MetaTrader Shortcuts: Complete MT4 & MT5 Keyboard Hotkeys List

TL;DR — Most-used MetaTrader shortcuts: F9 opens a new order, Ctrl + M toggles Market Watch, Ctrl + N toggles the Navigator, Ctrl + T toggles the Toolbox, and Alt + 1 / Alt + 2 / Alt + 3 switch the chart between bars, candlesticks, and a line. Both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 share most of these keys, with a few differences noted below. A free PDF cheat sheet is available at the end.

MetaTrader keyboard shortcuts (hotkeys) are key combinations that run platform commands instantly opening orders, toggling windows, scrolling charts, and switching chart types without clicking through menus or toolbars. For active traders, that speed matters: in fast markets, replacing three or four mouse clicks with a single keystroke removes friction at exactly the moment it counts.

What Are MetaTrader Shortcuts (Hotkeys)?

A MetaTrader shortcut is a predefined key or key combination that triggers a platform action such as F9 to open the New Order window. MetaQuotes, the developer of MetaTrader, calls these “hotkeys.” Many shortcuts are context-dependent: the same key behaves differently depending on which window (Chart, Market Watch, Navigator, Data Window, or Toolbox) is currently active. A handful work regardless of focus.

One important rule from MetaQuotes: custom hotkeys you assign take priority over predefined ones. If you assign Ctrl + O to an indicator, it will no longer open the platform Settings window.

Most-Used MetaTrader Shortcuts (Quick Reference)

MT4 vs MT5 Shortcuts – Key Differences

MetaTrader 4 (released 2005) and MetaTrader 5 (released 2010) share an almost identical interface, so the vast majority of hotkeys are the same. The differences come mostly from windows that were renamed or restructured in MT5.

Chart Window Shortcuts

Chart Shortcuts That Work Regardless of Active Window

Order Execution Shortcuts

Function Key Shortcuts (F1–F12)

Market Watch Window Shortcuts

Navigator, Data Window & Toolbox Shortcuts

Navigator window

Data Window

Toolbox window

Common Platform Shortcuts (Any Window)

The Crosshair / Ruler (Ctrl + F)

The Crosshair (also called the Ruler) lets you measure the distance between two points on a chart useful for gauging the size of a price move, the number of points to a stop-loss or take-profit level, or the length of a candle sequence.

To use it: press Ctrl + F (or click the mouse wheel if your mouse has one) to enable the Crosshair, then hold the left mouse button at a starting point and drag to your end point. MetaTrader displays the price, the number of bars, and the point distance between the two locations.

MetaTrader Shortcuts on Mac

MetaTrader 4 and 5 are Windows-native applications. There is no separate macOS build with remapped keys Mac users run MetaTrader through a compatibility layer (the official MetaQuotes Mac installer, which bundles a Wine-based wrapper) or through Parallels/Boot Camp. Inside that environment, the platform still uses the Windows shortcut set above. In practice:

• Use the Ctrl key (not Cmd) for shortcuts like Ctrl + M, Ctrl + N, and Ctrl + C.
• Function keys may require holding the Fn key, depending on your macOS keyboard settings (System Settings → Keyboard → “Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys”).
• The web-based MetaTrader 5 terminal in a browser also follows the standard hotkeys.

How to Create Custom Hotkeys in MetaTrader

You can assign your own keyboard shortcut to almost any element in the Navigator window an Expert Advisor, custom indicator, or script so a single keystroke launches it.

1. Open the Navigator window (Ctrl + N).
2. Right-click the indicator, EA, or script you want a shortcut for.
3. Select Set Hotkey from the context menu.
4. Press the key combination you want to assign, then confirm.

A few things to keep in mind: custom hotkeys you assign override the platform’s predefined shortcuts that use the same combination, and shortcuts cannot be assigned to items in the Accounts group. Choosing combinations the platform doesn’t already use (for example, Ctrl + Shift + letter pairs) avoids breaking the defaults.

Download the MetaTrader Shortcuts PDF

Want a printable version to keep next to your trading screen? Download the full MetaTrader shortcuts cheat sheet as a PDF:

Download the MetaTrader Shortcuts PDF →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the shortcut to open a new order in MetaTrader?

Press F9 to open the New Order window in both MT4 and MT5. To manage open trades directly from the keyboard, press Ctrl + F9, which opens the Trade tab in the Toolbox and moves the focus there.

Are MT4 and MT5 shortcuts the same?

Most are identical because the two platforms share a nearly identical interface. The main differences involve the bottom panel (called “Terminal” in MT4 and “Toolbox” in MT5), profile-switching keys, and a few function keys that MetaQuotes reassigned in MT5 for example, F2 opens the Task Manager in MT5.

What is the shortcut for Market Watch in MetaTrader?

Press Ctrl + M to open or close the Market Watch window. This works from any active window in the platform.

How do I switch chart types using shortcuts?

Use Alt + 1 for bars, Alt + 2 for candlesticks, and Alt + 3 for a broken line. These work regardless of which window is active.

Can I create my own custom shortcuts in MetaTrader?

Yes. Open the Navigator (Ctrl + N), right-click an Expert Advisor, indicator, or script, choose “Set Hotkey,” and assign your combination. Custom hotkeys override the platform’s predefined ones using the same keys.

Do MetaTrader shortcuts work on Mac?

Yes, but MetaTrader on Mac runs through a Windows compatibility layer, so it uses the Windows shortcut set use Ctrl rather than Cmd, and you may need to hold Fn to trigger function keys.

What is the shortcut for the Crosshair in MetaTrader?

Press Ctrl + F to enable the Crosshair (Ruler), then drag across the chart to measure price distance, bar count, and points between two points.

Conclusion

MetaTrader shortcuts won’t change your strategy, but they will sharpen your execution and in a platform you may use for hours every day, the seconds saved compound. Start by memorizing the handful that matter most: F9 for orders, Ctrl + M for Market Watch, Ctrl + N for the Navigator, and Alt + 1/2/3 for chart types. Once those become muscle memory, layer in the chart-navigation and function keys, then assign custom hotkeys for the scripts and indicators you run most. Keep the PDF cheat sheet nearby until the keys are second nature.

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