How to Install MetaTrader 5 on a Windows VPS

Summary: MetaTrader 5 installs on a Windows VPS in about 10 minutes: connect over Remote Desktop, download MT5 from your broker, log in, drop EAs into the MQL5 Data Folder, enable Algorithmic Trading. MT5 uses 2-3× more RAM than MT4 per chart, so size your plan accordingly.

Plan size for MT5

MT5 is multi-threaded and supports more asset classes than MT4 (forex, indices, commodities, crypto, stocks, futures), so it uses more memory per chart. Practical sizing:

4 GB RAM: 2-4 active charts with EAs. Comfortable for a single-strategy trader.
8 GB RAM: 6-8 active charts. Good for a diversified portfolio EA.
16 GB RAM: 15+ charts across asset classes. Required for serious portfolio EAs running on multiple symbols simultaneously.

If you are picking a plan, see DigiRDP MT5 VPS plans — every plan ships with dedicated vCPU which matters more for MT5 than MT4 because of the multi-threading.

Step 1 — Connect to your VPS over Remote Desktop

Same as MT4: mstsc on Windows, Microsoft Remote Desktop on Mac/iPhone/Android. Use the IP and Administrator credentials from your DigiRDP welcome email. First-connection certificate warning is normal — click "Yes" to proceed.

Step 2 — Download MT5 from your broker

Open Edge or Chrome inside the VPS, go to your broker's MT5 downloads page. Common URLs: icmarkets.com/global/en/forex-trading-platform-metatrader/metatrader-5, pepperstone.com/en/trading-platforms/metatrader5, fbs.com/en/trading-platforms/metatrader-5.

Use the broker installer rather than the generic MetaQuotes installer — it pre-configures your broker's server list. Run the installer with default settings.

Step 3 — Log in to your trading account

MT5 launches and prompts for credentials. Enter your account number, password, server (e.g. ICMarketsSC-Live08, Pepperstone-MT5). Status bar bottom-right should show "Connected" with current ping.

If your server is not in the dropdown, File → Open an Account → Add Broker → search by broker name or server name your broker provided.

Step 4 — Copy your EAs and indicators

MT5 uses MQL5 (not MQL4 — they are different languages). Your old MT4 EAs do NOT run on MT5 directly. Make sure your EAs have an MT5 version before copying.

File → Open Data Folder.
Navigate to MQL5 → Experts. Drop EA .ex5 or .mq5 files here.
Indicators go to MQL5 → Indicators. Templates to profiles → templates.
Restart MT5. New EAs appear in the Navigator panel.

Step 5 — Attach EAs and enable Algorithmic Trading

Open a chart for your symbol. Drag the EA from Navigator onto the chart. The settings dialog appears — confirm "Allow Algo Trading" is checked, then OK.

Click the "Algo Trading" button in the toolbar — it must turn green. A green Algo Trading button + a smiley face on each chart with an EA = your portfolio is live.

Step 6 — Disconnect RDP, leave MT5 running

Close the RDP window (X button in top right) — do NOT click Start → Sign Out. The Windows session continues running on the VPS, MT5 keeps trading. Reconnect any time to check positions.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. They install side-by-side in separate folders. Total memory needed = MT4 footprint + MT5 footprint + ~2 GB Windows overhead. A 4 GB plan comfortably runs 1 MT4 + 1 MT5; an 8 GB plan handles a portfolio of both.

Not directly — MQL4 and MQL5 are different languages. You need the EA developer to ship an MT5 version, or use a converter (third-party tools convert simple EAs but rarely complex ones cleanly).

Yes — MT5 is multi-asset by design. Forex, indices, commodities, crypto, stocks, and futures all work from a single install. Asset availability depends on what your broker has enabled in your account.

Drop them into the MQL5 → Indicators folder via File → Open Data Folder, then restart MT5. Custom indicators appear in Navigator → Indicators.

Yes — MT5's strategy tester is multi-threaded and uses real tick data, so a 6-month forex backtest that takes 30 minutes on MT4 typically completes in 5-8 minutes on MT5 on the same hardware.

MT5 stores more depth per symbol (tick-by-tick history, market depth, multi-timeframe data). Expect 50-150 MB per chart on MT5 vs 25-60 MB per chart on MT4 for similar EAs.