Forex Education
Expert Advisor Not Trading? MT4 and MT5 Checklist
If your Expert Advisor is not trading, first establish what the evidence shows: a reported waiting condition, a permission block, a failed request or an unexplained absence of orders. Check Experts and Journal before changing settings. An enabled AutoTrading button does not prove that orders can execute, and a silent log does not prove there was no signal. Use the checks below to isolate a documented cause on demo.
Quick answer: Capture messages, check the account and both trading permissions, then inspect the symbol session and EA rules. Follow the evidence. Keep filters and risk limits, correct one documented mismatch on demo, and escalate unresolved cases with exact logs.
Start with an installed, visible EA. Consult its position-management instructions before removing it or changing live trading controls. Make diagnostic changes on a separate broker demo setup.
Capture the symptom before choosing a fix
Record the EA version, chart symbol, timeframe and observation window. In MT4, Experts records EA messages and operations; use its dated records for the relevant period. In MT5, Experts contains EA activity while Journal covers terminal events. See the MT4 Experts reference and MT5 log guide.
| Evidence you have | What to check next |
|---|---|
| Documented waiting or filter message | Verify the named condition in the manual. The EA reports withholding a trade; keep the filter intact. |
| No orders and no useful message | Treat the cause as unknown. Check the active EA and ask the vendor about diagnostic logging. |
| Permission-disabled indication | Inspect terminal, EA, account and broker permissions. |
| Failed request or validation message | Match the platform-specific code to the request values. The message may not prove server receipt. |
| Accepted request but no position | Inspect orders, deals and the detailed result. Acceptance is not proof of a fill. |
Match each message to the incident time. If the EA does not expose its decision, ask for supported logging instructions instead of guessing.
Check the account and both trading permissions
Confirm the account, broker server and access level. Investor access cannot trade; use the intended trading login on demo. Never send passwords to support. See MetaQuotes’ MT4 account reference and MT5 authorisation reference.
Check the global automated-trading switch and the individual EA permission. MT4 calls the latter Allow live trading; MT5 documentation uses Allow Auto Trading. Global disable can override permission on the chart. The controls are described in the MT4 global settings, MT4 launch settings, MT5 settings and MT5 EA properties.
Recheck after an account, profile, symbol or timeframe change: selected protections can disable EA trading. Keep them unless a documented reason calls for an adjustment. A chart icon alone does not prove order permission.
Confirm the exact symbol, quotes and trading session
Find the broker’s instrument in Market Watch and open Specification. Match its name to the EA’s documented symbol mapping, then inspect quotes and trading hours. Quoting and trading sessions are separate fields; check this instrument’s specification in MT4 or MT5.
Record the time basis. MT5 quote-arrival time uses broker-server time; its journal event time follows the computer’s time zone. Do not assume those clocks match when investigating a session filter.
Fresh chart ticks matter to tick-driven MT5 logic, but EAs may also use timers and other events. Analysis can continue with automated trading disabled; an updating panel does not prove order permission. See the event-handling reference.
Read the EA’s entry rules without weakening them
Compare saved inputs with the manual for that EA version. Products may have session, spread, news, position-count or daily-stop rules; these are not universal EA features. Identify the reported rule and its time basis.
If a documented condition is blocking entry, preserve it while you investigate. Do not widen a spread cap, remove a loss limit, disable a news filter or close positions just to make an order appear. A trade after several such changes would not explain the original no-trade episode.
No universal waiting period proves a fault. Record why you expected a particular entry and ask the vendor to explain that case.
Decode failed requests using the correct platform
For a request or validation error, match the code to its platform. MT4 errors and MT5 trade return codes are different number systems. Sources: MT4 error reference and MT5 trade-code reference.
| Reported category | MT4 | MT5 | Compare with the request |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stop values are invalid | 130 | 10016 | Current symbol stop requirements; retain protective stops |
| Volume is invalid | 131 | 10014 | Minimum, maximum and allowed volume increment |
| Trading is disabled | 133 | 10017 | Account and symbol permissions; seek broker clarification |
| Market is closed | 132 | 10018 | This instrument’s trading session |
| Available funds are insufficient | 134 | 10019 | Free margin, requested size and documented account requirements on demo |
Compare request values and units with Specification. Do not substitute a universal lot size or remove stops. In MT4, a zero stop level can still involve dynamic server controls; see the symbol-property reference.
MT5 runtime error 4756 is a separate code: it reports failure to send a trade request. It does not by itself identify a broker restriction or margin problem. Obtain the detailed request result and trade return code; see the runtime-error reference.
Also distinguish a check, an accepted request and a completed trade. MT4’s free-margin check can produce error 134 before an order is sent. MT5’s request precheck does not guarantee execution, and OrderSend acceptance does not prove a deal was filled. Ask the vendor for that distinction if its log only says an order was sent.
Check licence and dependency messages precisely
If startup or runtime logs identify a licence or missing dependency, compare the exact message with the developer’s instructions for that release. Check the required account or activation details without sharing licence keys. A free MQL5 Market EA demo is restricted to Strategy Tester, even when the chart uses a broker demo account; see the Market demo rules.
Keep DLL imports and WebRequest off unless a trusted, documented dependency needs them. DLLs are outside libraries; WebRequest connects to listed website addresses. Review the reported dependency and permit only required trusted addresses.
Reproduce one documented correction on demo
A broker demo account uses training funds. Use it to investigate while keeping live exposure unchanged. Build a before-and-after record:
- Save the baseline preset, relevant log lines and the expected behaviour.
- Reproduce the setup on a compatible broker demo account with the vendor-permitted EA build.
- Identify one mismatch confirmed by the manual, platform evidence or vendor.
- Correct only that mismatch on demo, retaining the strategy filters and risk limits.
- Observe the relevant condition or supported diagnostic output and compare the result with the baseline.
- Record what changed, what happened and what remains unexplained before making another adjustment.
Do not add funds, increase leverage or enlarge positions as a generic fix. For a historical investigation, see our EA backtesting guide. A successful demo correction does not establish future live performance.
Send a support case that can be investigated
Include the platform/build, EA version, broker/server, demo or live status, exact symbol, timeframe, relevant inputs and observation window. Add the full error or return code, timestamp with time zone, expected behaviour and the single change tested. Redact passwords, tokens, licence keys and unnecessary account identifiers.
Send account/session restrictions to the broker and EA logic/licence questions to the vendor. Use AutoPipShop support for marketplace purchase or access issues. State when the cause remains unknown.
Source check: Prepared for AutoPipShop from MetaQuotes documentation checked on 9 September 2026. This diagnostic workflow is editorial guidance, not a report of testing a particular EA.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my EA not trading when AutoTrading is enabled?
Individual EA permission, account access, symbol conditions or entry rules may still prevent orders. Read the messages and check both permission levels; the toolbar alone cannot identify the cause.
How can I tell whether the EA is waiting for a signal or an order failed?
A documented waiting message and a request error are different evidence. A silent log does not prove there was no signal. If the cause is unclear, ask the vendor for supported diagnostics.
Can an investor password stop an EA from trading?
Yes. Investor authorisation is read-only for trading in MT4 and MT5. Confirm the intended account and trading access without sharing your credentials.
What does MT5 error 4756 mean?
It means a trade request could not be sent. Obtain the detailed request result and trade return code to investigate the cause; 4756 alone does not mean that the broker bans EAs.
Should I disable filters or increase the lot size to test the EA?
No. Keep the intended rules and safeguards, and correct one documented mismatch on demo. Changing several conditions may produce a trade while leaving the original problem unexplained.