User Guide : Chart Theme User Guide

17 February 2026, 16:37
Ich Khiem Nguyen
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Chart Theme User Guide

Table of Contents

  1. What is Chart Theme?
  2. Available themes
  3. Input settings guide
  4. Detailed explanation of each theme
  5. Custom color theme
  6. Restoring the default MT5 appearance
  7. Which theme is right for you?
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. Tips for best results

1. What is Chart Theme?

Chart Theme is a feature that changes the entire chart color scheme in MetaTrader 5 — including the background, candles, grid, text, and Bid/Ask lines — with a single click.

Why change the chart appearance?

  • Easier on the eyes: The default MT5 appearance (black background, green candles) looks dated and causes eye strain over long sessions. A modern theme reduces fatigue
  • Signals stand out more: Dark Muted dims regular candles so that signal arrows and entry/SL/TP lines are clearly visible
  • Professional look: A clean, TradingView-style chart makes analysis more comfortable
  • Fully customizable: Choose a preset theme or set every color individually


2. Available Themes

The indicator provides 4 preset themes:

Theme Display name in MT5 Short description
Dark Dark Dark blue-black background, bright green / red candles — TradingView style
Dark Muted Dark Muted (for pattern highlight) Same as Dark but with dimmed candles — pattern signals stand out the most
Light Light White background, green / red candles — for those who prefer a bright chart
Custom Custom (use colors below) Set each color individually using the "Custom Theme Colors" input group

Detailed color reference

Dark & Dark Muted

Element Dark (vivid) Dark Muted (dimmed)
Background C'19,23,34' (deep blue-black) Same as Dark
Text / Labels C'178,181,190' (light gray) Same as Dark
Grid lines C'54,58,69' (dark gray) Same as Dark
Bull candle body C'14,203,129' (bright green) C'18,140,95' (muted green)
Bear candle body C'246,70,93' (bright red) C'160,56,72' (muted red)
Candle wick C'120,123,134' (gray) Same as Dark
Bid line Green Green
Ask line Red Red

Light


Element Color
Background C'255,255,255' (white)
Text / Labels C'19,23,34' (near-black)
Grid lines C'233,236,239' (very light gray)
Bull candle body C'8,153,129' (deep green)
Bear candle body C'242,54,69' (deep red)
Candle wick C'120,123,134' (gray)

3. Input Settings Guide

How to open settings

  1. Right-click the indicator on the chart and choose Properties (or press  Ctrl+I )
  2. Switch to the Inputs tab
  3. Find the groups "=== CHART THEME ===" and "=== CUSTOM THEME COLORS ==="

Input table — CHART THEME group

MT5 input name Type Default Description Recommendation
Theme Dropdown Dark Muted Selects the chart color scheme Use Dark Muted for signal analysis

Dropdown options:

  • Dark  — Dark background, vivid candles
  • Dark Muted (for pattern highlight)  — Dark background, dimmed candles (recommended)
  • Light  — Bright background
  • Custom (use colors below)  — Set your own colors

Input table — CUSTOM THEME COLORS group

This group only takes effect when Theme = Custom. If you select Dark, Dark Muted, or Light, these inputs are ignored.

MT5 input name Type Default Description
Background Color C'19,23,34' Chart background color
Foreground (text/labels) Color C'178,181,190' Color for text, labels, price/time axes
Grid lines Color C'54,58,69' Color of grid lines
Bull candle body Color C'14,203,129' Color of bullish candle bodies
Bear candle body Color C'246,70,93' Color of bearish candle bodies
Candle wick Color C'120,123,134' Color of candle wicks / shadows
Bid price line Color C'14,203,129' Color of the Bid price line
Ask price line Color C'246,70,93' Color of the Ask price line
Show grid true/false false Show or hide the grid on the chart

4. Detailed Explanation of Each Theme

4.1. Dark — Dark background, vivid candles

Style: Similar to TradingView Dark Mode.

Characteristics:

  • Deep blue-black background ( C'19,23,34' ) — comfortable for extended viewing sessions
  • Bright green bull candles and bright red bear candles — easy to distinguish at a glance
  • Grid hidden by default — clean, uncluttered chart
  • Bid (green) and Ask (red) lines displayed

Best for:

  • General trading and technical analysis
  • When you want clearly visible candles without needing signal indicators to stand out

Style: Dark theme with muted candles — designed specifically for pattern indicators.

