How to Show Pre Market on TradingView

Want to see how a stock is moving before the market even opens? TradingView makes it easy. You can view pre-market and after-hours data by simply enabling the Extended Trading Hours feature. You can usually find this with just a few clicks in the chart settings, by using a right-click menu, or via the session selector right on the chart itself. It's a great way to get a head start on planning your trades.

What Is Pre-Market Trading?

Pre-market trading is simply the buying and selling of stocks that happens before the official trading day begins. In the U.S., the regular session starts at 9:30 AM Eastern Time, but this early session lets you see action starting as early as 4:00 AM ET.

This is your window to see how stocks are reacting to overnight news, company earnings reports that dropped after the previous close, or major moves in international markets. It gives you a sneak peek at the potential momentum for the day, allowing you to spot opportunities or risks before the opening bell rings.

Why Should You Check Out Pre-Market Data?

Ever wonder what happens to stock prices before the opening bell rings? That's what pre-market data is all about, and keeping an eye on it can give you a real edge. Think of it as getting a sneak peek at the day's potential story.

Here's why it's so useful:

• See the Overnight Moves: A lot can happen while most of us are sleeping—company earnings reports, big economic news from overseas, or analyst upgrades. Pre-market data shows you how all that news has impacted a stock's price, so you can see if it's likely to open significantly higher or lower than where it closed yesterday.

• Get a Feel for the Mood: Is there a wave of optimism or a cloud of worry hanging over the market today? The pre-market session acts like a mood ring, giving you an early sense of overall market sentiment before the main trading day even begins.

• Spot Early Chances (and Protect Yourself): By seeing which stocks are getting a lot of attention and moving on news, you can identify potential trading opportunities right at the open. Just as importantly, it helps you manage risk. If you see a stock you own is down sharply pre-market on bad news, you aren't caught by surprise and can make a more informed decision.

How to See Pre-Market and After-Hours Data on TradingView

Want to see what's happening with a stock before the regular market opens or after it closes? Here's how to easily turn on extended trading hours in TradingView so you don't miss a thing.

Method 1: Using the Chart Settings

This is the most straightforward way to get everything set up.

1. Log in to your TradingView account and open the chart you're watching.
2. Look for the little gear icon (⚙️) and click it to open the Chart Settings.
3. Inside the settings panel, go to the Symbol or Trading Sessions tab.
4. Simply check the box for Extended Trading Hours. You might sometimes see it split into "Pre-Market" and "After-Hours" options.
5. Click OK, and you'll see the pre-market and after-hours candles appear on your chart, usually in a different color.

Method 2: The Quick Session Switch

If you're already looking at an intraday chart (like a 5-minute or 1-hour view), this is the fastest method.

1. On your chart, glance at the bottom right corner. You'll see a label that says RTH (which stands for Regular Trading Hours).
2. Just click on RTH and a small menu will pop up. Select ETH (Extended Trading Hours).
3. That's it! The chart will instantly refresh to show you all the pre-market and after-hours action.

Method 3: The Right-Click Shortcut

For those who love using right-click menus to navigate.

1. Right-click on any empty space on your chart.
2. In the menu that appears, hover over Settings, then Symbol, and finally click on Extended Hours.
3. Enable the option, and the extended hours data will be included in your intraday chart view.

Method 4: The Toolbar Toggle

This method is super handy if you're already changing your chart's timeframe.

1. Up on your chart toolbar, switch to an intraday timeframe (anything less than 1 day, like 15 minutes or 1 hour).
2. Right beneath the timeframe selector, you'll see a small session toggle button.
3. Click it and check the box for Extended Trading Hours. This will display the pre-market (typically shown in blue) and after-hours (often in yellow) candles right on your main chart.

Making Your Pre-Market Charts Look Just Right

Getting your charts set up to clearly see the pre-market action is a game-changer. It helps you spot trends and key levels before the regular session even begins. Here's how you can make it your own.

• Play with the Colors: Head over to Chart Settings → Style. Here, you can adjust the shading colors and their opacity. Making the pre-market area a slightly different shade from the regular session makes it instantly recognizable at a glance.
• Get Fancy with Scripts: If you're comfortable with a bit of coding, you can use custom scripts in Pine Script to programmatically highlight the extended-hours sessions. This is a more advanced, but super powerful, way to draw attention to that time period. If you want to dive deeper into Pine Script's capabilities, check out our complete guide to Pine Script Built-in Functions to enhance your charting tools.
• Save Your Setup: Once you have everything looking perfect, save your entire layout as a template. This way, you can pull up your custom pre-market view with just one click, anytime you open your charts. It's a huge time-saver.

Got Questions? We've Got Answers.

Q: Can I check pre-market prices for any stock or crypto?
A: Not for everything. You'll only find pre-market data for symbols that actually trade during those hours, which is mainly U.S. stocks. If the exchange doesn't support extended hours, the data won't be available on TradingView.

Q: I can't find the "Extended Hours" (ETH) toggle. Where is it?
A: A couple of things to check here. First, make sure you're using an intraday chart—that means any timeframe below 1 day, like the 1-hour or 15-minute chart. Secondly, if an asset doesn't have any extended session trading, the toggle will be hidden.

Q: Can I see the market depth (Level 2) during pre-market trading?
A: The chart itself will only show the price action and volume for extended hours. To see the actual order book (Level 2 data), you'd need to check if your specific broker integration provides that data for the pre-market session.

Q: Do Pine Scripts automatically analyze pre-market and after-hours data?
A: By default, no. The standard security() function in Pine Script only pulls in regular session data. If you want your script to include the extended hours, you need to specifically request it by using tickerid(…, session.extended) in your code. For more advanced Pine Script techniques, explore our guide on Pine Script Plot Styles to make your extended hours data stand out visually.

Q: Is there an easier way to work with extended hours data in Pine Script without complex coding?
A: Absolutely. With Pineify's visual editor, you can easily configure indicators and strategies to analyze extended hours sessions without writing any code. The platform handles the technical complexities like session parameters automatically, letting you focus on your trading strategy rather than programming syntax. If you're looking to take your automation further, our guide to Pine Script Trading Bots shows you how to build automated systems that can react to pre-market movements.

What to Try Next

• Dive into Pine Script examples. This is a great way to create custom visuals for extended hours, making your chart analysis much clearer. For a practical example, check out our Premarket High Low Indicator that automatically marks key pre-market levels on your charts.
• Set up pre-market data in your saved layouts. Doing this once means your chart is automatically ready to go each morning, saving you time.
• Connect with fellow traders. The TradingView community is full of people sharing their own tips on reading pre-market action. It's a fantastic resource.

I'd love to hear from you—drop a comment below with your go-to pre-market strategy or if you have any questions about getting this setup working for you