How Do I Backtest in the Strategy Tester

Introduction

In this guide, you'll learn how to backtest your strategies using the Strategy Analyzer in MT5, covering essential steps to get accurate results. We'll also touch on using the MTP for backtesting, but this tutorial focuses on the Strategy Analyzer.

1. Choose Your Strategy

• Make sure you have a strategy you want to backtest.


• You could either use a strategy you already have or download one from the leaderboard on your broker's platform (like an .ini file).

2. Understanding Different Prop Firms and Data

• It's essential to understand that different prop firms (such as Fxify, FTMO, E8, etc.) have different data.
• If you backtest a strategy from one prop firm, it might not give the same results on another.
• Ensure you're using the same broker or prop firm for backtesting to avoid inaccurate results.

3. Install the Strategy on MT5

1. Once you are on MT5 (ensure you're on the right broker, such as Alpari), install your strategy.
2. Go to File → Open Data Folder.
3. Navigate to MQL5 → Experts → Advisors, and paste your strategy file there (e.g., Titan X 23.04).
4. Refresh the Navigator to see the newly added strategy.

4. Open the Strategy Tester

1. Click View (top left) → Strategy Tester.
2. This will open the Strategy Tester window at the bottom of the screen.
3. Select your strategy (for example, Titan X 23.04).

5. Load Settings and Timeframe

1. In the Strategy Tester, click on Settings.
2. Select the expert advisor version of your strategy (e.g., Titan X 23.04).
3. Load your strategy's settings from wherever they are saved on your computer (usually in the Downloads folder).
4. Choose your time period for the backtest.
• For example, if you want to test from August 1 to September 1, input those dates.
5. Click Start to begin the backtest.

6. Visualizing the Backtest Results

1. You can view a graph of the backtest results by clicking the Graph tab once it loads.
2. To see detailed trade information, right-click the Backtest tab and click Deals—this shows all trades placed by the strategy.

7. Using Visual Mode (Optional)

• You can also enable Visual Mode, which allows you to see how the strategy places trades in real time on a chart.
• Select Visual Mode and click Start again to see how the strategy performs trade by trade.
• Adjust the speed to suit your preference.

8. Additional Settings

• In the Inputs tab, you can adjust settings like lot size and daily goal.
• For example, if the default lot size is 1.7, you could increase it to 2.3 to see how it impacts performance.
• After adjusting settings, run the backtest again to check how the changes affect results.

9. Important Notes

• When selecting the timeframe, match it to the leaderboard settings. For instance:
• If a strategy is on a 2-minute timeframe in the leaderboard, make sure to use the same timeframe in your backtest.

Conclusion

Backtesting with the Strategy Analyzer is a powerful way to assess your trading strategies. Be mindful of using the correct broker data, ensure that your timeframes match the leaderboard, and explore different settings to optimize performance.