# How to Export Trade History from MT4

> A step-by-step guide to exporting your MT4 trade history in HTML and CSV formats, plus what to do with the data once you have it.

**Tags:** mt4, export, trade-history, csv, html
**URL:** https://traderjournal.app/metatrader/how-to-export-trade-history-from-mt4

---


# How to Export Trade History from MT4

Whether you want a backup of your trade history, need to import it into a spreadsheet, or are moving to a new journal tool, exporting your MT4 trade history is a fundamental skill. Here is how to do it correctly.

---

## Method 1 - Export via Account History Tab

This is the primary export method in MT4.

1. Open MT4 and log into your account
2. Click the Terminal tab at the bottom (Ctrl+T if not visible)
3. Select the Account History tab
4. Right-click anywhere in the history list
5. Select your date range:
   - Last Month
   - Last 3 Months
   - All History
   - Custom Period (enter start and end dates)
6. After selecting the period, right-click again
7. Choose "Save as Report" for HTML format, or "Save as Detailed Report" for a more complete version

This saves an HTML file to your chosen location. The HTML report shows your trades, balance, and a summary statement.

---

## Getting a CSV Instead

MT4 does not natively export clean CSV. The workarounds:

**Option A - Open the HTML in Excel.** Open the saved HTML file in Excel. Excel will import it as a table. From there, File > Save As > CSV. The result is a CSV but will need cleanup - dates are often in a format Excel does not parse correctly, and the formatting rows need to be removed.

**Option B - Use a conversion tool.** Some MT4 broker platforms add an "Export to CSV" option to the history context menu. Check whether your broker has this.

**Option C - Use the EA approach instead.** Rather than exporting and converting, consider setting up automatic sync via the EA in Trader Journal. The EA reads the same data directly from MT4 without the export/convert/import cycle.

---

## What the Export Includes

The standard MT4 export includes:

- All closed trades for the selected period
- Symbol, type, volume, open/close price, open/close time
- Profit, commission, swap
- Balance operations (deposits, withdrawals)
- Running balance after each transaction

It does not include open position data (since it is a snapshot of closed history) or intraday equity snapshots.

---

## Common Export Issues

**Missing trades in the export:** If you selected "Last 3 Months" but your trades go back further, you will not see the older ones. Use "All History" for a complete record.

**Broker server time vs local time:** MT4 records all times in the broker's server time zone, not your local time. This matters if you are doing session analysis and need to convert to UTC or your local zone.

**Different account logins on the same MT4 terminal:** If you have switched between accounts on the same MT4 installation, the history might mix data from multiple accounts. Always verify the account number shown in the Account History tab matches the account you want.

---

## When Manual Export Is Not Enough

For ongoing journaling, a one-time export is useful for historical import but does not solve the ongoing data capture problem. For that, automatic sync via the Trader Journal EA is the better approach - it keeps your journal current without any recurring manual steps.

Download at android.traderjournal.app or ios.traderjournal.app.