Summary: Installing MetaTrader 4 on a Windows VPS takes about 10 minutes: connect over Remote Desktop, download MT4 from your broker, log in, drop your EAs into the Data Folder, and enable AutoTrading. Below is the full step-by-step with screenshots-equivalent detail.
What you need before you start
Three things: a DigiRDP Windows VPS plan (any tier 2 GB+ RAM works for a single MT4), the RDP credentials we email you on order, and your broker login (account number + password + investor server name).
If you have not ordered yet, see DigiRDP Forex VPS plans — choose the location closest to your broker (LD4 London for IC Markets / Pepperstone, NY4 New York for Oanda / FXCM, Singapore for Exness Asia, etc.).
Step 1 — Connect to your VPS over Remote Desktop
Open Remote Desktop on your computer:
- Windows: press
Win + R, typemstsc, hit Enter. - macOS: install Microsoft Remote Desktop from the App Store.
- Android / iOS: install Microsoft Remote Desktop from Play Store / App Store.
Paste your VPS IP address from the welcome email, hit Connect, then enter the Administrator username and the password we generated. Click "Yes" if you get a certificate warning — that is normal for first-time connections to a fresh VPS.
Step 2 — Download MetaTrader 4 from your broker
Inside the VPS, open Edge or Chrome and go to your broker's downloads page. Use the broker's own MT4 installer rather than a generic one — broker-bundled MT4 ships with their server list pre-configured, saving you a manual server entry step.
Common broker download URLs: icmarkets.com/au/en/forex-trading-platform-metatrader/metatrader-4-download, pepperstone.com/en/trading-platforms/metatrader4, exness.com/trading-tools/metatrader-4. Search "{your broker} MT4 download" if your broker is not listed.
Run the installer. Default install path is fine. If the installer asks "Open MT4 after install?" — leave checked.
Step 3 — Log in to your trading account
MT4 will open and prompt for credentials. Enter your account number, password, and pick the correct server from the dropdown (e.g. ICMarkets-Live02, Pepperstone-Live, Exness-Real). The status bar at the bottom-right should turn green and show "Connected" with your ping in milliseconds.
If you do not see your broker server in the list, click "Scan" or open File → Open an Account → Add new broker, and type the broker server name your broker provided.
Step 4 — Copy your EAs and indicators across
If you already have EAs from another machine, the easiest move is via the MT4 Data Folder:
- In MT4 menu, click File → Open Data Folder. A Windows Explorer window opens.
- Navigate into
MQL4 → Experts. Drop your EA.ex4or.mq4files here. - Drop indicators into
MQL4 → Indicators, scripts intoMQL4 → Scripts, templates intotemplates, profiles intoprofiles. - Back in MT4, restart it (File → Exit, then re-launch). Your new EAs and indicators appear in the Navigator panel on the left.
Step 5 — Attach EAs to charts and enable AutoTrading
Open a chart for the symbol you want to trade (e.g. EURUSD). Drag your EA from the Navigator onto the chart. A settings dialog appears — confirm "Allow live trading" is checked, then click OK.
Final step: click the "AutoTrading" button in the MT4 toolbar (looks like a Play button). It must turn green for the EA to actually place trades. A grey/red button means EAs are paused.
Verify the EA is active: a smiley face appears in the top-right corner of each chart with an attached EA. A frowning face means EAs are disabled — recheck AutoTrading.
Step 6 — Disconnect RDP — the VPS keeps trading
Once everything is running, just close the RDP window — DO NOT use Start → Sign Out. Closing the RDP window leaves your Windows session running on the VPS, which means MT4 stays open and your EAs keep trading.
Reconnect any time to check on things. Most clients reconnect once a day for a quick visual check; everything else runs autonomously.