ACTUAL FOREX TRADING
TradingView Basics Course
Learn how to use TradingView - A Free Guide for Beginners (2025)
"TradingView is by far the best charting platform for retail traders. This free training course will cover the basics of TradingView and include a download for a free TradingView account"
TradingView Course: The Basics
This free TradingView tutorial covers all the essential functions, including logging in, using charts, placing trades, drawing tools, adjusting positions, indicators, quick keys, and more.
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TradingView is the most popular charting platform for Forex, stock and CFD trading. It is free to use. There are no fees or charges for using the basic version of TradingView.
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The course is designed for new traders and is available on this page and on my YouTube Channel.
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Jump to:
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Getting Started - The Absolute Basics
Adding and Managing Indicators
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Creating and Managing Watchlists
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TradingView Tutorial: Getting Started
TradingView is a web-based (browser-based) charting and trading platform. It is available on desktop computers as well as an app on mobile and tablet devices.
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From the home page, users can access the charting platform, view information on financial markets, open a TradingView-supported brokerage account, and join the online TradingView community. The first videos of this tutorial will cover the charting platform. The other features will be detailed later on.
1.1 Charting Platform Layout
The TradingView platform layout is as follows:
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The left sidebar is for drawing tools
The right sidebar is for watchlists and managing alerts
The bottom ribbon is for changing time intervals, trading, and other features, which will be covered later in this course
The top ribbon has several features. Namely, a financial market search bar, time-frame selector, charting customisations, adding indicators, saving chart layouts, sharing charts, and other features.
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You will need to open a free basic account to access most features.
1.2 The Charts
Selecting Financial Assets
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To display price charts of different financial assets and markets, use the search bar at the top left of the platform.
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Changing Time-frames
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There are two ways to change time-frames:
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1. Use the time-frame selector at the top ribbon
2. Hover over the chart and type in numbers to represent a time-frame in minutes
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Changing Pricing Format (Display)
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To change between candlesticks, Heikin Ashi, Renko, line, area, and other chart displays, use the pricing format option on the top ribbon.
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Zoom In and Out
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There are a few ways to zoom in and out on TradingView:
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1. Use your mouse wheel while hovering over the chart
2. Hold 'Ctrl' on your keyboard and use the mouse wheel to zoom to a specific location
3. Hover over the X or Y axis. Left click, hold, and drag up or down for the Y axis and right or left for the X axis
4. Use the zoom feature in the left sidebar
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Changing Chart Colours
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Hover over the chart and right click. Choose settings. Chart colours can be customised under 'Symbol' and 'Canvas'.
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Saving Chart Layouts
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Once a chart has been customised, click on 'Save' in the top ribbon.
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1.3 Drawings
Adding and Editing Drawings
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The left sidebar contains the following drawing elements: trend lines, horizontal lines, vertical lines, channels, pitchforks, various Fibonacci tools, various Gann, patterns, Elliott wave patterns, cycles, projections, brushes, arrows, shapes, text, notes, and emojis.
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Drawings can be added to the charts by selecting the desired drawing and clicking on the chart where you want the drawing to be.
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Drawings can be customised by double-clicking on the drawing or right clicking on the drawing and selecting 'Settings'. On the settings tab, you can change the drawing colour and width.
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Deleting Drawings
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Drawings can be deleted by selecting a drawing and pressing Backspace or Delete key on your keyboard. Alternatively, drawings can be deleted by right clicking on the drawing and choosing 'Remove'.
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To delete all drawings from the chart, select the remove all button (trash can) at the bottom of the left sidebar.
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Using the Magnet Feature
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Snap drawings to candles and other price data by using the magnet feature in the left sidebar.
1.4 Adding and Editing Indicators
Adding Indicators
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To add an indicator to TradingView, click on 'Indicators' in the top ribbon. Select 'Technicals' and 'Indicators'. Scroll through the list of indicators or use the search bar to find your desired indicator. Click on the desired indicator to add it to your chart.
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Editing Indicators
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To edit an indicator's period, colour, or weight, you must go to the indicator settings. The settings can be accessed by double-clicking on the indicator or selecting 'Settings' from the indicator title at the top left of the chart.
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Removing Indicators
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To remove an indicator, you must go to the indicator title at the top left of the chart. Hover over the title. A remove icon will appear.
TradingView Tutorial: Building on the Basics
2.1 Creating and Managing Watchlists and Alerts
Creating Alerts
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To create an alert, right click on the chart and select 'Add Alert'. Alternatively, go to the right sidebar, click on 'Alerts', and click on the + icon.
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Managing Alerts
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All alerts will show in the alerts list in the right sidebar. From this list, alerts can be paused, edited, and deleted.​​
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Creating Watchlists
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Watchlists can be accessed from the right sidebar by clicking on watchlists. To add financial products to the watchlist, use the + icon at the top of the watchlist.
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Managing Watchlists
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From the watchlist, financial instruments can be removed by clicking on the remove icon to the right of the product on the list.
2.2 Trading on TradingView
Adding a Broker
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To open a free demo or live trading account on TradingView, click on 'Trading Panel' in the bottom ribbon. Select the desired broker and follow the instructions.
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My recommended TradingView broker is IC Markets.
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Opening Trades and Placing Orders
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To open a trade or to place an order, use the buy and sell buttons to the top left of the chart. Alternatively, click on 'Trade' in the bottom ribbon.
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Managing Trades
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Open positions and trading history can be viewed in the Trading Panel in the bottom ribbon.
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Modifying Stop Losses and Take Profits
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Click on the position on the chart or go to the Trading Panel in the bottom ribbon to edit open positions.
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Closing Trades
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Click the close icon in the Trading Panel located in the bottom ribbon.
TradingView Tutorial: Advanced Features
Coming soon
Continue with my six steps!
Step 4 - Learn the basics of Fundamental Analysis