How to Show After Hours on TradingView: A Comprehensive Guide
After-hours trading on TradingView lets you keep an eye on price action even when the main markets are closed. It gives you a peek into the pre-market and post-market sessions, which can be a goldmine of information. By seeing how a stock reacts to an earnings report or overnight news, you can get a feel for what the next trading day might bring. This guide will walk you through exactly how to show after-hours data on TradingView, from a simple toggle to some pro tips, so you can make this feature a natural part of your routine.
No matter your trading style, getting comfortable with after-hours data can really help you stay a step ahead. We'll go through it all step-by-step. By the end, you'll know exactly how to set it up and use it to inform your decisions.
Getting to Know After-Hours Trading
So, what is after-hours trading? It's simply the buying and selling of stocks outside of the standard 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET market day. This typically includes:
- Pre-market: From around 4:00 AM to 9:30 AM ET.
- Post-market: From 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET.
On TradingView, this is called "extended hours" data. The platform makes it easy to spot by shading these periods differently on your chart. Knowing how to turn this on is crucial because some of the biggest price moves happen after a company reports earnings or major news breaks overnight.
It's important to know that not every broker or data feed includes this information. If you have a brokerage account connected to TradingView, you might need to check if your specific plan supports overnight trading data. This is why many traders look up how to see TradingView after hours—it helps them gauge potential gaps at the market open.
A quick word of caution: trading during extended hours often comes with lower liquidity and wider spreads (the difference between the buy and sell price), which can mean more risk. TradingView helps you visualize this with those shaded chart areas. Learning how to enable extended hours TradingView gives you the complete picture, allowing you to see the full story of a stock's activity, not just what happens between the bells. This is especially useful for stocks on major exchanges like the NYSE or NASDAQ.
Why You Should Check After-Hours Trading on TradingView
Looking at after-hours data on TradingView is like getting a sneak peek at what might happen when the market reopens. While most people have logged off for the day, a lot can still happen to a stock's price.
Imagine a company reports amazing earnings after the closing bell. That stock might shoot up in after-hours trading. By seeing that move, you can get a feel for the market's reaction and think about your next steps before everyone else piles in the next morning. That's the real reason so many people look up how to show after hours on TradingView—it gives you a head start.
This after-hours context is also crucial for understanding why a stock might open significantly higher or lower than it closed the day before (what traders call a "gap"). If you're into gap trading strategies, this data is absolutely essential. Without turning on the extended hours feature in TradingView, your chart is missing a big part of the story, which can throw off your entire analysis.
Traders who use this feature often find it helps them manage risk better. By spotting trends early—like a slow drift downward after hours—you can be more prepared for the regular trading session. For those looking to expand their analytical toolkit, exploring tools like the Williams Accumulation Distribution Indicator can provide deeper insights into market psychology through price action.
It's also super helpful for keeping an eye on global influences. For instance, you can see how markets in Asia or Europe are reacting to overnight news, which directly affects how U.S. stocks might trade in the pre-market. Adding after-hours data to your backtesting also makes your trading strategies more robust, as they'll account for all types of market activity, not just the 9:30-to-4 pm window.
Ultimately, this feature levels the playing field. It gives everyday traders access to the same kind of data that the pros have always used, making it a must-have for anyone serious about their trading game. If you're considering upgrading your account, check out our guide on How Much is TradingView Premium? A Complete Pricing Guide to understand the investment.
Your Simple Guide to Viewing After-Hours Trading on TradingView
Want to see what happens to a stock's price before the market opens or after it closes? It's pretty straightforward to enable this view on TradingView. Here's how to do it, step by step.
First things first, log in to your TradingView account on their website or through the desktop app. Then, pull up a chart for a stock that actually has extended hours sessions. Stocks from major U.S. exchanges (like the NYSE or NASDAQ) are perfect for this. Just a heads-up, this feature usually isn't available for things like forex or cryptocurrencies, as they trade 24/7 anyway.
Next, you'll need to open the chart settings. Look for the little gear icon at the very bottom of your chart and click on it. Inside the settings, head to either the "Symbol" tab or the "Trading" section—the exact name can vary a bit depending on your version of TradingView. Now, just look for the option labeled "Extended Hours" or sometimes abbreviated as "ETH" and flip the switch to turn it on.
You might even find a dedicated "ETH" button right on your chart's toolbar. If you see it, you can simply click that to toggle extended hours on and off. For a bit more control, you can dive into the "Time" settings to enable pre-market and after-hours sessions individually. Once it's active, you'll notice shaded areas on your chart that mark these special trading periods.
