# Quick Start

This guide gets you from a fresh installation to a working EA on your first chart in under five minutes, using the recommended default settings.

## Step 1 — Choose your chart[​](#step-1--choose-your-chart "Direct link to Step 1 — Choose your chart")

Attach the EA to a **1-hour** EURUSD (or your preferred major pair) chart. The EA evaluates signals on the chart's timeframe by default.

## Step 2 — Open the inputs dialog[​](#step-2--open-the-inputs-dialog "Direct link to Step 2 — Open the inputs dialog")

Drag **BananaEA Auto** from the Navigator onto the chart. The inputs dialog opens automatically.

## Step 3 — Enter your license key[​](#step-3--enter-your-license-key "Direct link to Step 3 — Enter your license key")

Paste your key into the **License Key** field. See [Licensing](/banana-ea/mt5/docs/getting-started/licensing.md) if you haven't received your key yet.

## Step 4 — Set your risk per trade[​](#step-4--set-your-risk-per-trade "Direct link to Step 4 — Set your risk per trade")

In the **Risk & Lot Settings** section:

| Input                                         | Recommended value                                                                       |
| --------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Lot sizing method                             | Balance-percent risk, equity-percent risk, or the preset method you intend to test      |
| Fixed lots, percent, or account-currency risk | 1.0 for a 1% risk-style setup, or the value required by your selected lot sizing method |

Start at 1% or below until you have validated performance on your broker and pair.

## Step 5 — Set trading sessions[​](#step-5--set-trading-sessions "Direct link to Step 5 — Set trading sessions")

Under **Trading Sessions**:

| Input                        | Value                                   |
| ---------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| Enable trading hours control | true                                    |
| Session 1                    | 10:00 – 13:00 (London morning)          |
| Session 2                    | 16:15 – 17:45 (London/New York overlap) |

Adjust for your broker's GMT offset if needed.

## Step 6 — Click OK[​](#step-6--click-ok "Direct link to Step 6 — Click OK")

The EA attaches. The dashboard panel appears on the chart showing your account info and session status.

## Step 7 — Confirm AutoTrading is on[​](#step-7--confirm-autotrading-is-on "Direct link to Step 7 — Confirm AutoTrading is on")

The **AutoTrading** button in the toolbar must be green. Click it if it is not.

***

## What to expect[​](#what-to-expect "Direct link to What to expect")

* Outside session hours the dashboard shows **Session: Inactive** — the EA scans but does not trade.
* When a session opens and a qualifying signal forms on a closed bar, the EA places a **pending stop order** above the signal candle high (BUY) or below the signal candle low (SELL).
* If price does not trigger the pending order within **Pending expiry in entry bars, 0 disables**, the order is cancelled.
* Once triggered, break-even, partial close, and trailing stop management runs automatically on every tick.

***

## Next steps[​](#next-steps "Direct link to Next steps")

* Read [The Banana Strategy](/banana-ea/mt5/docs/strategy/overview.md) to understand what the EA looks for.
* Review [Configuration Reference](/banana-ea/mt5/docs/configuration/overview.md) to tune settings to your trading style.
* Run a backtest before going live — see [Backtesting Setup](/banana-ea/mt5/docs/backtesting/setup.md).