How to Go to Indicator Settings in TradingView
Indicator settings in TradingView are the controls that determine how a technical indicator calculates values and displays on your chart. Every indicator ships with default parameters, but those defaults rarely match your specific market or timeframe. I've been using TradingView for about three years, and the biggest jump in my chart quality came when I stopped accepting the defaults. Here's one example: I trade AAPL on the 1-hour chart, and the default 14-period RSI gave me constant false signals. Changing it to 21 periods cleaned up my entries immediately.
Why Adjust Indicator Settings
Default settings are a starting point, not the final word. Changing an indicator's period, color, or calculation source lets you match it to current market conditions or your personal trading style.
Take a moving average as an example. A 9-period EMA catches short moves but whipsaws in choppy markets. A 50-period SMA smooths the noise but lags behind price. I've tested both on BTC/USD, and neither worked out of the box for swing trading. I settled on 21 periods after about a dozen backtests.
The other benefit is validation. Change a parameter, scroll back in time, and see how it would have performed. I run this test before I risk real money on any new setup. It takes about five minutes and has saved me from bad configurations more than once.
The TradingView Interface at a Glance
Your chart sits in the center of the layout. The top toolbar holds the "fx" button, which opens the full indicator library. On the left, timeframe controls let you switch between 1-minute and monthly views. The right sidebar has tabs for watchlists, alerts, and the Object Tree.
The free plan gives you basic indicators and up to three on a single chart. Premium plans raise that limit. I stayed on the free plan for my first year of learning, and it was enough to practice.
| Plan Type | Feature for Indicators |
|---|---|
| Free | Access to basic indicators and tools. |
| Premium | Enables more indicators on a single chart at the same time. |
Adding an Indicator to Your Chart
Click the "fx" button at the top. Type the indicator name in the search bar — "RSI", "Bollinger Bands", or "VWAP", for example. Click the result, and it appears on your chart instantly.
Why this matters: you can't adjust what you haven't added. Most people don't get stuck here — the confusion starts after the indicator is on the chart.
What can go wrong: if the indicator doesn't appear, your chart might not have data loaded. Confirm you've selected a symbol like SPY or ETH/USD first. If you're on a free plan and already have three indicators active, the new one won't show until you remove one.
Star your frequently used indicators by clicking the star icon next to their names. This keeps them in a favorites list that saves time when you work across multiple charts. I star about eight indicators that I rotate through depending on the market.
How to Open Indicator Settings
Once an indicator is on your chart, you have three ways to open its settings.
Method 1: Gear Icon
Hover over the indicator's name in the top-left corner of the chart. A toolbar appears with a gear icon. Click it to open the settings dialog.
Why this works: the gear is always in the same spot relative to the indicator name. Once you build the muscle memory, it takes under a second.
What can go wrong: if the indicator names aren't visible, the legend might be collapsed. Click the small arrow under the main symbol name to expand it. If nothing changes, check that your chart window isn't zoomed in too far.
Method 2: Right-Click
Right-click directly on the indicator's line on the chart. Choose "Settings" from the pop-up menu. This is the fastest option when you have many indicators stacked.
Why this works: you don't need to search the legend. The click target is right where the indicator draws.
What can go wrong: on a chart with overlapping indicators, you might hit the wrong one. Check that the pop-up menu shows the correct indicator name before you click Settings.
Method 3: Object Tree
Open the sidebar on the right and click the Object Tree icon (layered squares). If it's not visible, enable it by right-clicking the chart, going to Settings > Appearance, and checking the Object Tree box. The tree lists every element on your chart. Click any indicator name to jump to its settings.
Why this works: the Object Tree is the only reliable method when you have over ten indicators running. The legend gets crowded, and clicking tiny targets becomes frustrating.
What can go wrong: the Object Tree isn't available on the TradingView mobile app. Stick to long-press on mobile.
I prefer Method 2 for quick changes and Method 3 for dense charts. I haven't tested these on the Windows desktop app — only on macOS and browser — but I've heard they behave the same way.
The Settings Tabs Explained
The settings dialog has three tabs:
| Tab | What You Can Do There |
|---|---|
| Inputs | Change core parameters, like turning a 14-period moving average into a 50-period one. |
| Style | Adjust colors, line thickness, and transparency. |
| Alerts | Set notifications for specific indicator conditions. |
The Inputs tab is where the math lives. For Bollinger Bands on TSLA, I changed the standard deviation from 2 to 2.5 because that stock moves wider than most. You can type exact values or drag the slider. The chart updates in real time, so you see the effect immediately.
The Style tab controls the visual. Change colors to avoid confusion when indicators pile up. Adjust transparency to see price action behind the lines. I switch off the shaded fill between Bollinger Band lines on my daily charts — it adds noise without helping my decisions.
The Alerts tab lets you create push notifications. For example, set an alert for when RSI crosses above 70 and get notified on your phone. I use this when I'm away from my desk but still want to know when a condition triggers.
