How to Clear MT4 and MT5 Cache & Why is it Important?

If you're a Forex trader, you probably know that clearing your MT4 and MT5 cache is essential. But do you know why? And more importantly, do you know how to do it? 

Clearing your cache can help improve the performance of your trading platform, and in this post, we'll show you how to do it. 

We'll also explain why keeping your cache clear is so important. So if you want to know how to clear MT4 and MT5 cache or want to make sure your trading platform is running as smoothly as possible, read on!

What is the MetaTrader Cache? 

Keeping up to date with the software we regularly use, such as MetaTrader 4 and 5, is a priority for any investor or trader. 

Clearing the cache for these programs can help ensure that your trading experience runs smoothly. 

The MT4 (MetaTrader 4) and MT5 (MetaTrader 5) caches store data related to the programs' functionality. 

This includes currency rates, user settings, chart options, and more. 

Users should generally clear their cache every few weeks to maximize performance and avoid sluggishness or hang-ups. 

You should note that clearing the cache will restore all the data stored in your MT4 while keeping your trader's account valid. This also won't impact user information or wallet balances. 

Those using MT4 and MT5 together are encouraged to delete their respective histories twice monthly for optimal trade performance.

How to Clear MT4 and MT5 Cache on Windows 

To clear the MT4 and MT5 caches on Windows, follow the below steps. 

1. Open your Local Disk Drive (Locak Disk “c”)
2. Search for the MetaTrader folder 
3. Open the folder and click the Profiles button. 
4. Search for your MT4 or MT5 profile and delete the files in that profile.
5. Go back to the MetaTrader folder and click on the History folder. 
6. If watching your historical trades and keeping a record of them is not essential, delete the content in your History Center folder. 

Doing this will increase the speed of the MetaTrader platforms on your Windows PC and presents you with a pleasant trading experience.

How to Clear MT4 and MT5 Cache on MAC

Clearing the MT4 and MT5 caches on Mac is a simple procedure but extremely necessary and beneficial for any trader using these tools and indicators. 

To kick off this process, follow the below steps. 

1. Launch Terminal and write “sudo rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/MetaQuotes.” This will remove all downloads of past data related to MT4 or MT5 from your machine. 
2. Open Finder, and click Preferences in the search field located at the top right corner.
3. Go to the Advanced Tab and deselect Show Hidden Files by unchecking it. 
4. Next, returning to Terminal, enter “rm -rf ~/cache/com. metaquotes.* && rm -rf ~/caches/*/com.metaquotes.*”. 
5. Lastly, Empty Trash by going into the Trash folder on the left side of your screen and selecting all items inside it by pressing the ‘CMD +A’ shortcut keys on your keyboard. 
6. Empty the trash 

Clearing the MT4 and MT5 background caches stored on your Apple computer gains additional space. In addition, it ensures the smooth functioning of these popular trading platforms by removing all residual files that cause repeated download failures or long-time loadings.

An additional tip for optimizing your MetaTrader is to change the max number of candlesticks bars on your MetaTrader trading terminal.

Tools-Options

For that, visit the Tools section on your MT4 or MT5 terminal and click the Options button.

Click the Charts section and change the Max Bars settings to 50,000. 

Click OK, restart your terminal, and you are good to go.

Why Is It Important to Clear the MT4 Cache Regularly

Clearing your MT4 and MT5 cache regularly is a critical task that should not be overlooked. 

This procedure helps ensure the platform runs quickly, efficiently, and without glitches or delays. 

Optimizing the cache ensures any obsolete files are removed and a fresh data set is used. 

Removing the cache can be a great way to ensure that your computer is optimized for trading. 

It is not a complex process, but it should be done periodically for smooth performance.

Make sure to trade on a demo account if you made any other changes to your MetaTrader after clearing the cache.

Taking ten minutes out of your day to do this can make a good enough difference for those who rely on their MT4/MT5 accounts for trading, so don't let it slip by!