custom timeframes in mt5 - which ones actually add value beyond the defaults

[justin_98]

mt5 supports custom timeframes beyond the standard m1 m5 m15 m30 h1 h4 d1 etc. i've seen some traders talk about using things like 2h, 3h, or even tick charts. curious whether custom timeframes actually provide any edge or if it's mostly preference and novelty.

[Ryan]

the non-standard timeframes that have genuine practical use: 2h and 3h charts for catching session transitions that h1 and h4 sometimes miss. some traders find the 2h chart shows london/ny overlap structure better than h1 (too noisy) or h4 (too coarse). the 8h chart is useful for a three-candle-per-day view that some find cleaner than h4. genuinely useful depends on your strategy, not inherently better.

[jeremyy]

the 2h is probably the most commonly used non-standard timeframe among serious traders. it captures the major session transitions more cleanly in some situations. that said, the reason most textbooks use h1 and h4 is that enough market participants are watching those specific timeframes to make the levels and patterns on them self-fulfilling. less-watched timeframes have weaker self-fulfilling properties.

[connor_m]

how do you actually add custom timeframes in mt5? can't find it in the settings.

[urbanfox]

right-click on the timeframe bar in the chart toolbar and you'll see a 'manage timeframes' or similar option depending on mt5 version. alternatively some timeframes are in chart properties under period. for eas and indicators you can specify custom periods programmatically in mql5. it's not the most obvious menu item.

[Jake]

tried various custom timeframes for about 3 months. returned to standard h1 and h4. not because custom was worse but because my edge was in the patterns that exist on the standard timeframes where market participants are concentrated. fewer eyes on a custom timeframe means less predictable behavior there.

[Ian]

2h most useful non-standard. stick to standard timeframes where market attention is concentrated unless your specific strategy benefits from the alternative view.