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Creating Presets ​

You create presets in Settings → Presets. Creating one takes seconds — a name and a look — but the real work is in the preset itself, where you change only the settings that need to differ from your account defaults and leave the rest to the account. This page walks the New preset dialog, how a preset's settings work, every section you can change, trading hours, the daily budget, and saving.

Creating a new preset ​

In Settings → Presets, press New preset (on a phone, + and then Add a preset). The dialog says "A preset changes only what it sets. Everything else comes from the account defaults." and asks for:

  • Name — required and unique among your presets.
  • What it's for (optional) — a line that says when to use it.
  • Look — an icon and a colour, so you can spot the preset at a glance.
  • Start from — Nothing changed (uses account defaults), or A copy of an existing preset. When you copy, Also copy its trading hours decides whether the source's hours come too. If the copy carries money amounts and the presets run on accounts in different currencies, the dialog shows the amounts and asks you to edit each one or tick Keep as is: amounts are read in the currency of the account each channel runs on.

Press Create preset and the new preset opens. There's a generous maximum on how many presets you can keep; when you reach it, New preset is disabled with "You have {max} presets, the most allowed."

TIP

Name presets by purpose ("Conservative – New Channels"), not by their values. The preset always shows its current settings, but the name is what you read when you choose a preset for a channel.

Inside a preset ​

A preset opens in the same Settings page you know from Account defaults, scoped to the preset. Its header shows the name, the "What it's for" line, and "Changes {n} settings. Everything else comes from the account defaults of the account the channel runs on." Badges show when it's Imported, Has its own hours, or is Paused today. The header's buttons are Edit name & look, Share link and Delete…, and below them the Used by list with Choose channels… (see Applying Presets). A Changes list sums up everything the preset sets.

If the preset is used on more than one account, the header says "Used on {n} accounts." with Compare with another account:, which picks the account whose values the rows show as "Account".

The sections, the Sections / One page layout and the Simple / Full switch work as they do for your account defaults (see Trade Configuration). In each section, the settings the preset leaves alone are folded under Uses the account defaults ({n}).

The preset's value or the account's ​

Each setting in a preset is in one of two states:

  • The account's value — the row reads "Account: 0.10 lots" and has a Change button. The preset follows your account default for this setting. This is the state of every setting in a new preset.
  • The preset's own value — the row reads "Account 0.10 lots →" followed by the preset's value, a Preset tag, and an × button that hands the setting back to the account.

The point that trips people up: turning a switch off in a preset — say breakeven off — is the preset's own value, not "follow the account". Off and zero are values; the account's value is a separate state. Press × to hand a setting back; until you save it reads "Uses the account value after you save".

Leaving a setting alone is not off

Left alone means "use my account setting." Off or zero means "force this value on this channel." They are different — a setting left alone still follows your account; an off switch stays off here even if your account turns it on.

One exception on sizing: a preset that sizes by % of balance or by a fixed amount must keep its own risk or amount, so the × on that field is disabled and explains why ("This preset sizes by % of balance, so it keeps its own risk %. To use the account's risk, set "How to size each trade" back to the account first."). Under broadcast, a fixed amount is read in each account's own currency, so the same preset risks 200 in each account's currency, not a converted equivalent.

What a preset can change ​

A preset can change every setting in seven sections. The names below are the labels you see on screen; the Settings Contract lists every setting with its default and range. A field shows its allowed range; if you need a distance beyond what a preset field allows for one instrument, set it in your account defaults or as a symbol exception and leave the preset's field to the account.

