MTF MACD Indicator for MT4 and MT5

Written by Dominic Walsh · Published 16 Jun 2026 · Last updated 24 Sep 2026

The four-hour MACD shows the bigger swing while you trade a faster chart. The MTF MACD indicator reads a standard 12, 26, 9 MACD from H4, draws its histogram and signal line under your chart, and marks the bar where the H4 MACD crosses zero. A switch changes that to signal-line crosses.

This build ships as a compiled .ex4 for MT4 and .ex5 for MT5; the screenshots below come from EURUSD H1.

Platforms	MT4 (.ex4) + MT5 (.ex5)
Chart window	Separate window (levels 0)
Plots	4: HTF MACD, HTF Signal, BUY, SELL
Alerts	popup, push notification, email, sound
Inputs	12

Output you can see

A histogram, a line and two marks.

`HTF MACD` fills dodger blue at width 2.

`HTF Signal` traces orange red at width 2.

`BUY` prints lime on price.

`SELL` prints red on price.

A zero line sits across the pane.

• HTF MACD: histogram, dodger blue, width 2
• HTF Signal: line, orange red, width 2
• BUY: arrow, lime, width 2, arrow code 233
• SELL: arrow, red, width 2, arrow code 234

The logic, one stage at a time

Source

`InpHigherTF` `PERIOD_H4` supplies the MACD. Each chart bar shows the H4 value covering its time.

MACD

`InpFastEMA` `12` and `InpSlowEMA` `26` give the MACD, and `InpSignalSMA` `9` its signal line, on `InpAppliedPrice` `PRICE_CLOSE`.

Signals

`InpSignalOnZeroCross` `true` marks crosses of zero. Set it false to mark crosses of the signal line instead.

Reading the output

Bars above zero mean the H4 trend is up.

Bars below zero mean it is down.

The pane moves in H4 steps.

Marks show H4 zero crosses.

The newest H4 bar still moves.

Warm-up needs H4 history.

Alert channels in this build: popup, push notification, email and sound, one message per closed bar.

H4 MACD crosses report once per closed chart bar. `InpEnableAlerts` is the master toggle, and the popup plus the sound playing `InpSoundFile` start on.

Every MTF MACD Indicator input

Core settings

Setting	What it does	Default
InpHigherTF	Higher timeframe for MACD. Timeframe the MACD comes from, `PERIOD_H4`.	PERIOD_H4
InpFastEMA	Fast EMA period. Fast length, `12`.	12
InpSlowEMA	Slow EMA period. Slow length, `26`.	26
InpSignalSMA	Signal SMA period. Signal length, `9`.	9
InpAppliedPrice	Applied price. Price fed in, `PRICE_CLOSE`.	PRICE_CLOSE
InpSignalOnZeroCross	Signal on zero-line cross (else MACD/Signal cross). Mark zero crosses, `true`.	on

Alert settings

Setting	What it does	Default
InpEnableAlerts	Master alerts toggle. Master alert toggle, `true`.	on
InpEnablePopup	Popup alert. Popup, `true`.	on
InpEnablePush	Push notification. Phone route, `false`.	off
InpEnableEmail	Email alert.	off
InpEnableSound	Sound alert. Sound, ships on, `true`.	on
InpSoundFile	Sound file.	alert.wav

Fitting the settings to a market

An H4 MACD suits M15 and H1 charts. On the hourly EURUSD screenshot, zero crosses come every week or two. On M5 each H4 step spans forty-eight bars. Set the source to D1 when trading H4.

What it misses

Zero crosses of an H4 MACD come late.

The newest H4 bar keeps changing.

Signal-line mode gives many more marks.

The sound route ships on.

Copy the compiled MTF MACD Indicator file into your MQL4/Indicators folder, and the MT5 build into MQL5/Indicators, then restart the terminal and drag it onto a chart. The step-by-step guide with screenshots is at how to install MT4 and MT5 indicators.

Download the MTF MACD Indicator for MT4 and MT5

The zip holds the compiled MTF MACD Indicator build for MT4 and MT5, plus a short README. Compiled files only, no source. Enter your email below and the download link arrives in your inbox.

FAQ

Why does the HTF MACD move in steps?

Every chart bar shows the MACD of the H4 bar covering its time. Four hourly bars share one H4 value, so the histogram forms flat blocks.

What changes with InpSignalOnZeroCross false?

Marks then follow crosses of the MACD and its signal line instead of zero. They come earlier and much more often, including many inside ranges.

Does the HTF MACD work with a daily source?

Yes. Set `InpHigherTF` to D1 and the pane shows the daily MACD, which suits H4 charts. Keep the source above your chart so the reading adds a slower view.

Why can the newest BUY mark change?

The current H4 bar is still forming, so its MACD moves until it closes. A zero cross on that bar can undo itself before the H4 bar ends.

Are results guaranteed?

No. Trading involves risk. Results are not guaranteed; past performance is not indicative of future results. Use the MTF MACD Indicator as one input. Always backtest before trading live.