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    How to Add an Indicator on TradingView (Step by Step)

    NickTradesNickTrades
    September 9, 20264 min read
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    How to Add an Indicator on TradingView (Step by Step)


    How to Add an Indicator on TradingView

    Adding an indicator takes about ten seconds once you know where the button is. Here is the whole process, plus the two cases that trip people up: community scripts and invite-only scripts.

    Add a built-in indicator (desktop)

  1. Open any chart on TradingView.

  2. Click Indicators in the top toolbar (the fx icon). Keyboard shortcut: /.

  3. Type the name of what you want — for example `RSI` or `Volume Profile`.

  4. Click the result. It drops onto your chart immediately.

  5. Close the search window. The indicator now appears in the legend at the top-left of the chart.
  6. That legend entry is important — it is where you will hide, edit, or remove the indicator later.

    Add a community script

    Community scripts are published by other traders and live in the same search box.

  7. Click Indicators.

  8. Switch to the Community scripts tab.

  9. Search by name or author.

  10. Check the script's likes and description before you add it — TradingView hosts over 100,000 community scripts and most were published once and never updated.

  11. Click it to add it to the chart.
  12. If a script is protected or open source, you can add it straight away. If it is invite-only, keep reading.

    Add an invite-only script

    Invite-only scripts (most paid indicators, including SimpleAlgo) work differently. The author has to grant your TradingView username access first.

  13. Give the seller your exact TradingView username — not your email, and case matters.

  14. Once access is granted, open Indicators on your chart.

  15. Go to the Invite-only scripts tab.

  16. Your granted scripts are listed there. Click to add.
  17. If the tab is empty, the grant has not landed yet, or the username was mistyped. Log out and back in once — TradingView caches the script list.

    Add an indicator on mobile

  18. Open the chart in the TradingView app.

  19. Tap the fx icon at the top of the screen.

  20. Search and tap the indicator.

  21. Tap the chart to close the panel.
  22. Invite-only scripts appear on mobile too, under the same tab, once access is granted.

    How many indicators can you add?

    That depends on your plan. Free accounts allow two indicators per chart. Paid tiers allow five, ten, or twenty-five. See how many indicators you can use on a free account for the full breakdown and workarounds.

    Common problems

    The indicator does not appear. Check the legend at the top-left — it may be added but hidden (a crossed-out eye icon), or plotted on a scale you cannot see.

    "Study limit exceeded." You have hit the indicator cap for your plan. Remove one first.

    The invite-only tab is empty. Access has not been granted to your username, or you are signed into a different TradingView account than the one you submitted.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Where is the Indicators button on TradingView?

    It is in the top toolbar of the chart, labelled Indicators with an fx icon. Pressing the / key opens the same search.

    Can I add the same indicator twice?

    Yes. Add it again and change the settings on the second copy — this is how people run, say, a fast and a slow moving average.

    Why can I not add an invite-only script?

    The script author must grant access to your exact TradingView username. Until that happens the script will not appear in your Invite-only scripts tab.

    Do indicators save to my chart automatically?

    On a saved chart layout, yes. If you are on an unsaved layout, save it (Ctrl/Cmd + S) or your setup disappears when you switch symbols.

    One-step version

    If you use SimpleAlgo, this is handled for you: enter your TradingView username once in your dashboard and the full indicator suite appears under Invite-only scripts within a minute. See what is included.

    NickTrades

    NickTrades

    Founder of SimpleAlgo and professional trader sharing insights on trading strategies, market analysis, and product updates.

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