How to Install Trading Robots and Expert Advisors on MT4
Installing an expert advisor (EA) or trading robot on MetaTrader 4 is straightforward. Follow these five steps to get your automated trading system running.
Download the EA/Robot File
After purchasing or downloading your expert advisor from MQL5 or another source, you will have a file with the extension .ex4 (compiled) or .mq4 (source code). Save it to a temporary location on your computer.
Place the File in MT4's MQL4/Experts Folder
Open MetaTrader 4. Go to File → Open Data Folder. Navigate to the MQL4/Experts subfolder. Copy your .ex4 or .mq4 file into this folder.
Restart MetaTrader 4
Close and reopen MetaTrader 4. The EA will now appear in the Navigator panel under Expert Advisors. If you don't see it, right-click the Expert Advisors section and select Refresh.
Attach the EA to a Chart
Open the currency pair chart you want to trade. Drag the EA from the Navigator panel onto the chart, or double-click it. A settings window will appear where you can configure the EA's parameters (lot size, stop loss, etc.).
Enable Automated Trading
Make sure the "Allow Automated Trading" button in the MT4 toolbar is green (enabled). Also, in the EA settings dialog, check "Allow live trading". The EA is now active and will trade automatically.