{"id":1023842,"date":"2024-01-18T00:14:24","date_gmt":"2024-01-18T07:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tradingheroes.com\/?p=1023842"},"modified":"2024-01-18T21:32:50","modified_gmt":"2024-01-19T04:32:50","slug":"mt4-strategy-tester-fix-zero-trades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tradingheroes.com\/mt4-strategy-tester-fix-zero-trades\/","title":{"rendered":"Why MT4 Strategy Tester Shows Zero Trades (and how to fix it)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It can be frustrating to run a backtest in MetaTrader 4 Strategy Tester<\/strong> and have it stop immediately with no trades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This has happened to me many times and I had to figure out what was going wrong. So in this tutorial, I'll show you why this happens and what you can do to troubleshoot each cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Zero<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

MetaTrader 4 Strategy Tester will not show any trades for one of the following reasons: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. The settings are incorrect<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. It's not a good market to use that EA with<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. There were no valid setups<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. The coding logic is faulty<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. The strategy doesn't work on the timeframe you're backtesting on<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. The EA isn't fully automated or doesn't execute trades <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. The EA is made for MT5<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Now I'll get into the details of each scenario and what you can possibly do to fix each problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If that doesn't work, then I'll give you one final thing that you can do that is guaranteed to give you an answer to your issue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How to Properly Setup an Automated Backtest in MT4<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    First, be sure that you're following the correct procedure for setting up a backtest in MT4 Strategy Tester. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The EA has to be in your MT4 experts<\/strong> folder so the platform can use it in a backtest. Once the file is in there, restart MT4 so Strategy Tester<\/strong> has access to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you want to get a complete tutorial on how to run your first backtest in the MT4 Strategy Tester, read this tutorial<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This tutorial is about how to troubleshoot issues. So after you know how to set things up, come back here if you're running into any roadblocks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Alright, let's get into it…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Settings are Wrong <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The most common reason why a backtest doesn't work is because the settings in the EA are not set correctly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Many times, this is an oversight of the developer. If a developer doesn't put in the best EA settings as the default, then this can lead to a lot of confusion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So double check with the developer what the best settings for the EA are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    They will usually be available on the website where you downloaded the EA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Then click the Expert Properties<\/strong> button in the Strategy Tester<\/strong> to change the settings of the EAs. <\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    Backtesting in the Wrong Market <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Not all trading strategies will work in all markets. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In fact, there's a good chance that a strategy won't work in multiple markets. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Some strategies only work in stocks. Others will only work on crypto. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So you have to understand which market the strategy was designed for and only use it in that market. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example, this trading strategy<\/a> only works with one Forex pair. If you use it with other pairs, you'll lose money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Many people who are new to trading are under the impression that a trading strategy should work well in all markets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Trading doesn't work like that. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Thinking that a strategy will work in all markets is like saying that since a V8 engine works well in a Ford F150 truck, it should work well on a Ducati Superleggera motorcycle too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Now, you can<\/em> (and probably should) test the strategy in multiple markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You never know, it might work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But don't be surprised if it doesn't. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    No Valid Trade Setups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Everything could be setup properly in the EA, but maybe there are just no trades. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This doesn't happen often, but it can. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It's more likely that the logic or settings of the EA are not correct. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But if you don't get any trades, try running a backtest on another Forex pair, or on another timeframe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you get trades on another pair or timeframe, then it could be that there were simply no trades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Also check to see if you have downloaded all of the available historical data<\/a> for that market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You might only have a few months of data and that's why your test is ending so quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Logic of the EA is Broken<\/h2>\n\n\n
    \n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    In some cases, the coding of the EA simply doesn't work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The developer may have missed an important piece of code or they didn't test the EA properly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This happens a lot with EAs in the MT4 Code Base<\/a>. Many of them are half-baked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So if you aren't getting any trades when you run a Strategy Tester backtest, then see if you can find out how the EA works and why it might not be executing trades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Many times automated backtesting<\/em> makes it hard to see what is going wrong. That's why in most cases, I highly recommend starting with manual or partially automated backtesting first. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Then when you find something that works, you can turn that into a fully automated system. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you want to get into manual or partially automated backtesting, I recommend using NakedMarkets<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Backtesting on the Wrong Timeframe <\/h2>\n\n\n
    \n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    Some trading strategies won't work on higher or lower timeframes because of how they are built. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example, let's say that you created a trading strategy that only enters trades on the open of the London Session. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you try to use that strategy on the daily chart, it probably won't execute trades because the daily candles don't close at the right time of day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    On the other end of the spectrum, if you use a daily chart trading strategy on the 1-hour chart, it may trade too frequently and the spread will probably take a large chunk out of your profits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So make sure that you know how your EA works and if it's meant to be used on a specific chart timeframe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The EA Isn't Fully Automated or Doesn't Execute Trades<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    There are some EAs that only handle entries or only handle exits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The don't do both. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Other EAs only provide information, they don't execute any trades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I've also seen EAs that require input from the user during the backtesting process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I actually prefer EAs that aren't fully automated. In my opinion, it's best if an EA handles the entry or exit, but not both. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can find our MT4 trade management and informational EAs here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So be sure that the EA you want to backtest is actually built to execute trades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Some are not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The EA is Made for MT5<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Finally, if you're trying to use a MT5 EA in MT4, it won't work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    MT5 uses a totally different programming language. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I know how it is though. It's easy to download a bunch of EAs from the internet and forget which platform they are for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In order to figure out which EAs work with MT4, look at the file type. MT4 files will end with .mq4 or .ex4. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If your file has .mq5 or .ex5 at the end, it's for MT5 and won't work in MT4. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Best Solution for No Trades in MT4 Strategy Tester <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    If none of the solutions above work for you, then the best thing to do in ALL situations is to contact the developer of the Expert Adviser (EA). <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    They will usually know why you are not getting trades and can help you understand their EA better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I gave you a few ideas on why a strategy may not be working, but the reality is that I don't know how every single EA works. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The only person who knows that is the developer. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So again, if you're still having problems after trying all of the above, then contact the creator<\/em> of the EA. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    So those are some reasons why your MetaTrader 4 Strategy Tester<\/strong> backtest may not be showing any trades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It can be very frustrating to run a test and have it stop immediately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But now that you know why this happens and what to do, you'll never get stuck again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Get more MT4 tutorials here<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Here are all of the reasons why Strategy Tester in MetaTrader 4 is showing zero trades. Learn how to fix each issue in this tutorial. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2022,"featured_media":1023848,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[201007],"tags":[201637],"class_list":["post-1023842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-trading-software-tutorials","tag-metatrader-4-tutorials","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy MT4 Strategy Tester Shows Zero Trades (and how to fix it) - Trading Heroes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Here are all of the reasons why Strategy Tester in MetaTrader 4 is showing zero trades. 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