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How to use TradingView: from a blank screen to a clean chart

TradingView has free charts for stocks, forex, futures and crypto, all in one place. 9 steps take you from a blank screen to a clean, marked-up chart.

Beginner guide · 8-minute read · Updated 2026-10-21

What TradingView is (and isn't)

TradingView is a place to look at charts and plan trades. You can use it on a computer in your web browser, in a desktop app, or in the phone app.

It is mostly a charting tool, not a bank. Some brokers connect to it so you can place orders from the chart, but you don't need a broker to use the charts. Many people use TradingView for charts and place their trades elsewhere.

Step 1: Make a free account

1. Go to tradingview.com or download the TradingView app.
2. Sign up with an email address.
3. Pick the free plan. You can always look at paid plans later.

The free plan is plenty for learning. Paid plans add things like more indicators per chart and more saved layouts. Plans and their limits change over time, so check TradingView's own pricing page for the current details.

Step 2: Phone app or computer?

Both work, and your account syncs between them.

A good habit: do your main chart review on a computer when you can, and use the phone to check in.

Step 3: Open a chart

1. Use the search box (or the symbol name at the top of the chart) and type a name — for example, a stock ticker or "EURUSD".
2. Pick the market you want from the list.
3. The chart opens with candles. The newest price is on the right.

If you see a line instead of candles, change the chart type. On a computer it's in the top toolbar; on the phone, tap the chart-type icon. Choose Candles. New to candles? Read how to read a candlestick chart.

Step 4: Change the timeframe

The Timeframe is how much time each candle covers. On a computer, it's in the top toolbar (shown like "1D" or "1h"). On the phone, tap the timeframe at the top of the chart.

Common choices:

• 1W (weekly) and 1D (daily) for the big picture,
• 4h and 1h for planning,
• 15m and 5m for timing an entry.

Start on the daily. Check the bigger chart first, then zoom in. See multiple timeframe analysis.

Step 5: Move around the chart

• Scroll back in time: drag the chart to the right (or swipe on the phone).
• Zoom: use the mouse wheel, or pinch on the phone.
• Reset the view: double-click the price scale on the right, or use the reset option in the chart menu.

Step 6: Draw a zone

Support and resistance work best as zones, not thin lines. Here's how to draw one:

1. Find a place where price turned around at least twice. See support and resistance.
2. On a computer, open the drawing tools on the left side and find the Rectangle (in the shapes group). On the phone, open the drawing tools from the chart toolbar.
3. Drag a box that covers the small area around those turns.
4. Stretch it to the right, so you'll see when price comes back.
5. Pick a soft color. Green for floors and red for ceilings works for many people.

Step 7: Build a watchlist

A watchlist is your short list of markets to check every day.

1. Open the watchlist panel (on a computer, it's on the right side; on the phone, it's its own tab).
2. Tap or click the + and add a symbol.
3. Keep it to 5 to 10 names in one market. More than that gets hard to follow.

Each market has its own habits — how fast it moves and when it's busy. A short list lets you learn them.

Step 8: Add an indicator

An indicator is a tool that draws extra information on the chart. On a computer, click Indicators in the top toolbar; on the phone, tap the indicators button. Search for one and add it.

Our free StructureX chart tool marks the last places price turned around automatically, and it works in the phone app too. The full steps are in how to add an indicator on TradingView.

Step 9: Practice with replay

TradingView's bar replay lets you jump back in time, hide the future, and step forward one candle at a time. It's one of the best free ways to practice. See TradingView bar replay.

A simple TradingView routine

1. Open your watchlist.
2. For each name: daily chart, mark the trend, check your zones.
3. Note any name where price is close to a zone, in the direction of the trend.
4. Close the app. Come back only for those names.

Common beginner mistakes

• Too many indicators. Start with plain candles and a few zones.
• Living on the 1-minute chart. It's mostly noise. Start on the daily.
• A watchlist of 50 names. You'll skim all of them and learn none.
• Forgetting the news. Charts don't show when big reports land. Check an economic calendar.

Questions