How to copy trades from MT4 to MT5 (and MT5 to MT4)
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 can't talk to each other. An MT4 terminal has no idea an MT5 account exists, and the built-in signals service only copies between accounts of the same platform. So if you trade on MT4 and want the same trades on an MT5 prop account, or the other way round, you need a trade copier in the middle.
This guide shows how it works and how to set it up with Vuxcopy in about ten minutes.
How cross-platform copying works
Every copier has the same three parts:
- A master. Something that watches the account you trade on and reports every open, close, stop loss change and pending order.
- A link. Somewhere the master's trades are sent. In older copiers this is a file on your computer, which is why both terminals had to run on the same machine. In Vuxcopy it's our server, so the master and copies can be on different computers, or in the cloud.
- Copies. Something on each follower account that opens the same trades, sized for that account.
Because the link sits between the platforms, MT4 → MT5, MT5 → MT4, MT4 → MT4 and MT5 → MT5 all work the same way. One master can feed many copies on both platforms at once.
What you need
- The account you trade on (the master), MT4 or MT5, demo or live.
- One or more accounts that should follow, at any broker.
- Either a Windows computer or VPS that stays on, or Vuxcopy cloud copying so nothing has to stay on.
Step 1: add your accounts
Create a free account and open Add account. Add the master first, then each copy. For each one you choose the platform and whether it runs as an EA on your computer or in the cloud.
Step 2: choose how big the copies are
This is the part people get wrong most often. If your master has $10,000 and your copy has $2,000, copying the same 1.00 lot would put five times more risk on the smaller account.
The safe default is match equity: the copy uses the same percentage of its money as the master. With the numbers above, a 1.00 lot trade on the master becomes 0.20 on the copy.
Other options, set per copy account:
| Mode | What it does | Good for | |---|---|---| | Match equity | Same risk as a share of account size | Most people | | Multiplier | Master lot × a number you choose | Running a copy hotter or cooler | | Fixed lot | Always the same lot | Small test accounts | | Risk % | Size from the stop loss distance | Strict per-trade risk |
Step 3: install the EAs
Download the Master EA for the master's platform and the Copy EA for each follower. In MetaTrader:
- File › Open Data Folder, then MQL4/Experts or MQL5/Experts. Drop the file in and restart the terminal.
- Tools › Options › Expert Advisors: tick Allow algorithmic trading and Allow WebRequest for listed URL, and add `https://vuxcopy.com`.
- Drag the EA onto one chart and paste your licence key in the Inputs tab.
- Make sure AutoTrading is on.
Your dashboard shows each account as online within a few seconds. If you chose cloud copying, you skip this step completely.
Step 4: test with a small trade
Open a 0.01 lot trade on the master. Within a second you should see it on every copy, with the lot size adjusted. Move the stop loss, close half, then close the rest, and watch each change follow.
Symbols with different names
Brokers name the same market differently. Gold can be `XAUUSD`, `XAUUSD.pro`, `XAUUSDm` or `GOLD`. Vuxcopy matches them automatically and checks the price is the same before it trades, so it never confuses two different markets. If it can't be sure, it asks you instead of guessing. More on this in our guide to symbol suffixes.
Common problems
- The copy says waiting. The EA isn't running yet, or WebRequest isn't allowed for vuxcopy.com.
- Trades open but the lot is 0.01 every time. The copy account is very small compared with the master, so match equity rounds down to the minimum. Use a multiplier or fixed lot if you want bigger copies.
- Nothing copies on Friday night. The market is closed. Pending orders still copy; market orders open when the market does.
Ready to try it? The free trial runs for 7 days on demo accounts, no card needed.