How to Export MT4 Trade History to CSV for Equity Curve Analysis

Summary: Learn how to export your MT4 trading history to a CSV file. This guide covers accessing the Account History tab, saving as report, and importing into Excel for equity curve creation.




Step 1: Open Account History Tab in MT4
Launch MT4. At the bottom of the Navigator window (or press Ctrl+T), click the “Account History” tab. You will see your past trades. Screenshot: Account History tab showing closed orders.
Step 2: Set the Desired Time Range
Right-click anywhere inside the Account History area. Choose from “All History”, “Last 3 Months”, “Last Month”, or “Custom Period”. Select your preferred range. Screenshot: right-click menu with time range options.
Step 3: Save as Detailed Report
Right-click again in the Account History area. Select “Save as Detailed Report”. A file save dialog will appear. Screenshot: Save as Detailed Report option highlighted.
Step 4: Choose CSV Format and Save
Name your file (e.g., “MyTrades”). In the “Save as type” dropdown, select “CSV file (*.csv)”. Choose a destination folder and click “Save”. Screenshot: save dialog with CSV format selected.
Step 5: Open CSV in Excel
Navigate to the saved file. Double-click to open it in Excel (or use Data → From Text/CSV). The file contains columns: Open Time, Type, Size, Symbol, Price, S/L, T/P, Close Time, Swap, Profit, Comment. Screenshot: CSV opened in Excel with all columns.
Step 6: Build an Equity Curve
Add a new column called “Cumulative Profit”. Use a formula: first row = Profit, then each next row = previous cumulative + current Profit. Create a line chart with “Close Time” as X-axis and “Cumulative Profit” as Y-axis. Screenshot: completed equity curve chart in Excel.
Reference: MetaQuotes Help Desk - Account History Export Function.