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How to install an EA in MT5

Copy the EA’s .ex5 file into MetaTrader 5’s MQL5 › Experts folder, restart MT5, drag the EA onto a chart, check “Allow Algo Trading” and switch on the Algo Trading button. It takes about five minutes.

Updated 6 November 2026 · written for MetaTrader 5

Install the EA in five steps

  1. Open the data folder. In MT5, click File → Open Data Folder. A file window opens.
  2. Copy the files. Open MQL5 → Experts and paste the .ex5 file. If the download includes set files, paste them into MQL5 → Presets.
  3. Refresh MT5. Restart the platform, or right-click Expert Advisors in the Navigator (Ctrl+N) and choose Refresh.
  4. Attach it to a chart. Open the symbol and timeframe from the EA’s setup guide and drag the EA from the Navigator onto the chart. On the Common tab, check “Allow Algo Trading”. On the Inputs tab, click Load and choose the set file for your account size. Click OK.
  5. Switch on Algo Trading. Click the Algo Trading button in the toolbar so it turns green.

Check it is really running

The EA’s name appears in the top-right corner of the chart. Open the Toolbox (Ctrl+T) and read the Experts tab: the EA prints a startup message there, and any error shows up in the same place.

Keep it trading

An EA only trades while MT5 is open and connected. To trade around the clock, run MT5 on a VPS close to your broker’s server, or keep the computer running with MT5 open.

Common problems

  • The EA isn’t in the Navigator. It is in the wrong folder, or it is an MT4 file (.ex4), which MT5 can’t run.
  • It is attached but never trades. Work through EA not opening trades.
  • MT5 asks to allow DLL imports. Allow them only if the EA’s guide says it needs them.

FAQ

File → Open Data Folder → MQL5 → Experts.

No. MT4 files (.ex4) run only in MT4; you need the MT5 version (.ex5).

Yes, unless MT5 runs on a VPS. The EA stops trading when MetaTrader closes or loses its connection.