If you’ve spent any decent amount of time trading with a prop firm then you must have an idea that time is money. And when it comes to shaving off those precious seconds between spotting a setup and firing off a trade, MT5 (MetaTrader 5) can either be your best friend or a clunky hurdle, depending on how well you know your way around it.
MT5 is a powerful platform. It’s got just about everything you’d need for technical analysis, order execution, strategy testing, and more. But if you’re navigating it like a tourist on their first day in a foreign city—clicking through menus, fumbling through toolbars—you’re bleeding time.
And in a prop trading environment, every second matters. You’ve got tight rules, aggressive targets, and a sea of competition. So let’s discuss MT5 platform shortcuts that actually make a difference.
Why MT5 Shortcuts Matter in Prop Firm Trading
Prop traders are more than simply swing traders who occasionally experiment with transactions between meetings. You’re operating under strict guidelines, on the clock, and maybe balancing daily profit goals or drawdowns that don’t allow for much leeway or delay.
Manually scrolling around is insufficient for trading quick assets such as currency pairs, gold, or S&P 500 futures. You require consistency, quickness, and fluidity.
MetaTrader 5 shortcuts improve your workflow in addition to saving time. They get rid of hesitancy. They let you respond rather than stumble. And that type of edge is really important whether you’re being evaluated or scaling a funded account.
The Essential MT5 Keyboard Shortcuts You’ll Actually Use
New Order: F9
Without a doubt, the most popular shortcut. Pressing F9 immediately brings up the order window. No right-clicking the chart or searching the Tools menu.
If you spot your breakthrough candle forming while trading NQ or ES futures, press F9, slap in your order, and you’re in the game.
One-Click Trading: ALT + T
This is going to transform the game. The one-click trading window in the upper-left corner of your chart may be seen or hidden by pressing ALT + T.
It allows you to market-buy or sell with a single click and displays the current bid/ask. For scalpers or traders using prop accounts that permit discretionary fast entry, it’s ideal.
To ensure that the shortcut works, make sure that one-click trading is enabled in the Tools > Options > Trade tab.
Switch Chart Timeframes:
| Timeframe | Shortcut |
| M1 | Alt+1 |
| M5 | Alt+2 |
| M15 | Alt+3 |
| M30 | Alt+4 |
| H1 | Alt+5 |
| H4 | Alt+6 |
| D1 | Alt+7 |
| W1 | Alt+8 |
| MN | Alt+9 |
It’s crucial to switch between periods quickly, particularly when conducting multi-timeframe analysis. Memorize these periods rather than changing them with the mouse which takes ages in the middle of a deal. When you’re bouncing between H1 and M5 during NFP chaos, you’ll be grateful.
Crosshair Tool: Ctrl + F
Do you need to measure the separation between two candles? Do you want to measure bars or pips?
Pressing Ctrl + F quickly displays the crosshair. After that, you can click and drag to measure candle lengths in time (bars) and pip units.
Extremely useful for visual backtesting and volatility assessment.
Scroll to Latest Candle: End
Simply press the End key to get to the most recent candle if you’ve been scrolling through price history.
Even if it’s a small thing, it’s unpleasant to have struggle with the mouse to scroll right, especially when you’re in the middle of a busy market. You may jump straight to the action with this shortcut.
Zoom In/Out on Charts: + / –
Use the plus (+) and minus (-) keys (on the top row, not the numpad) to zoom your chart in and out. Again, it beats clicking those tiny magnifying glass buttons.
Being able to adjust your chart’s zoom on the fly makes technical analysis a lot smoother, especially when you’re comparing candle patterns or spacing out support/resistance levels.
Toggle Grid: Ctrl + G
While some traders adore the grid, others despise it. Depending on whether I’m indicating structure or simply attempting to maintain the chart’s cleanliness, I personally toggle it.
Without having to look into the chart options, you can easily toggle the grid on or off by pressing Ctrl + G.
Templates and Profiles: Ctrl + F5 / Ctrl + F6
If you’ve set up multiple chart templates for different strategies like one for scalping, another for swing trading, switching between them with Ctrl + F5 or F6 can save you a ton of time.
Most funded traders don’t stick to one strategy—they adapt. Switching templates or chart profiles without closing and reopening charts is a huge time saver.
Bonus Tip: Mouse Shortcuts and Habits That Matter
- Double-clicking on an indicator opens the settings dialog directly.
- Middle mouse button (scroll wheel) lets you drag the chart freely.
- Dragging the price scale (on the right) vertically compresses or expands the chart view.
These are tiny habits but they stack up. Especially when you’re actively monitoring multiple pairs or markets.
Custom Hotkeys? That’s a Thing Too
Do you want to create your own shortcuts for scripts, indicators, or EAs?
In the Navigator window, you may accomplish that. Simply choose “Set hotkey” after doing a right-click on any script or expert adviser.
Suppose you have a “close all” macro or a breakeven script. When you’re responding to significant news or abrupt reversals, you can quickly flatten transactions or manage holdings.
One of the pro-level strategies that distinguishes true desk warriors from casual traders is this one.
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