Preferences

To access the Preferences window, in the main MultiCharts menu click File → Preferences.

The window can also be opened by using Alt + F, then F keyboard shortcut sequence.

Workspaces

Workspaces preferences settings determine which workspaces, if any, will be opened on application startup, whether changes to workspaces will be saved on application exit, and if a confirmation prompt will appear when Chart/Scanner Windows are closed.

In the On start section select:

• Open last active workspace from previous session
• Open all workspaces from previous session
• Open prebuilt workspaces
• Do not open workspaces
• Check Show this window box for the Preferences window to appear on start of MultiCharts

In the All workspaces section check:

• Skip the confirmation when closing windows
  The confirmation window will not appear when the window is closed.
• Skip the confirmation when exiting the application
  The confirmation window will not appear when the application is closed.
• Store optimization reports within workspaces
  Clear it not to save report with a workspace.
• Keep the reports from previous optimizations
  When this option is unchecked, the previous reports will be deleted on start of the next optimization, as well as the unsaved reports on close of the workspace.

In the On exit section select:

• Save the changes on all workspaces
• Do not save any changes on all workspaces
• Ask about saving the changes on each workspace

Data

Data Server Mode

Data Server Mode settings affect the whole software (MultiCharts, Portfolio Trader and QuoteManager). This setting determines whether the software has access to real-time data from a data provider server or it is limited to use only the data that is already stored in the database.

• Select Online to switch software to online mode and get access to data from data vendor servers.
  • Check Download missing historical data to download the missing historical data from a data provider; clear the checkbox to work only with real-time data and locally stored data (no historical backfill from data vendor).
  • Check Save real-time minute bars to the database to save real-time data. If a data vendor provides historical minute data, the feature is not enabled by default and real-time minute data is not saved in the database.
  • Check Collect data when QuoteManager is closed to collect data even when the QuoteManager window is not running. If any data collecting task is in progress, data will be downloaded until computer shutdown.
  • Check Collect data immediately after login to launch downloading once you enter the system.
    Remember password and Remember my choice options should be enabled in MultiCharts License Manager and Login window.
• Select Offline to work only with historical data that is already saved in the database. No additional data will be requested from the data provider in this case.

To show the Data tab on start, check the Show this window on start checkbox; clear the checkbox not to display it.

In order to switch between the modes or turn on/off the Download missing historical data box, all workspaces should be closed in all instances of MultiCharts, forward testing and auto trading should be stopped in Portfolio Trader and QuoteManager should be exited, Forex Board service window should be deactivated, Scanner service window should be cleared of all symbols (or also deactivated) and all the Data Collecting tasks should be finished.

To learn how this page affects data collected in MultiCharts, please read this article.

Currency Conversion

Currency Conversion functionality is used for converting price values when Base/Preferred Currency is different from the symbol currency set in QuoteManager.

The Currency Conversion settings are accessible from File → Preferences → Currency Conversion tab:

• Set Currency request timeout parameter to specify the time value for accessing the Currency Conversion Server. Select the value between 30 and 120 seconds. The default value is 30.
• Enable Allow calculation if currency conversion data is incomplete checkbox to retain auto trading and calculate the signals with the previously received currency conversion data, in case Currency Conversion server cannot be accessed at that moment.
• Select the Data source that will be used for currency conversion from the drop-down list. Limited number of data feeds can be used efficiently for currency conversion (Interactive Brokers, LMAX, MCFX), as they provide continuous Daily Bid Forex historical data.

To use alternative currency conversion sources (Interactive Brokers, LMAX or MCFX), it’s required to have a subscription to the needed currency pairs with the selected data vendor.

If no alternative data feed is used, the Default currency conversion server can be chosen. It provides data for currency conversion since 2002.

MultiCharts needs to be restarted completely in order to apply any changes made for the Currency Conversion Server.

Troubleshooting

The message Cannot access Currency Conversion server. Calculation will be stopped is displayed in case the Currency Conversion server cannot be accessed within the specified timeout. This message indicates that the signal calculation will be stopped as there is no data for conversion. Therefore, the signal will be turned off and auto trading will be disabled. To avoid this, check the box Allow calculation if currency conversion data is incomplete.

Trading

Trading settings affect the functionality and usability of manual and auto trading.

Any changed configuration in Preferences on Trading tab will come into effect and work correctly only after restart of MultiCharts.

General

• Select Show Error pop-up alert to enable alerting when any errors in MultiCharts working occur; clear the checkbox to disable alerting.
• Select Sound Alerts to enable alerting when a broker profile is connected/disconnected, position is opened/closed, an order is filled, cancelled, rejected; clear the checkbox to disable alerting. Affects both auto trading and manual trading.

Manual Trading Options

Confirmations Settings

Select to require confirmation for

• Orders (not applied to Trade Bar) to prompt for a confirmation when an order is placed manually on charts, in DOM and Forex Board. Doesn’t apply to orders placed from Trade Bar.
• Close position command to prompt for a confirmation when a Close position command is used.
• Reverse position command to prompt for a confirmation when a Reverse position command is used.
• Flatten Everything command to prompt for a confirmation when Flatten Everything command is used in the Order and Position Tracker.
• Orders placed/cancelled by the keyboard shortcuts to prompt for a confirmation when an order is placed/cancelled using keyboard shortcuts; clear the box to avoid confirmation.

Exit Strategies Average Open Position Price

Select the source of the average entry price for manual exit strategies:

• Received from the broker
• Calculated based on order(s) execution price

Exit Strategies Mode

• First to Position, then to Orders - this is a combination of the 2 modes described below. The first exit strategy order works according to All to Positions mode logic, all other exit orders work according to All to Orders mode logic.
• All to Position - whenever an exit strategy is used (whether it is an auto-attached exit strategy or it was manually dragged and dropped it onto an open position on the chart), the number of contracts of the exit strategy always depends on number of contracts of current open position and the exit strategy can be cancelled or vice versa, not placed at all, if an open position is closed or there is possibility of overfill (it can be cancelled manually).

All to Positions mode is used. Stop Loss exit strategy is configured to be auto attached.

1. You click Buy Market 10 contracts.
2. Long market position for 10 contracts is opened and 10 contracts stop loss is placed according to its settings. This stop order can be filled, modified or cancelled according to modified or filled number of open contracts or it can be cancelled manually.
3. It is possible to apply a different exit order to your current open position now. Let’s say, you decide to drag and drop a preset Profit Target onto your open market position. If you do this, you will place a 10 contracts profit target order according to its settings.
4. The key difference of this mode is that if you manually close 1 long contract out of 10 opened at the moment, both the stop loss and the profit target orders will be modified to reduce their quantities down to 9, because in this mode they are to be dynamically adjusted according to current number of open contracts.
5. Similar to the described case: if you enter with an order + auto attached stop loss and then you place another order in opposite direction with attached profit target, the position will be closed and both stop loss order and profit target orders will be cancelled, because they are bound to open position in this mode.

• All to Orders - whenever an exit strategy is used (whether it is an auto-attached exit strategy or it was manually dragged and dropped it onto an open position on the chart), the number of contracts of the exit strategy is always fixed and the exit strategy is not cancelled under any conditions, it can be only filled (it can be cancelled manually).

All to Orders mode is used. Stop Loss exit strategy is configured to be auto attached.

1. You click Buy Market 10 contracts.
2. Long market position for 10 contracts is opened and 10 contracts stop loss is placed according to its settings. This stop order can be either filled or you can cancel it yourself, it will not be cancelled or modified any other way because it was bound to your 10 contract buy entry order.
3. It is possible to apply a different exit order to your current open position now. Let’s say, you decide to drag and drop a preset Profit Target onto your open market position. If you do this, you will place a 10 contracts profit target order according to its settings.
4. The key difference of this mode is that if you manually close 1 long contract out of 10 opened at the moment, both the stop loss and the profit target orders will remain with quantities = 10, because in this mode they are not to be dynamically adjusted according to number of currently open contracts.
5. Similar to this case if you enter with an order + auto attached stop loss and then you place another order in opposite direction with attached profit target, the position will be closed, but both stop loss order and profit target orders will stay active, because they are not bound to open position in this mode.

Price Order Emulation

It is possible to switch between native and emulated Stop, Limit and Stop-Limit orders in both auto trading and manual trading.

This feature requires real-time data subscription on your broker account.

From the dropdown list next to the corresponding order type select:

• Emulate locally using Bid/Ask or Emulate locally using Trade to enable the Stop, Limit or Stop-Limit order emulation for manual trading
• Use native if using price order emulation is undesirable.

To apply the changes, disconnect and reconnect the broker profile.

When a Stop/Limit order is emulated - once the Stop/Limit price level is reached by the corresponding Ask/Bid or Trade prices, a market/limit order is sent to the broker correspondingly.

When a Stop-Limit order is emulated - once the Stop price level is reached by the corresponding Ask/Bid or Trade prices, a Limit order is sent to the broker.

When Stop, Limit and/or Stop-Limit order emulation is enabled - the emulated OCO group is used, regardless of the broker profile/auto trading broker plug-in settings.

Additional Options

• Check 500 ms delay to avoid double clicking to avoid accidentally placing unnecessary orders.
• Check Show sleep/hibernation mode warning to see the warning when a broker profile is connected.
• Check Show warning when switching to the Risk Management mode to get the corresponding warning.

