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How-to · Orders

How to Place a Trade in MT4

Opening a trade in MetaTrader 4 takes one window and one click. Here's how to place a buy or sell in MT4, choose your lot size, and the difference between an instant market order and a pending one.

By Daniel Reyes, Platforms Editor

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To place a trade in MetaTrader 4 you open the order window, choose what and how much to trade, and click Buy or Sell. You can trade instantly at the current price (market execution) or set a pending order to trade automatically at a future price. Here's the standard way.

How to open a trade

  1. Open the order window

    Press F9, or use Tools ▸ New Order (or right-click the chart ▸ Trading ▸ New Order).

  2. Set the symbol, volume and (optional) SL/TP

    Choose the Symbol, set the Volume in lots, and optionally add a Stop Loss / Take Profit.

  3. Choose the execution type

    Leave Type as Market Execution to trade now, or pick Pending Order to trade at a future price.

  4. Click Buy or Sell

    Click Buy by Market or Sell by Market. The trade opens and appears in Terminal ▸ Trade.

On Market Execution accounts (the most common type, including XM), the order window's Stop Loss / Take Profit fields are greyed out — open the trade first, then attach a stop loss and take profit by modifying the position.

One-click trading

For faster entries, MT4 has a one-click trading panel in the top-left corner of the chart: set the volume once and a single click buys or sells with no confirmation. Enable it under Tools ▸ Options ▸ Trading (or the chart panel) and accept the disclaimer. It's quick but unforgiving — a misclick is a live trade.

After you place the trade

Your open position shows in Terminal ▸ Trade (Ctrl+T) with its live profit or loss. From there you can set a stop loss and take profit, add a trailing stop, or close the trade. Size positions with the lot-size calculator.

A live trade risks real money

Market execution fills at the current price, which can move against you instantly. Decide your stop loss and position size before you click, and never risk money you can't afford to lose. Most retail traders lose money. Practise on a demo until the workflow is second nature. Nothing here is financial advice.

Place your first trade on a demo

Open a free MT4 demo and practise buying and selling with virtual money before you risk real funds.

Open a free MT4 demo → How to use MT4

⚠ Trading forex and CFDs is high-risk and most retail traders lose money. This is not financial advice.

Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission if you open a broker account through our links, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Related

Next: set a stop loss & take profit, use pending orders, and close a trade. New to the platform? Start with how to use MT4.

Frequently asked questions

How do I open a trade in MT4?

Press F9 (or Tools ▸ New Order) to open the order window, pick the symbol and volume, optionally set a stop loss and take profit, then click 'Buy by Market' or 'Sell by Market'. The position appears in the Terminal's Trade tab. To trade at a future price instead, set the Type to 'Pending Order'.

What does 'by Market' mean?

'Buy by Market' or 'Sell by Market' opens the trade immediately at the current market price (market execution). The fill price can differ slightly from what you saw, especially in fast markets — that's normal slippage.

What is one-click trading in MT4?

One-click trading places a buy or sell with a single click and no confirmation window, using the panel in the top-left of the chart. Enable it under Tools ▸ Options ▸ Trading (or the chart's one-click panel) and accept the disclaimer. It's fast but easy to misfire, so use it carefully.

Why are the Buy and Sell buttons greyed out?

Usually the market is closed (forex trades roughly 24/5, not weekends) or trading is disabled for that symbol or account type. Check the market hours, that you're on a tradable symbol, and that you're logged in to a live or demo account with trading rights.

How do I choose my lot size?

Volume in MT4 is measured in lots (1.00 = a standard lot, 0.10 = mini, 0.01 = micro). Pick a size so the distance to your stop loss equals a small fixed share of your account — our lot-size calculator works this out for you.

Trading foreign exchange and contracts for difference (CFDs) carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Leverage can work against you as well as for you. You could lose some or all of your deposited funds; do not trade with money you cannot afford to lose. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Nothing on MT4Download.com is financial, investment, or trading advice. Consider your circumstances and seek independent advice if needed.