and boundaries of price trends.
Horizontal lines — Mark key support and resistance levels. These are the most-used drawing objects for many traders. Place them at price levels where you observe repeated rejections or breakouts.
Fibonacci retracement — Click from a swing low to a swing high (or vice versa) to automatically plot Fibonacci retracement levels (23.6%, 38.2%, 50%, 61.8%, 78.6%). These levels indicate potential areas where price may pull back before continuing the trend.
Rectangles — Highlight zones of consolidation, supply and demand areas, or key price ranges. Rectangles with semi-transparent fills are particularly useful for marking zones that are wider than a single horizontal line can represent.
Text labels and comments — Add notes directly to the chart to record your analysis, mark upcoming news events, or annotate patterns you have identified.
Saving and Applying Templates
Once you have configured your ideal chart setup — colors, indicators, and drawing preferences — save it as a template:
- Right-click the chart and select Template → Save Template.
- Give the template a descriptive name (e.g., "Clean-Price-Action" or "MA-Crossover-Setup").
- Click Save.
To apply the template to any other chart:
- Right-click the chart and select Template → [Your Template Name].
- The chart immediately adopts all saved settings.
The "default" template is special. If you save a template with the name "default," MT5 will automatically apply it to every new chart you open. Configure and save a default template early — it will save you significant setup time.
Profile Management — Organizing Your Workspace
While templates configure individual charts, profiles save your entire workspace layout — every chart window, its position, size, symbol, timeframe, and applied template.
To save a profile:
- Arrange your chart windows exactly as you want them.
- Go to File → Profiles → Save As.
- Name the profile descriptively (e.g., "Asian-Session-Pairs" or "Weekly-Review").
To switch profiles, go to File → Profiles and select from your saved profiles. MT5 will instantly rearrange all chart windows to match the saved configuration.
Practical Customization Workflow
For traders setting up MT5 for the first time, here is a recommended sequence:
- Set your color scheme using F8 on any chart. Prioritize readability over aesthetics.
- Choose your default chart type — candlesticks for most forex traders.
- Remove the grid — set grid color to match the background. Charts are cleaner without it.
- Add your core indicators — only the ones you actually use in your strategy.
- Save this as your "default" template so every new chart starts correctly.
- Open charts for your traded pairs and arrange them across your screen.
- Save this arrangement as a profile for your primary trading setup.
- Create additional profiles for different sessions, strategies, or review workflows.
Key Takeaways
- Access chart colors through F8 (Properties) and customize background, candle colors, grid, and axis labels for maximum readability.
- Muted, high-contrast candle colors (like forest green and burgundy) are easier on the eyes than bright or neon defaults.
- Remove or minimize the grid to reduce chart clutter and focus on price action.
- Master the essential drawing tools — trend lines, horizontal lines, Fibonacci retracement, and rectangles cover the vast majority of chart annotation needs.
- Save templates to instantly apply your preferred configuration to any chart with two clicks.
- Save your "default" template early so every new chart opens with your settings automatically.
- Use profiles to save and switch between entire workspace arrangements for different trading sessions or strategies.
This lesson is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice.