So, you’ve downloaded MetaTrader 5. You’re one step closer to crushing it in the world of prop trading. But before you start placing trades and chasing pips, let’s pause for a sec because just downloading MT5 isn’t the whole story.
If you’re trading with a prop firm, every second matters. Execution speed isn’t just a convenience—it’s a competitive edge. A few milliseconds of delay could mean the difference between hitting your take-profit or getting smacked with slippage. So, the big question is: how do you take MT5 from its factory settings to a speed-optimized trading machine?
Let’s get the answer.
Start with a Clean Installation
Make sure your MT5 is installed correctly. This might sound obvious but a messy install (or an outdated version) can create all kinds of issues. Make sure you’re getting MT5 directly from the broker your prop firm recommends or from MetaQuotes itself.
Once it's installed, avoid the temptation to start slapping on random indicators or EAs. You’ll customize it but we’re going to do that strategically, not recklessly.
Choose the Right Broker Server
This part is huge. When you log into your funded account, MT5 will list a bunch of server options for your broker. Always pick the one with the lowest ping.
How do you check that?
Go to File > Open an Account > Type in the broker name and MT5 will scan and show you the available servers. Look at the latency (ping in ms)—the lower, the better. If your prop firm allows it, request access to the fastest server location, preferably one close to where the broker's trading infrastructure is hosted.
Bonus Tip:
If you’re still seeing high latency even with the closest server then consider running MT5 on a VPS located near your broker’s servers.
Use a VPS for Serious Speed
Trading from your home Wi-Fi with Netflix running in the background? Yes that’s not ideal—especially not for prop trading.
If your prop firm allows automated or semi-automated trading, a VPS (Virtual Private Server) can be a game-changer. VPS hosting reduces latency, ensures your MT5 is online 24/7, and isolates your trading environment from the usual desktop distractions.
Make sure to pick a VPS provider that offers:
- Low latency to your broker’s server (under 5ms is ideal)
- Solid uptime (99.9% or better)
- Enough RAM and CPU to handle your EAs and indicators
MT5 trading platform runs light, so even 2GB RAM and 1 core can be enough—unless you’re doing heavy backtesting or running multiple instances.
Trim the Fat: Strip Down Your Chart Setup
Here’s where most traders mess up—they go full “indicator DJ” mode and load five different oscillators, moving averages, and volume tools on a single chart. Not only is that visually overwhelming, it also slows things down.
For prop trading speed, less is more.
Here’s what you can do:
- Close unused charts. Each open chart consumes resources, especially if it's updating multiple indicators.
- Turn off unnecessary indicators. Ask yourself: is it actually helping your decision-making or just cluttering the screen?
- Use one chart per asset. Don’t open the same pair across five different time frames unless you need to monitor all of them in real-time.
Want to go full minimalist? Trade straight from the Market Watch or use the Depth of Market (DOM) window for scalping and speed-based trading.
Optimize Data Feeds & Market Watch
Did you know the more symbols you have showing in your Market Watch, the more bandwidth and CPU MT5 will use? Yep—MT5 is constantly updating data for every symbol on that list.
Here’s how to fix it:
- Right-click inside Market Watch
- Click Hide All
- Then manually Show only the instruments you actually trade
You’re not just cleaning up your workspace—you’re also reducing how much data your MT5 has to process in real time.
Tweak Chart Refresh Rates and Settings
MT5 has a few settings that, when adjusted, can give you a smoother and faster experience.
Disable Chart Scrolling and Autoscroll:
Unless you’re constantly reviewing past price action, turn off these features:
- Right-click on a chart
- Uncheck Auto Scroll and Chart Shift
Reduce Bar Count:
MT5 loads a huge number of bars by default—even if you never scroll back that far.
- Go to Tools > Options > Charts
- Set “Max bars in history” and “Max bars in chart” to something reasonable like 5000–10000
- Click OK and restart the platform
This alone can seriously reduce the RAM usage and speed things up.
Lighten Up the Journal and Log Files
MT5 logs a ton of information in the background. Over time, those logs can pile up and impact your terminal’s performance.
Here’s what you can do:
- Navigate to File > Open Data Folder
- Go into the Logs folder and periodically delete old files
- Also check the MQL5 > Logs folder
This won’t give you lightning-fast speed boosts, but it helps keep MT5 lean and efficient—especially if you’re running it on a VPS with limited resources.
Avoid Heavy Custom Indicators (or Recode Them)
Custom indicators can be cool—until they start hogging your CPU. If you’re using custom scripts or EAs, make sure they’re optimized. Here's how you can spot a problem:
- If your MT5 starts lagging only when a particular indicator is loaded, that’s a red flag.
- Some indicators run calculations on every tick and across thousands of candles—that adds up fast.
If you're comfortable with MQL5, consider editing the script to:
- Limit how far back the indicator calculates
- Reduce how frequently it updates
- Add conditional logic to only trigger under certain circumstances