SectionWhat you can change
Size per tradeHow to size each trade (fixed lots, % of balance or a fixed amount), Lot size, Risk per signal, Amount per signal; in Full view also Count broker credit as balance, and Close a trade at a set loss or profit (Close at a loss of, Close at a profit of)
EntriesHow the size is split across layers, Entry layers (1–6); in Full view the entry zone width, Always use my zone, not the signal's, Widen the zone toward TP1, Open layer 1 at market if price already moved against you, Best-price entry, Count the stop loss from
Take profitsHow profit is taken, How many TPs to use, Take profits when the signal has none (TP1–TP6); in Full view Measure TPs in, Always use my TPs, not the signal's, Let the last TP run without a target, If price is already past a TP at entry
Stop lossStop loss when the signal has none; in Full view Always use my stop, not the signal's, If the signal's stop looks wrong, Cancel waiting orders when the stop is hit
Signal checksWhen a signal's prices look wrong; in Full view Only fix prices when the trade still pays at least, and the Oracle settings
Protect open tradesMove stop to entry (breakeven), Lock in a small profit, Trailing stop on the last TP, Trail by; in Full view the safety-net breakeven, If the stop can't move to entry in time, Move TPs closer when deeper layers fill, Keep layer 1 on TP1 when that happens, Cancel waiting orders when price reaches a TP
Channel updatesFollow the channel's stop-loss edits, TP edits and "move to breakeven" messages, partial and full closes; in Full view which positions a partial close takes, If the channel's new TP is already passed, When you change a trade yourself

Layer count, orders, and the engine

You choose the number of entry layers (1–6). You do not set "orders per layer" — TTMT works out how many individual orders each layer needs from your size and your broker's minimum lot and lot step, capped at 6 per layer and 36 orders in total. See Order Execution for the full model.

Trailing on self-host

Broker-managed trailing is available on MetaAPI Cloud and broker-supported setups. Gateway-backed self-host providers deliberately do not support broker-managed trailing and skip activation — so a trailing stop set in a preset has no effect on those accounts. See connecting your MetaTrader account for the provider matrix.

Some sections belong to the account, not to a preset: Symbol exceptions, Symbol mappings and Notifications say "This belongs to the account (or to you), not to a preset. Edit it under Account defaults." Loss-streak sizing is set per channel and account on each channel's page. A preset's Daily limits and Trading hours sections work differently; see below.

Two of these settings change what counts as the trade's stop loss and targets:

  • Always use my stop, not the signal's — leave it off and the signal's SL is used whenever it's valid; turn it on and your own stop replaces whatever SL the signal sent, every time. See Override Modes.
  • Let the last TP run without a target — off means the last TP closes at a fixed price; on means the last portion has no target and rides until you close it or a trailing stop catches it. See Runners.

Preset trading hours ​

A preset can carry its own trading hours — blocked hours during which signals on this preset open no new trades. Open the preset's Trading hours section, titled Trading hours for this preset. It saves with its own button, not the save bar.

The rule is stated on the section: "When this preset has any hours set, they replace the account and channel hours for its channels, in the timezone below. Leave empty to use the account and channel hours."

  • If this preset has at least one blocked window, its hours are used exclusively for signals on this preset.
  • If it has none, your account and channel blocked hours apply instead.

A signal that arrives inside a blocked window is skipped, not queued — it doesn't replay when the window reopens. The editor is the same 7 × 24 grid of days and hours as the account's, with a timezone for this preset and Tokyo, London and New York clocks so you can line blocks up with real sessions. On a keyboard, arrows move between cells and Space or Enter toggles one.

Blocked windows, not allowed windows

The cells you mark are the hours trading is blocked, not the hours it's allowed. Leaving the whole grid empty means the preset imposes no block of its own — your account and channel hours take over. Marking one cell switches the preset to its own hours for those channels' signals.

Account hours are in Settings → Trading hours; channel hours are in the channel's Setup. If a schedule fails to load or evaluate, trading continues in that scope (fail-open) rather than blocking everything.

Preset daily budget ​

Account daily limits always apply to every channel; a preset can only add its own budget for its channels. In the preset's Daily limits section:

  • Stop this preset's channels for the day at a loss of (empty means "No limit") and …or at a profit of (empty means "No target").
  • Also close this preset's open trades — off: only new trades stop; on: its open trades close at market.

It counts the booked and floating P&L of this preset's channels on the selected account and resets at 5 PM New York. It works next to the account limit and the per-trade limit; all of them apply. When it trips, the preset shows Paused today and the section says when new trades start again, with Resume to start them now. Raising a limit doesn't un-pause a paused day; use Resume.

Saving ​

Your changes are held as a draft. The save bar at the bottom lists each change ("Lot size: 0.10 → 0.01", with the preset's name) with its own undo, plus Discard and Save. The same bar holds your account-default edits, if you have any, and says so ("{account} and presets"). If you try to leave or switch account with unsaved edits, TTMT asks first.

