What Is an EX4 File?

This article explains what an EX4 file is and how to open or convert one.

What Is an EX4 File?

A file with the EX4 file extension is a MetaTrader 4 program file. It's compiled programming code made for the free foreign exchange market trading program called MetaTrader.

The programming code in the file is compiled from an MQ4 file (MQL4 source code file). This is done through a tool called MetaEditor that comes installed with MetaTrader.

Stored in one of these files may be scripts or indicators used by that software. The file could instead be an Expert Advisor (EA) program used by MetaTrader for automating trading.

How to Open an EX4 File

EX4 files can be opened with the free MetaTrader program from MetaQuotes. It works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

If a double-click or double-tap on the file doesn't open it, try putting it in the right folder inside the MetaTrader program's installation directory. For example, if you're using MetaTrader 5, this folder is most likely here:

C:\Program Files\MetaTrader 5\MQL5

Once you're there, you'll notice several subfolders. You have to know what the EX4 file is, specifically, so you know where to put it. It can be an indicator, Expert Advisor (EA), or script—put the EX4 file in the "Indicators" folder if it's an indicator, the "Experts" folder if an EA, and the "Scripts" folder for EX4 files that are scripts.

In MetaTrader, you can see these files in the "Navigator" window. If you don't see that window, enable it via View > Navigator.

How to Convert an EX4 File

Since EX4 files are the compiled equivalent of MQ4 files, you'd need a decompiler to "convert" EX4 to MQ4. We're not aware of any decompilers that can do this.

You might be able to convert EX4 to EX5 or AFL (AmiBroker Formula Language). If so, it's most likely done through the MetaTrader program itself, but we haven't verified this.

Still Can't Open It?

If you can't open your file with MetaTrader, it's most likely not in a compatible format. This might happen if you've misread the file extension, which is surprisingly easy to do.

For example, even though the EX4 file extension shares some of the same letters as others like EXO, EXR, EXE, and E4A, none of those formats have anything to do with EX4 files. Trying to open those files in MetaTrader will most likely result in an error.

X4K is another example, but the file extension is reserved for XML4King configuration files. Those files won't work in MetaTrader, and neither will EX4 files open in XML4King.