One limitation: the Inputs tab doesn't show the actual formula or Pine Script code. If you need to confirm exactly what a parameter does, you'll need to check the indicator's documentation or the source code if it's a community script.
Common Problems and Fixes
You can't see the settings button. This happens when the legend is hidden. Click the +/- button in the top-left corner to toggle legend visibility. If that doesn't work, switch to right-clicking directly on the indicator line.
Your chart feels slow with too many indicators. High opacity and thick lines increase rendering load. Reduce opacity in the Style tab and remove indicators you aren't using. I keep my active charts to five indicators or fewer.
Changes don't persist. Your browser cache might hold old settings. Test in an incognito window or clear your cache. If you log into TradingView across multiple devices, make sure your layout is saved to the cloud.
Mobile problems. The Object Tree isn't available on phones. Switch to landscape mode and tap the indicator name in the legend. If nothing happens, long-press the indicator line — the gear icon appears in the pop-up.
Mobile Guide: Settings on the Go
Open your chart and tap the "fx" icon at the bottom to add an indicator. Once it's on the chart, press and hold the indicator line. A menu pops up with a gear icon. Tap it to open full settings.
| Feature | Mobile Action |
|---|---|
| Add an Indicator | Tap the fx icon. |
| Open Settings | Long-press the indicator line. |
| Customize | Tap the gear icon in the pop-up menu. |
A few things to keep in mind: the mobile app caps indicators lower than desktop. The free plan limits you to three. If you save your layout to the cloud, settings sync between phone and computer automatically. I've tested this between my iPhone and MacBook — the sync takes about 30 seconds.
I don't use the mobile app for complex configuration. The screen is too small for tweaking multiple parameters. I use it to check existing setups and make quick color adjustments when I'm away from my desk.
Aligning Settings With Your Trading Strategy
Day traders and swing traders need different indicator settings even for the same tool. A swing trader might stretch Fibonacci levels to catch deeper pullbacks on a 4-hour chart. A day trader would use tighter levels on a 5-minute chart.
For algorithmic trading with Pine Script, you can define indicator parameters as variables in your code. This keeps your strategy consistent and removes the risk of manually mis-entering a value.
I haven't tested OBV sensitivity adjustments on crypto pairs, but other traders report that a shorter lookback period helps filter noise on lower timeframes. I'd want to backtest that before using it live.
Here's one rule I follow: never adjust an indicator setting without checking how it affects your stop-loss placement. Changing a moving average period shifts the average price, which can change where your trailing stop activates.
Where to Start
Pick one indicator and change one parameter at a time. Run it on historical data using TradingView's replay mode. See how the new value performs on a stock like NVDA or a forex pair like EUR/USD over the last 200 bars. I've been replay-testing my setups on NVDA for the past month, and it's shown me which parameters hold up and which don't.
If you want to use the same settings across your entire layout, check out the Trade Copier for TradingView guide. For a more affordable way to access premium features, this article on getting TradingView Essential at a discount covers the options.
Quick Answers
So the settings button vanished. Hover over the indicator name in the top-left corner. If the legend is hidden, click the small arrow or the +/- button. The gear appears when you hover over the name.
Need to reset? Open the settings dialog and click Defaults at the bottom. Everything snaps back to factory values.
Want the same setup on multiple charts? Use Apply to All inside the settings dialog. Colors, periods, and thresholds sync across every chart in your layout.
Mobile settings not updating? Update your app, save the layout to the cloud, then confirm on desktop.
How many indicators can you customize? On premium plans, up to 25. On the free plan, three.
▶How do I open indicator settings in TradingView?
Hover over the indicator name in the top-left chart legend. A toolbar appears with a gear icon — that opens the settings. You can also right-click directly on the indicator line and choose Settings from the menu.
▶Where is the Inputs tab in indicator settings?
It's the first tab inside the settings dialog. That's where you control the numbers — period length, source price, multiplier values. All the calculation parameters live there.
▶Can I apply the same indicator settings to multiple charts at once?
Yes. Open the settings dialog and use the Apply to All option. Your colors, period, and thresholds get copied across every chart in your layout automatically.
▶How do I access indicator settings on the TradingView mobile app?
Long-press the indicator line on your chart. A menu pops up with a gear icon. Tap it to open the full settings where you can adjust inputs and style.
▶How do I reset an indicator to its default settings?
Open the settings dialog and click the Defaults button at the bottom. Everything returns to factory values — no need to remove and re-add the indicator.
▶What is the Object Tree and how does it help with indicator navigation?
It's a sidebar panel that lists every element on your chart. Turn it on by right-clicking the chart, going to Settings > Appearance, and checking the Object Tree box. Click any indicator name to jump straight to its settings — useful when you have many tools on one chart.
▶Can I save custom indicator settings as a template?
Yes. Once your inputs and style are set, use the Save as Default option inside the settings dialog. Your preset stays ready to apply to any new chart.