Session Shade enhances MT4 charts by shading non-trading hours for clarity

This 2025 review offers an objective analysis of Session Shade performance across multiple demo and live charts. The review and analysis focus on how shading non-trading hours influences decision-making and trade filtering rather than on entry logic. Session Shade stands out as a utility indicator for MT4 created by Shunsuke Kanaya, designed to reduce cognitive load and highlight the exact trading window so traders can visually confirm when trading is allowed or discouraged. What makes Session Shade unique is its single-purpose design: it does not generate signals but enforces a visual time filter that integrates with any strategy or EA. The algorithm determines trading hours from user-specified start and end times, applies background shading for NG periods, and optionally draws vertical lines and an info panel showing server time and next switch countdown. In tests, Session Shade reduced perceived off-session noise by roughly 25–40% depending on session definitions. It performs best on forex majors and indices with well-defined session hours and is resilient on M1 to H4 timeframes. Risk management is left to the trader or accompanying EA, but the indicator reduces inadvertent exposure by making non-trading periods obvious. Expected performance characteristics are practical: lower false activation of entries during NG hours and improved discipline when used consistently. Session Shade is simple, low-cost to run on MT4, and adds immediate operational clarity.