Characteristics:

  • Same background as Dark (deep blue-black)
  • Bull and bear candles are approximately 40% dimmer than Dark — creating a visual backdrop for signals
  • Arrows, entry/SL/TP lines, and labels are noticeably more prominent than on the standard Dark theme
  • When "Color pattern candles" (Visualization) is enabled, the pattern candles are highlighted — creating very strong contrast

Best for:

  • Pattern signal analysis (Fakey, PinBar, Inverted Hammer)
  • When you want signals to stand out as much as possible
  • This is the default theme and is recommended for most users

4.3. Light — Bright background

Style: Similar to TradingView Light Mode.

Characteristics:

  • White background — ideal for printing or taking screenshots
  • Deep green and deep red candles — easy to read on a bright background
  • Very light gray grid — does not clutter the chart

Best for:

  • Daytime trading in a well-lit room
  • When you need to take screenshots or print charts
  • Anyone who prefers a bright, open look

4.4. Custom — Choose your own colors

Style: Entirely up to you.

When you select  Custom (use colors below) , the system reads the 9 inputs in the "Custom Theme Colors" group and applies them to the chart. You can set a different color for each element independently.

Best for:

  • Traders with specific color preferences
  • When you want the chart to match other indicators already on the chart
  • When you need to optimize colors for a personal condition (for example, color blindness)

5. Custom Color Theme

Step 1: Set Theme = Custom

Open Properties → Inputs → Change Theme to  Custom (use colors below)

Step 2: Choose a color for each element

Click the color swatch next to each input in the "Custom Theme Colors" group. The MT5 color picker window will open.

Step 3: Click OK

The chart updates immediately.

Navy Blue:

Element Color code
Background C'0,18,51'
Foreground C'200,210,220'
Grid C'30,50,80'
Bull candle C'0,230,118'
Bear candle C'255,82,82'
Wick C'100,120,150'

Charcoal:

Element Color code
Background C'40,40,40'
Foreground C'210,210,210'
Grid C'65,65,65'
Bull candle C'76,175,80'
Bear candle C'229,115,115'
Wick C'150,150,150'

Cream:

Element Color code
Background C'253,246,227'
Foreground C'60,60,60'
Grid C'230,220,200'
Bull candle C'34,139,34'
Bear candle C'178,34,34'
Wick C'130,130,130'

6. Restoring the Default MT5 Appearance

When you remove the indicator from a chart, the chart appearance is automatically restored to the MT5 default (black background, green candles).

How it works:

  • When the indicator is removed, the system resets all chart colors back to the MT5 defaults
  • The chart returns to its original appearance — it does not retain the previous theme
  • You do not need to manually adjust colors afterward

Note: If you have other indicators on the chart that apply their own themes, removing this indicator will reset the chart to the MT5 default. The other indicators are unaffected, but the chart will switch to a black background.


7. Which Theme is Right for You?

Recommendations by use case

Use case Recommended theme Reason
Pattern signal analysis Dark Muted Dimmed candles make signals stand out the most
General trading, technical analysis Dark Clear candles, visually appealing
Daytime trading in a bright room Light White background is not glaring in bright light
Screenshots / printing Light White background saves ink and is clear when printed
Personal color preference Custom Full freedom to choose each color
Red-green color blindness Custom Use an accessible color pair (e.g., blue / orange)
Monitoring multiple charts at once Dark Muted Dimmed candles reduce visual noise across many charts

By trading style

Trading style Theme Explanation
Scalper (M1–M15) Dark Needs clearly visible candles for fast reactions
Day trader (M30–H4) Dark Muted Needs prominent signals for multi-timeframe analysis
Swing trader (H4–W1) Dark or Dark Muted Both work well
Analyst (research) Light Easy to screenshot and present

8. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Does changing the Theme affect signals?

No. Theme only changes the appearance (colors) of the chart. Pattern signals, filters, the Dashboard, SL/TP levels — everything works exactly the same regardless of which theme is selected.

