Connecting your MT5 terminal to Tick Data Suite

Modified on Tue, 16 Jun at 10:38 PM

Connecting an MT5 Terminal to the Tick Data Suite

For the Tick Data Suite to feed data into your MetaTrader 5, it needs to know where the terminal lives on your PC, what timezone your broker uses, and it needs to be linked to MT5 so it can load alongside it. In most cases, the Tick Data Suite handles all of this automatically.

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Prerequisites

Tick Data Suite installed
MetaTrader 5 installed and opened at least once (so it has created its data folders)

Automatic setup (first run)

The first time the Tick Data Manager starts, it automatically scans the PC for MT5 installations, adds every terminal it finds, and enables the Tick Data Suite link on all of them. Default timezone settings are applied (GMT+2, US DST — the most common broker configuration).

When the scan finishes, a message box reports how many terminals were found and offers to open the MT5 Terminal Manager for review.

Tip

If the defaults are correct for your broker, there is nothing else to do — the terminals are already linked and ready to use. Just close the message and continue to linking custom symbols to tick data.

Reviewing and adjusting the configuration

Click Yes in the message box to review what was detected. You can also open the Terminal Manager later by opening the MT5 module and then using the "..." button next to the terminal dropdown

Verify GMT and DST for each terminal

This is the most important setting if you are using EAs that trade only during a specific time window. Get it wrong and your backtest candles will be shifted by several hours vs. your broker's live chart, and your results may be inaccurate.

⚠️ Warning

Every broker's MT5 server runs on a specific timezone, and the Tick Data Suite needs to match it so tick timestamps line up. Each terminal has its own GMT/DST settings — if you use two brokers with different server times, configure each one separately.

✓ Do this
• GMT column: verify the GMT offset matches your broker's server time. The default is GMT+2 — most brokers use this.
• DST column: verify the DST rule. The default is US DST — most brokers use this.

How do I find out exactly what my broker uses? The surest way is to open a live chart in MT5 over a weekend or holiday and compare it against a live chart of the same symbol from a trusted external source (for example, TradingView). If the Monday opening candles line up exactly, your GMT/DST is correct.

Alternatively, you can search the broker's website or email their support and ask: "What is the server timezone (GMT offset and DST rule) for my account?" They will have a canned answer.

For the detailed theory, see our Using GMT and DST guide.

Disable terminals you don't need

All discovered terminals are linked by default. To disconnect the Tick Data Suite from a specific terminal, untick its TDS link checkbox. The terminal then runs without the Tick Data Suite. Re-tick the checkbox at any time to reconnect.

⚠️ Warning
If the MT5 terminal is currently running when you change the TDS link, close it and start it again so the change takes effect.

Adding terminals manually

If the automatic scan missed a terminal (typical for portable MT5 installations in unusual folders), or if a new terminal was installed after the initial setup:

✓ Do this
1. Open the MT5 Terminal Manager (MT5 button → "..." button next to the terminal selection dropdown).
2. Click Add MT5 Terminal.
3. Click Browse... and navigate to the folder containing your terminal64.exe.
4. Enable the Portable checkbox if you are adding a portable installation.
5. Set GMT and DST.
6. Click Add.

To re-scan for newly installed terminals, click Automatic Scan at the bottom of the Terminal Manager.

Next: Linking MT5 custom symbols to tick data →