Before it saves, TTMT checks the preset against your effective settings — the preset's values merged onto your account defaults. If something is inconsistent, such as take-profit distances out of ascending order, the save stops with a message that starts "Not saved." and names the setting and its section, with a Fix {setting} link that takes you to it. For example: TP1 = 150 pips and TP2 = 120 pips stops the save until you put them in order. Without this check, the preset would place self-contradicting targets and the trade would misbehave silently.

If the preset was changed in another tab or device after you started, TTMT shows Changed somewhere else and lets you choose, per setting, Use theirs or Keep mine before anything is saved.

The name, the "What it's for" line and the look save separately, from Edit name & look.

Last changed and History ​

Each of the seven sections shows Last changed with how long ago (hover for the exact time) and a History link. History opens {name} history: the changes saved to this preset, newest first, with the old and new value and where each came from. Filter by section with the chips at the top. If history can't be read, the line says History unavailable · Retry.

Best practices ​

  • Start minimal. Change only what differs from your account defaults; leave everything else to the account.
  • Name by purpose. A name like "Gold Scalping" tells you when to use it; a name like "Preset 1" tells you nothing.
  • Use the "What it's for" line. Note which channels the preset is for and why you tuned it that way.
  • Re-check after account changes. A preset that follows your account's breakeven trigger picks up any change you make to the account — confirm the values still make sense for that channel.

Ideal Settings & Trading Strategy ​

Each recipe below is a starter preset — the exact changes to make, end to end. Everything not listed stays with the account.

Scenario 1 — Conservative starter (capital preservation) ​

Setup: $3,000 personal account, new to a channel. Build a "Cautious" preset.

Settings to change (leave the rest to the account):

  • Lot Size: 0.01
  • Entry Strategy: Front-Loaded
  • TP Strategy: Progressive; Active TP Levels: Keep Signal Settings
  • Breakeven: On; Auto BE from TP Level: TP1+; BE Buffer: 3 pips
  • Trailing Stop: Off; Open TP Mode: Disabled
  • Extreme Value Handling: Reject Signal
  • TP Redistribution: On; L1 Safety Lock: On

Why: Tiny size, early breakeven, no open-ended runners, and a hard stop on suspicious signals — the smallest blast radius while you evaluate a channel.

Watch for: At 0.01 lots split across layers, deeper layers may not place at all — expected.

Switch when: The channel proves itself; graduate to a balanced preset.

Scenario 2 — Moderate / balanced starter ​

Setup: $20,000 account, a channel you trust on trending pairs. Build a "Balanced Trend" preset.

Settings to change:

  • Lot Size: 0.10
  • Number of Layers: 4; Entry Strategy: Front-Loaded
  • TP Strategy: Progressive
  • Open TP Mode: Last TP Open (Runner)
  • Trailing Stop: On; Trailing Distance: 30 pips
  • Breakeven: On; Auto BE from TP Level: TP1+; BE Buffer: 2 pips

Why: Standard sizing, a runner plus a trailing stop to capture extended moves, and breakeven protecting the rest — a sensible middle ground.

Watch for: A runner with no trailing stop is unmanaged. Keep Trailing Stop on whenever Open TP Mode is a runner.

Switch when: The channel turns range-bound; drop the runner and trailing for a fully-targeted preset.

Scenario 3 — Gold specialist starter ​

Setup: A channel that only sends XAUUSD signals. Build a "Gold" preset.

Settings to change:

  • Lot Size: 0.05
  • Default SL: 300 pips; Default TP1/TP2/TP3: 100/200/300 pips
  • BE Buffer: 5 pips; Auto BE from TP Level: TP1+
  • Trailing Distance: 30 pips (if you enable Trailing Stop)
  • Cancel Limits from TP: TP1+

Why: Gold moves many more pips than forex, so SL/TP defaults, buffers, and trailing distances are all widened, and unfilled limits are cleared after TP1 because Gold's deep retracements can fill late at bad prices.

When Gold needs wider distances than the preset allows

If your Gold channel needs wider distances than a preset field allows, set them as account defaults or as a per-asset override for Metals, and leave those settings to the account in the preset.

Watch for: If you want all your Gold trades (across every channel) handled this way, a per-asset override for Metals is simpler than a preset.

Switch when: You start trading Gold on multiple channels with different risk — split into per-channel presets.