To make sure it's working, zoom in on a daily chart or any intraday timeframe shorter than one day—that's where you'll see this data most clearly. If you want to apply this setting to all your charts at once, you can do that in your main account preferences. Following these steps makes viewing after-hours data a breeze.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open TradingView and select your desired stock chart. |
| 2 | Click the settings gear icon. |
| 3 | Enable "Extended Hours" in the Symbol or Time tab. |
| 4 | Adjust shading or colors for better visibility. |
| 5 | Switch to a suitable timeframe to see the changes. |
Making After-Hours Trading Your Own
Okay, so you've turned on extended hours. The next step is to set it up so it works for you. Think of it like adjusting the seat and mirrors in a car before you start driving—you want everything to feel just right.
Head into your chart settings. Here, you can pick the colors for the pre-market and after-hours sessions. Most people go with a light green for pre-market and a light red for after-hours. This color-coding is a game-changer because it lets you instantly tell the regular trading day apart from the extended sessions.
Here's a quick reference for the common settings:
| Feature | Common Setting | Why It Helps |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Market Color | Light Green | Clearly indicates the session before the open. |
| After-Hours Color | Light Red | Clearly indicates the session after the close. |
| Price Lines | Extend across sessions | Lets you follow trends without any visual breaks. |
| Shaded Area Opacity | Adjustable | Lets you tone down the background shading to focus purely on the price movement. |
For those who like to dig deeper, you can even apply indicators that specifically use the extended hours data, like a volume profile. The whole goal is to set up your chart so that seeing after-hours data isn't overwhelming—it's genuinely useful.
Another pro tip: use TradingView's watchlist. You can set it to show extended hours pricing for all the symbols you're tracking, so you can keep an eye on everything at once. And if you want to learn how to manage your symbols, our step-by-step guide on How to Export Watchlists in TradingView can be a great help.
By taking a few minutes to adjust these simple settings, you transform a basic feature into a powerful part of your personal trading toolkit.
How Different Traders Can Use After-Hours Data on TradingView
If you're trying to get a leg up in the markets, keeping an eye on what happens after the closing bell can be a game-changer. It's like getting a sneak peek at the next day's script. Here's how different trading styles can put this information to work.
For the Day Trader: Catching the Early Wave Day traders live and die by momentum. By checking the pre-market activity on TradingView, you can see how a stock is behaving before the official open. Did some overnight news cause a spike or a drop? This gives you a huge clue about potential opening gaps and helps you plan your first moves of the day with more confidence.
For the Swing Trader: Reading the News Reaction Swing traders, who hold positions for a few days or weeks, can use after-hours trading to see how the market truly feels about a recent earnings report or news announcement. The initial panic or euphoria that happens after hours often settles into a more meaningful trend by the next day, helping you decide whether to hold tight, add to your position, or get out.
For the Long-Term Investor: Gauging the True Sentiment Even if you're in it for the long haul, after-hours data is valuable. It lets you see how major events are shifting the overall sentiment around a company or sector without the noise of the regular trading day. It's a purer look at investor reaction, which can help you make more informed decisions about your portfolio.
Putting It All Together in Volatile Times
When the market gets jumpy, the action after hours becomes even more critical. The support and resistance levels that form can be much more telling than those during the regular session, often setting the stage for the next day's battle between buyers and sellers.
| Trading Style | Primary Use of After-Hours Data |
|---|---|
| Day Trader | Identifying pre-market momentum and planning opening entries. |
| Swing Trader | Analyzing the sustained reaction to news for hold/sell decisions. |
| Long-Term Investor | Assessing long-term sentiment shifts beyond daily noise. |
Ultimately, turning on this feature in TradingView is like giving yourself a broader lens. Whether you're a scalper looking for opportunities in thinner markets or a position trader confirming a thesis, having that comprehensive, round-the-clock data empowers you to trade with a fuller picture.
A quick tip: make sure your broker allows after-hours trading if you plan to act on this data, as not all accounts have this feature enabled by default.
Getting Extended Hours to Show Up on TradingView
So you're trying to see after-hours trading on your TradingView chart, but it's just not showing up? Don't worry, it's a common snag, and it's usually one of a few simple things. Let's walk through the checklist, just like I would if I was helping a friend figure it out.
The main reasons it might not be working usually boil down to the stock itself, your TradingView plan, or a quick technical glitch.
| Thing to Check | Why It Matters | Quick Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The Stock Symbol | Not every stock has extended hours trading. | Check if the company you're looking at actually trades pre-market or after-hours. |
| Your Data Plan | Basic TradingView plans might not include this premium data. | You may need to be on a Pro, Pro+, or Premium plan. |
| Broker Connection | Real-time data can sometimes depend on your linked brokerage account. | Make sure your broker integration is active and supports this data. |
| A Simple Glitch | Sometimes the platform just needs a quick reset. | A simple refresh of the chart or the whole page often does the trick. |
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
If that handy table points you in the right direction, here's a bit more detail on what to do.
