MT5 Buy Sell Keyboard List: Essential Shortcuts for Faster Trading

You’ve just opened your MetaTrader 5 terminal, ready to act on a setup you’ve been watching. The price hits your level — you need to enter a buy order. Your mouse is hovering over the "New Order" button, but you pause. That extra second of clicking through menus could cost you a few pips, or worse, you might miss the entry entirely.

This is a common moment for any trader. The difference between capturing a move and watching it pass often comes down to execution speed. For traders who spend hours in front of their screens every day, navigating menus, finding the right tool, and clicking through order windows can become a significant drain on both time and focus.

That is precisely where knowing your MT5 keyboard shortcuts becomes a game-changer.

The Buy and Sell Shortcut Landscape in MT5

When traders ask for an "MT5 buy sell keyboard list," they are usually looking for a direct key to execute a market order. The truth is, MetaTrader 5 itself does not have a single "B" for Buy or "S" for Sell default shortcut for immediate execution. However, it does have a very powerful tool that serves the same purpose: the F9 key.

F9 is the gateway to the "New Order" window . It instantly pulls up the order dialog box for the currently active chart, allowing you to set your trade volume, take profit, stop loss, and execute the trade. For immediate action, pressing F9 is the fastest way to get a buy or sell order ready without taking your hands off the keyboard.

Beyond F9, traders can also use the Enter key to open the quick navigation bar on a chart, providing another fast way to switch instruments or manage views .

It is worth noting that certain third-party Expert Advisors (trading utilities) on the MQL5 marketplace do assign specific keys like "B" for Buy and "S" for Sell . However, these are custom implementations and not part of the base MT5 platform.

The Complete Trader’s Shortcut List

While a dedicated "buy/sell" key isn't native, the full suite of MT5 shortcuts is designed to eliminate friction. Here is a breakdown of the most valuable ones, categorized for quick reference.

Chart Navigation and Analysis

• F9: Opens the New Order window for fast trade entry .
• Ctrl+F: Activates the crosshair tool, perfect for measuring pips, distances, and drawing trend lines .
• Alt+1 / Alt+2 / Alt+3: Switch chart views between Bars, Japanese Candlesticks, and Line charts .
• F12 / Shift+F12: Scroll the chart one bar to the left or right, ideal for step-by-step analysis .
• Home / End: Move the chart instantly to the very first loaded data or the most recent price .
• Ctrl+G: Show or hide the grid for cleaner chart reading .

Window Management

• Ctrl+M: Open or close the Market Watch window to see all available instruments .
• Ctrl+N: Open the Navigator window to access your indicators, Expert Advisors, and scripts .
• Ctrl+T: Open the Terminal window to see your trades, account history, and news .
• Ctrl+D: Open the Data Window to see the exact price and indicator values on your chart .
• F11: Toggle full-screen mode to maximize your chart space .

The Hidden Cost of "Just One More Click"

If you are a day trader or scalper, the need for speed is not just about comfort—it affects your bottom line. The friction of reaching for the mouse, clicking on the "Trade" tab, finding the "New Order" button, and then adjusting your settings pulls you out of the flow state where your best decisions are made.

This is where efficiency tools become critical. While keyboard shortcuts like F9 solve the entry problem, traders often find themselves constantly toggling back to the MT5 terminal window to check their open positions or floating P&L. This breaks focus and reintroduces the same friction they were trying to avoid.

Imagine a scenario where you are analyzing a chart on one monitor and preparing to manage a position. Instead of clicking back into MT5, opening the terminal, and searching through your open trades, what if you could see your position and close it with a single command, right from your system tray?

This is where Camovia Tray can bridge the gap. It turns your MT5 into a tray tool, allowing you to view open positions and current quotes without reactivating the main MT5 window . While MT5's native shortcuts get you into the trade quickly, Camovia Tray helps you manage your portfolio and stay aware of market movements without interrupting your workflow. Because all data stays on your computer, you get a fast, convenient, and secure way to monitor your trades, reducing the need to constantly alt-tab back to the terminal to check your stats .

Conclusion

Mastering the keyboard shortcuts in MT5 is a fundamental step toward more disciplined and efficient trading. The native "buy/sell" shortcut is the F9 key, but the true power lies in combining these keys to navigate, analyze, and execute without friction. By integrating tools that streamline how you view and manage your positions—like Camovia Tray—you can keep your focus where it matters most: on your strategy.