How to Run a Strategy Backtest in MT5

Before you start

• MetaTrader 5 with the EA installed — see How to Install an Expert Advisor in MT5.
• The EA's recommended symbol, timeframe and .set file.
• Time for the tester to download history the first time (it can take a while for long periods).

What you'll learn

• Configure a backtest that resembles your real trading conditions.
• Read the key statistics and the equity graph.
• Recognise results that are too good to trust.

Steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Open the Strategy Tester

   Choose View → Strategy Tester (Ctrl+R). The tester opens as a panel with several tabs, starting with Settings.

   Mark as done: Open the Strategy Tester
2. 2

   Step 2: Choose the EA, symbol and timeframe

   Select your Expert Advisor, then the symbol and timeframe given in its documentation.

   Mark as done: Choose the EA, symbol and timeframe
3. 3

   Step 3: Set a meaningful date range

   Pick a custom period long enough to include different conditions — trends, ranges and volatile spells — rather than just the last few months. Leave Forward off for a first test.

   Mark as done: Set a meaningful date range
4. 4

   Step 4: Pick the modelling mode

   For EAs that act within a bar, choose Every tick based on real ticks when your broker provides tick history — the most detailed mode, and the one that uses recorded spreads. Open prices only is much faster but only valid for EAs that trade on a new bar.

   Mark as done: Pick the modelling mode
5. 5

   Step 5: Match your account

   Set Deposit and Leverage to what you'll actually trade with. Under Delays, choose a non-zero execution delay rather than ideal execution to make fills more realistic.

   Mark as done: Match your account
6. 6

   Step 6: Load the inputs

   On the Inputs tab, right-click and load the developer's .set file or your own, and keep Optimization disabled for this run.

   Mark as done: Load the inputs
7. 7

   Step 7: Start the test

   Click Start. When it finishes, open the Backtest tab for the report and the Graph tab for the balance and equity curves.

   Mark as done: Start the test
8. 8

   Step 8: Read the report

   Look at these together, never profit alone:

   • Total net profit — meaningless without the drawdown beside it.
   • Maximum drawdown (balance and equity) — could you sit through it with real money?
   • Profit factor — gross profit ÷ gross loss.
   • Total trades — very few trades make every other number unreliable.
   • Largest loss trade — can a single trade do serious damage?

   Mark as done: Read the report
9. 9

   Step 9: Check costs and the equity curve

   Scroll the deals in the report to confirm commission was charged if your broker charges it — if not, live results will be worse. On the graph, a smooth rising line with sudden deep drops often means grid or martingale risk.

   Don't run an optimisation and keep the single best result: those settings are usually fitted to past noise. Prefer settings that work reasonably across a range of values, and test them on a period you didn't optimise on.

   Mark as done: Check costs and the equity curve

Troubleshooting

"No history" or the test ends immediately

Let the tester download data and try again, or choose a period your broker has history for.

No trades at all

Check the Journal tab of the tester for errors, confirm the symbol name matches what the EA expects, and that its filters (spread, hours) can be met.

Results differ every time with real ticks

Random execution delays change fills slightly between runs. Use the same delay setting when comparing configurations.

Licensed EA won't run in the tester

WebRequest-based license checks can't run in the Strategy Tester. Check the developer's instructions for testing.

Official documentation

• MT5 Strategy Tester (MetaQuotes help) (opens in a new tab)
• MT4 Strategy Tester (MetaQuotes help) (opens in a new tab)