Using MetaTrader 4 on a Mac

If you read the MetaTrader 4 system requirements, they say “The Client Terminal [that is, MetaTrader] can operate under Microsoft Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/2003 [also Windows 7 and Windows Vista]”

But it IS possible to run MetaTrader 4 on a Mac - or on Linux, for that matter. Here's how to run MetaTrader 4 on a Mac.

In this article we look at what we feel is the best option for running MT4 on a non-Windows operating system. We will focus specifically on using the CrossOver or Wine Windows emulators, as we feel this is the easiest, in terms of time and skills required, and most efficient, in terms of your computer's system resources.

A Windows emulator – Wine and Crossover

You can choose either CrossOver or Wine as your Windows emulator. 

CrossOver, which is developed by CodeWeavers, is based on Wine. Both Wine and CrossOver Office are designed to run Windows programs on non-Windows operating systems.

So whats the difference between Wine and CrossOver?

Wine is free and open source. Crossover has open source code from Wine and also has some of its own proprietary code, but it will require a fee after a 30-day free-trail period.  Crossover has a Graphical User Interface (GUI), making it easy to work with.

Differences from the Codeweavers perspective: http://www.codeweavers.com/support/forums/general/?t=26;forumcurPos=250;msg=77157

Differences from Wine perspective http://forum.winehq.org/viewtopic.php?p=55140&sid=90888042617a5f5db8ab58ebc359dce8

Wine myths- http://wiki.winehq.org/Debunking_Wine_Myths

 

Installing MetaTrader 4 with CrossOver

If you choose Crossover, download and install it from http://www.codeweavers.com/products/

Launch CrossOver and you will see the following screen:

 

 

Choose ‘Select an Installer’, as shown above and browse to the MetaTrader setup file, for example, SaxoMT4.exe, and click Proceed.

Alternatively, after installing CrossOver, and having downloaded the MetaTrader setup file, just double click on the MetaTrader setup file.

Next you will see a CrossOver dialog box. Enter a ‘Bottle name’ and click ‘Create Bottle and Run’:

 

 

The standard MetaTrader installer will begin.

 

 

I recommend you go with the defaults for the installation directory, however you can of course choose a new location to install MetaTrader.

 

 

During the installation, MetaTrader will contact a download server to ensure you have the most up-to-date version:

 

 

 

 

Click ‘Finish’, and MetaTrader will open.

And that’s it! MetaTrader is installed.

You can find and launch MetaTrader from the following location

 

 

You can now trade, using MetaTrader, on a Mac. 

Check out all our guides to automated trading.