Auto Trading Options

Managing active orders when auto trading is turned off

• Cancel active orders sent by the strategy
• Do not cancel active orders sent by the strategy
• Require manual confirmation

Managing open positions when auto trading is turned off

• Close the open position opened by the strategy
• Do not close the open position opened by the strategy
• Require manual confirmation

When system resources (GDI/User objects, disc space, physical memory) are running low

• Show confirmation dialogue
• Stop auto trading without confirmation

Simulated Trading

Check these options if necessary:

• Require confirmation when exiting Simulated trading mode
• Start Simulated Trading automatically

Currency Options

• Select one of the available currencies to see open profit and loss values on charts and profit and loss values in Order and Position Tracker window in Preferred Currency.
• Select how to display unknown currencies from the Display unspecified currencies as drop-down menu.

Fail-Watch and Trading System Warnings

If you are satisfied with the current performance, do not observe any issues in the operation and consider any alert excessive, you can change the timeout or completely disable the alerts.

External Alerts

To enable External Alerts click the Add button and select one of the external alert configurations.

To add a new external alert configuration:

1. Click the gear icon next to the Add button.
2. In the opened window configure the desired external alerts:
   • E-mail
   • Slack
   • Telegram
3. Press OK.
4. Click the Add button and select the newly added alert configurations.

To use these alert settings as the default for all new indicators, select Use as Default check box.

E-mail Alerts

E-mail alerts can be sent when market conditions meet your defined criteria.

This feature can be used to stay informed about market conditions while away from the computer.

To configure an e-mail alert:

1. Go to File → Preferences → External Alerts tab.
2. Press the Add button. The E-mail Settings window will appear.
3. Click Show more top open the full settings.
4. Enter the email address of the sender.
5. Enter the email address of the recipient. To send the email to multiple recipients, separate each email address with a semi-colon.
   Verify that the email addresses in the Sender and Recipients sections are inserted correctly with no extra spaces before or after.
6. Enter the SMTP Server Name or IP address, and Port number into the textboxes. Please get this information from your email provider.
7. Check the SMTP Server authentication data checkbox if your SMTP server requires authentication to send emails. Enter the Username and Password.
8. Press the Test button to send a test email.
   If the sending process has been successful a message will appear in the pop-up window
   If the sending process has been unsuccessful a message will appear in the pop-up window
9. Press OK to close the E-mail Settings window.

Example of e-mail alert message

01.10.2026 17:48:50 (alert time and date)
Source: Bollinger Bands (study that triggered alert)
Symbol: ESZ26 (traded symbol name)
Resolution: 1 Tick Bar (resolution used)
Price: 1,157.50 (price value at the moment when defined conditions has been met)
Message: Price crossing over lower price band (message carrying information about the study condition that has been met).

Not all e-mail service providers are supported. For instance, Office365.com accounts are not supported. E-mail alerts configuration should be tested prior to use.

GMAIL E-mail Alert Settings

Configuration 1

• Gmail SMTP server address: smtp.gmail.com
• Gmail SMTP user name: Your full Gmail address (e.g. example@gmail.com)
• Gmail SMTP password: A 16-digit app password generated in your Google Account as per the guide
• Gmail SMTP port: 465
• Gmail SMTP TLS/SSL required: yes (SSL)

Configuration 2

• Gmail SMTP server address: smtp.gmail.com
• Gmail SMTP user name: Your full Gmail address (e.g. example@gmail.com)
• Gmail SMTP password: A 16-digit app password generated in your Google Account as per the guide
• Gmail SMTP port: 587
• Gmail SMTP TLS/SSL required: yes (TLS)

Since “Less secure apps access” was disabled by Gmail, it is required to configure the “App Password” for your Gmail account and use it in MultiCharts Email Alert settings. Please find more info about configuring “Sign in with App Passwords” here. Follow the instructions to generate the app password and insert it in the Password field in the Authentication Data section.

Slack Alerts

To send alerts to Slack, it is required to connect using a WebHook URL.

To learn how, please see Slack WebHooks.

Telegram Alerts

To send alerts to Telegram, it’s required to connect to the MultiCharts_Alerts bot using Telegram User ID.

To learn how, please see Telegram.

Misc

Directories

Directories section determines the location of MultiCharts Databases, Cache files, Studies, Logs, Order and Position Tracker data and Level 2 data. It is possible change the directories and move all this to a different location.

Require confirmation for the actions in the Format Objects window

Select to

• Require confirmation to change the studies' status
• Require confirmation to change the drawings' status
• Require confirmation to remove the instruments
• Require confirmation to remove the signals
• Require confirmation to remove the drawings
• Require confirmation to remove the indicators

Charting

Select to

• Remove studies from charts without confirmation
• Enable the Status switch for indicators in the status line
• Show the data sources merging option
• Reverse the bar spacing direction when using mouse
• Show statuses on chart

When rolling the scroll wheel select to:

• Scroll through a chart
• Change bar spacing

Drawings

Select to

• Improve visual appearance of drawing tools
• Keep the drawings created by a study if a study is deleted

When Delete key is pressed for the selected drawing select to:

• Delete the drawing
• Delete the study that generated it

Scanner Options

In the Scanner options section it is possible to select the way the instruments/rows/groups are inserted into the Scanner.

Select to insert rows:

• Above active cell
• Below active cell