T3 Moving Average Indicator for MT4 and MT5

Written by Dominic Walsh · Published 10 Jul 2026 · Last updated 24 Sep 2026

Tim Tillson designed the T3 to be smooth without the usual lag. It chains six exponential averages and blends them with a single weighting factor. The T3 moving average indicator draws that line over 50 bars, colours it green when rising and red when falling, and marks each turn.

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	Main price chart
Plots	4: T3 Up, T3 Down, T3 Buy, T3 Sell
Alerts	popup, push notification, email, sound
Inputs	10

Plots, colours and placement

One two-colour line and two marks.

`T3 Up` traces lime green while the line rises.

`T3 Down` traces orange red while it falls.

`T3 Buy` prints lime with arrow 233.

`T3 Sell` prints red with arrow 234.

A comment shows period, factor and slope.

• T3 Up: line, lime green, width 2
• T3 Down: line, orange red, width 2
• T3 Buy: arrow, lime, width 2, arrow code 233
• T3 Sell: arrow, red, width 2, arrow code 234

From price to plot

Six averages

`T3Period` `50` sets each exponential average. The price feeds the first, and each one feeds the next.

Blending

`VolumeFactor` `0.7` sets four weights that combine the last four averages. It is a smoothing weight only, not a measure of trading activity.

Turns

A buy prints when the line starts rising after falling. A fixed three-bar cooldown spaces same-side marks.

Reading day to day

Green means the T3 is rising.

Red means it is falling.

Turns come later than on a plain EMA.

The line hugs price less in ranges.

`AppliedPrice` `PRICE_CLOSE` feeds it.

Warm-up needs about three hundred bars.

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

Slope turns send one message each. `EnableAlerts` switches them, and the popup is the route that starts on.

Every T3 Moving Average Indicator input

Core settings

Setting	What it does	Default
T3Period	T3 lookback period (EMA cascade length). Length of each average, `50`.	50
VolumeFactor	T3 volume factor (0.1 – 1.0). Tillson’s blend factor, `0.7`.	0.7
AppliedPrice	Applied price. Price fed to the line, `PRICE_CLOSE`.	PRICE_CLOSE

Display settings

Setting	What it does	Default
ArrowOffset	Arrow gap from candle (points). Mark gap in points, `12`.	12

Alert settings

Setting	What it does	Default
EnableAlerts	Master alert switch, `true`.	on
EnablePopup	Popup, `true`.	on
EnablePushNotify	Mobile route, `false`.	off
EnableEmail	Email route, `false`.	off
EnableSound	Speaker, `false`.	off
SoundFile	Speaker clip, `”alert.wav”`.	alert.wav

Symbols and timeframes

A 50-bar T3 suits hourly and four-hour charts. EURUSD H1 is the reference chart, with a turn every day or two. On M15 shorten `T3Period` to 20. On D1 each turn marks a larger swing.

Where it disappoints

Six chained averages need a long history.

Slope turns still whipsaw in ranges.

A high factor adds overshoot.

Only the popup is ready by default.

Copy the compiled T3 Moving Average 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.

Related on forexmt4systems.com: Moving Average Crossover Strategy.

Download the T3 Moving Average Indicator for MT4 and MT5

The zip holds the compiled T3 Moving Average 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 T3Period 50 need so many bars?

The line chains six averages, each of fifty bars. The build waits about six times the period before drawing, so plan on three hundred bars of history.

What does VolumeFactor 0.7 control?

How strongly the blend leans on the later averages. Near 0 the T3 acts like a triple EMA; near 1 it responds faster but can overshoot turns.

When does T3 Buy print after a slope turn?

On the first bar where the line rises after at least one bar of falling. It marks the slope turn itself, not a cross of price and line, and a three-bar cooldown follows.

Is the T3 Up line the same as a TEMA?

No. TEMA combines three averages with fixed weights. T3 chains six averages and blends them with Tillson’s factor, which gives a smoother line with a little more lag than TEMA.

Are results guaranteed?

No. Trading involves risk. Results are not guaranteed; past performance is not indicative of future results. Use the T3 Moving Average Indicator as one input. Always backtest before trading live.