Q2: I selected Dark Muted but want to change just one color (e.g., the bull candle). Can I do that?

Not directly. When Dark, Dark Muted, or Light is selected, the system applies a fixed color set. To change a single color, you need to:

  1. Set Theme = Custom
  2. Copy the Dark Muted color values into the Custom Theme Colors inputs
  3. Change only the color you want

Dark Muted colors to copy:

Input Value
Background C'19,23,34'
Foreground C'178,181,190'
Grid C'54,58,69'
Bull candle C'18,140,95'
Bear candle C'160,56,72'
Wick C'120,123,134'
Bid line C'14,203,129'
Ask line C'246,70,93'

Q3: Does the Theme apply to all charts?

No. The Theme only applies to the chart the indicator is attached to. Other open charts are not affected. If you want the same theme on multiple charts, attach the indicator to each chart individually and select the same theme.

Q4: After removing the indicator, the chart turned completely black. Is that normal?

Yes. That is the MT5 default appearance (black background, green candles). The chart has restored successfully. If you want to keep a custom appearance, simply attach the indicator again.

Q5: The Custom Theme Colors inputs have no effect. Why?

Check the Theme input — it must be set to  Custom (use colors below) . If Dark, Dark Muted, or Light is selected, the Custom Theme Colors group is completely ignored.

Q6: I want to turn off the Theme and keep my current MT5 colors. How?

There is currently no "None" option (no theme applied). The workaround:

  1. Set Theme = Custom
  2. Open an MT5 chart that already has the appearance you want to keep and note down the color values for each element
  3. Enter those color values into the Custom Theme Colors inputs

Q7: Does the Theme work in Strategy Tester?

Yes. The Theme is applied when the indicator initializes (OnInit), so in Strategy Tester visual mode the chart will display the selected theme correctly.


9. Tips for Best Results

Tip 1: Use Dark Muted + Color Pattern Candles

Combine Dark Muted with the "Color pattern candles" input (in the Visualization group) set to  true :

  • Regular candles: dimmed (muted green / muted red)
  • Pattern candles: highlighted and bright (the 4 candles forming a Fakey pattern, the 1 PinBar candle, etc.)
  • Result: Patterns "pop" off the chart — you spot them instantly

Tip 2: Save a Template after setting your Theme

Once you have the appearance set up the way you like:

  1. Right-click on the chart → Template  Save Template...
  2. Give it a name (e.g.,  MirageTheme_DarkMuted )
  3. Next time you open a new chart, just load the template and the appearance is ready

Tip 3: Custom Theme for color blindness

If you have difficulty distinguishing red from green, use Custom Theme with an alternative color pair:

Candle type Suggested alternative
Bull candle Dodger blue ( C'30,144,255' )
Bear candle Orange ( C'255,165,0' )

Or:

Candle type Suggested alternative
Bull candle White ( C'255,255,255' )
Bear candle Purple ( C'186,85,211' )

Tip 4: Use Light theme for screenshots you share

When you want to take a screenshot to share on social media or in a group:

  1. Temporarily switch Theme = Light
  2. Take the screenshot ( Alt + PrintScreen )
  3. Switch back to your preferred theme

Reason: A white background is easy to read on any device and does not lose detail when the image is compressed.

Tip 5: Multiple charts open — use Dark Muted

When you have 4–6 charts open at once (multiple pairs), Dark Muted helps by:

  • Reducing visual noise — dimmed candles do not compete for your attention
  • Letting signals on each chart stand out individually
  • Causing less eye strain compared to 6 charts with vivid candles all at once

Quick Reference Summary

Question Answer
Default theme? Dark Muted (dimmed candles, prominent signals)
How many preset themes? 4: Dark, Dark Muted, Light, Custom
Does changing the theme affect signals? No — appearance only
Want to choose your own colors? Set Theme = Custom, then adjust the 9 color inputs
Will removing the indicator reset the theme? Yes — chart reverts to MT5 default
Best theme for signals? Dark Muted + Color Pattern Candles = true
Works in Strategy Tester? Yes

Final tip: Dark Muted was designed specifically for pattern indicators — candles are dimmed so that signals can "shine". That is why it is set as the default theme. Try it before switching to something else.