First, Check the Stock Itself Before anything else, make sure the company you have on your chart actually has extended hours trading. This feature is typically for more popular, liquid stocks. If you switch to a major stock like Apple (AAPL) and it shows up, then you know the issue is with the original symbol, not your account.
Look at Your TradingView Plan This is the most common hurdle. Access to detailed after-hours data is a premium feature. If you're on a free or basic plan, you likely won't see it. Head to your account settings and see which plan you're on. If you're serious about tracking after-hours movement, an upgrade to a Pro plan or higher will be necessary.
Don't Forget Your Broker If you're using TradingView connected to your broker account for trading, sometimes the real-time data flow for things like extended hours depends on that connection. Double-check that your broker is properly linked and that they provide this kind of data.
The Quick Refresh Never underestimate the power of turning it off and on again! If you're sure the stock should have data and your plan is correct, try these steps:
- Refresh your browser tab.
- Fully close and reopen the TradingView app on your desktop.
- Try switching to a different stock and then back again.
A Note for Mobile Users If you're on the TradingView mobile app, be aware that some features can be more limited compared to the desktop website. For the most reliable experience with all features, including extended hours, your best bet is to use a desktop or laptop browser.
By running through these steps—checking the symbol, your plan, and giving it a quick refresh—you should be able to get those extended hours displayed on your chart in no time.
Advanced Tips for After-Hours Analysis
Once you're comfortable seeing after-hours data, you can start using it in smarter ways. It's like moving from just watching the game to understanding the plays.
Here are a few ways to get more out of your extended hours analysis:
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Set Up Smart Alerts: Don't just watch the charts all evening. Combine your after-hours view with price alerts. This way, you get a notification on your phone if a stock you're watching makes a significant move, so you don't miss a thing.
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Let Scripts Do the Work: If you're into a bit of light coding, you can use TradingView's Pine Script to automate your analysis. You could create a script that, for example, automatically flags unusually high volume in the after-market session. For those who prefer a more streamlined approach, tools like Pineify's visual editor allow you to build these same automated scripts without any coding knowledge, generating error-free Pine Script in minutes. Understanding Pine Script Built-in Functions is essential for creating effective automated trading strategies.
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Look for Patterns: How does a stock typically behave after an earnings report? Does it often gap up the next day? Start comparing current after-hours action with historical patterns. This can give you a huge leg up in predicting the next day's open.
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Connect the Dots with News: Use the built-in news widgets on your TradingView chart. When you see a big price swing after hours, immediately check the news feed to see what's causing it. Correlating events with price changes is a real game-changer.
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Think Globally: For those trading international markets, remember to adjust your chart's time zone settings. This ensures that the "extended hours" you're seeing correctly align with the market you're actually watching, like the London or Tokyo session.
Mastering these steps will truly take you from just turning on the feature to using it like a pro.
QA Section
What's the real difference between pre-market and after-hours on TradingView? Think of it like the warm-up and the cool-down for the main event. Pre-market is the early session before the regular market opens, where you can see how a stock is reacting to overnight news. After-hours is the late session after the official close, where the action continues based on earnings reports or other after-close announcements. The cool part is, you turn both of these on in the same place in your chart settings.
Why can't I see extended hours for my stock? A couple of common reasons for this:
- The Stock or Exchange: Extended hours data is most common for major U.S. stocks. If you're looking at a stock from a different country or a smaller, obscure one, it might not be supported.
- Your TradingView Plan: Make sure your subscription plan (like Pro, Pro+, or Premium) includes access to extended hours data.
Can I place actual trades during after hours directly on TradingView? This is a really important distinction to understand. TradingView itself is a powerful charting and analysis platform—it's your command center for planning trades. To actually execute a trade during extended hours, you need to connect your chart to a broker account (like TradeStation, OANDA, or others) that specifically supports pre-market and after-hours trading.
How can I change the colors for the after-hours section on my chart? You can totally make it your own! Just head into your chart's settings, look for the "Trading Hours" or "Sessions" section. In there, you'll find options for "Shading" or "Background" where you can pick any color you like for the pre-market and after-hours areas to make them stand out (or blend in).
Is the extended hours data I see in real-time? Yes, but with a catch. You get real-time, live data if you have a premium TradingView subscription or if you are connected to a broker data feed that provides it. Without that, you might be looking on a slight delay.
Does all of this work on the TradingView mobile app? The mobile app is great for checking in, but it has some limitations with extended hours. The full set of features and customization options is best experienced on the web or desktop app. For serious charting and analysis, you'll have a much smoother time there.