How to Install a .set Preset File in MT5

Instrucciones paso a paso

1. Paso 1: Understand what a .set file is

   A .set file is a plain-text dump of every input parameter for one specific EA, including hidden internal parameters that the vendor exposed only for tuning. The format is one line per parameter: `ParamName=value`. It is human-readable and can be opened in any text editor.

   Vendors ship .set files for one of two reasons: (1) they tested specific parameter combinations across years of backtests and want you to use those tested values rather than the compiled defaults, or (2) they ship different .set files for different broker types (ECN vs Standard) or different account sizes (Conservative for small accounts, Aggressive for $10k+).

   The .set file is bound to a specific EA version. If you load a .set from EA v3.2 into EA v3.5 that added new inputs, MT5 will use the .set values for matching parameter names and use defaults for new parameters. Always source .set files from the same release as the .ex5.

2. Paso 2: Copy the .set file into MQL5/Presets/

   Open MT5 → File → Open Data Folder. Navigate into MQL5\Presets\. If the folder does not exist (rare on fresh installs), create it with that exact name and capitalisation.

   Drop the vendor's .set file into Presets. You can place multiple .set files here — MT5 lists them all when you click Load on the Inputs tab, sorted alphabetically. A common convention is to name them like `MyEA-Conservative.set`, `MyEA-Balanced.set`, `MyEA-Aggressive.set` so you can see at a glance which risk profile each one targets.

   You don't need to restart MT5 after copying a .set; the load dialog scans the folder fresh on each open.

3. Paso 3: Load the .set from the EA's Inputs tab

   Open or re-open the EA configuration popup by either double-clicking the EA name in Navigator and dragging it onto a chart, or right-clicking the chart with the EA already attached → Properties.

   Switch to the Inputs tab. The bottom-right corner has Load and Save buttons. Click Load, navigate into the Presets folder (it should be the default location), and pick the .set file. The parameters in the table refresh to the .set's values.

   If any input from the .set does not match a parameter that exists in the current EA version, MT5 silently drops it. You'll see a warning in the Experts tab on next attach. Conversely, parameters in the current EA that the .set does not mention stay at their compiled defaults — the .set is additive, not a full replacement.

4. Paso 4: Review the loaded values against your account

   A vendor's .set is calibrated to assumptions: a specific account currency, a specific balance range, a specific broker spread, sometimes a specific leverage. Scan the inputs for anything that mentions: LotSize, FixedLot, Risk, RiskPercent, MaxLot, MaxDrawdown, StopLoss, TakeProfit, Slippage.

   If the vendor's documentation says the preset was built for a $10,000 account and you have $1,000, divide lot-size related fields by 10. If they assumed Standard lots (1 lot = 100,000 units) but your broker uses Cent (1 lot = 1,000 units), divide by 100.

   For stop-loss and take-profit values, check whether they are in pips or in absolute price units. The .set will show the same number, but the meaning changes — 200 means 200 pips on a USDJPY EA (= ~$200 risk per mini lot) or 200 price units = 2 cents (= $20 risk per mini lot). The vendor docs tell you which.

5. Paso 5: Save your tuned version as a new .set

   If you adjust inputs from the loaded preset (different lot size for your balance, different time filter for your timezone, different broker symbol mapping), save those changes as a new .set file so you can restore them later without redoing the work.

   From the Inputs tab, click Save. MT5 prompts for a filename and saves into the Presets folder by default. Use a descriptive name like `MyEA-Aggressive-LIVE-IC-$5k.set` that encodes the variant, account type, broker, and balance assumption.

   Do not overwrite the vendor's original .set with your custom version. Keep the originals untouched as a reference; your edits go into a new file. This makes it easy to compare your tuning against the vendor baseline if the EA underperforms.

6. Paso 6: (Optional) Inspect or diff the .set in a text editor

   Open the .set in VS Code, Notepad++, or any plain-text editor. The format is one `param=value` per line, with comments prefixed by `;`. You can:

   - Compare two .set files via your editor's diff tool to see exactly what differs between Conservative and Aggressive presets — useful for understanding the vendor's tuning logic. - Hand-edit a .set to bulk-modify parameters across multiple presets (e.g. change LotSize from 0.1 to 0.05 in 5 .set files at once via search-replace). - Generate .set files programmatically for grid optimization — write a Python script that produces 50 .set files with different StopLoss values, then run MT5's Strategy Tester in Optimization mode pointed at the folder.

   The one rule: do not introduce new parameter lines that the EA does not know about. They will be silently dropped and may cause MT5 to log warnings on every chart attach.

Errores comunes a evitar

• ✗ Placing .set files in MQL5/Files/ instead of MQL5/Presets/Solución: The Load dialog only scans Presets/. MT5 will silently not show files placed elsewhere.
• ✗ Loading a .set for v3.2 into a v3.5 EA without checking the versionSolución: Check the EA version line printed in the Experts log on attach. If versions differ, expect missing parameters and re-test.
• ✗ Forgetting that Cent accounts need lot sizes divided by 100Solución: A 0.10-lot preset on Cent opens 100× the exposure of Standard. Always verify against AccountInfoString(ACCOUNT_NAME) which usually includes 'Cent' for cent accounts.
• ✗ Editing the vendor .set file directly instead of saving a new versionSolución: Keep originals immutable. Save your tuning as YourEA-Tuned-Date.set so you can roll back if performance degrades.

Preguntas frecuentes