How to install MetaTrader and ClusterDelta indicators on Mac

ClusterDelta indicators can run in MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 on a Mac. MetaQuotes, the developer of MetaTrader, provides an official installer for macOS that runs the Windows version of the platform inside Wine. You install it like any other macOS app, copy the indicators into the platform's data folder and log in with your ClusterDelta account. If you only need order flow charts and do not need MetaTrader, the native ClusterDelta Orderflow app for macOS is often the simpler choice.

Before you start

• According to MetaQuotes, MetaTrader 4 requires macOS Big Sur (11) or later, and MetaTrader 5 requires macOS Catalina (10.15.7) or later. Both platforms support Intel Macs and Apple processors from M1 onwards.
• You need a ClusterDelta account with a Premium subscription. If you do not have an account yet, register here.
• ClusterDelta indicators load Windows DLL libraries, so they need the Allow DLL imports option. On macOS, MetaTrader and the indicators run inside the Windows environment that Wine emulates, so the DLLs work there just as they do on Windows.

Step 1. Install MetaTrader from the official macOS package

1. Open the MetaQuotes installation guide for your platform: MetaTrader 4 on macOS or MetaTrader 5 on macOS, and download the installer from there. You can also get it from the Help menu of the platform or from your broker.
2. Run the downloaded file and follow the instructions. The installer downloads and configures Wine and then installs MetaTrader inside it.
3. When the installer offers to install the additional Wine packages (Mono and Gecko), agree: MetaQuotes says that the platform needs them.
4. On a Mac with an Apple processor, macOS may ask you to install Rosetta. Agree: Apple uses Rosetta to run apps built for Intel processors.
5. Launch MetaTrader and log in to your broker's trading or demo account.

If MetaTrader is already installed on your Mac, check the Wine version in the platform log at startup. If it is lower than 8.0.1, MetaQuotes strongly recommends uninstalling the old platform together with its Wine prefix and installing it again. Save your indicators, templates and other files first.

Step 2. Download the ClusterDelta indicators

Go to the download page and download the archive for your platform: indicators for MetaTrader 4 or for MetaTrader 5. Double-click the archive in Finder to unpack it. Inside you will find two folders, Indicators and Libraries.

Step 3. Copy the files into the data folder

1. In MetaTrader, choose File → Open Data Folder and open the MQL4 folder (MetaTrader 4) or the MQL5 folder (MetaTrader 5).
2. You can also open the same folder in Finder: choose Go → Go to Folder and paste the path. By default MetaQuotes installs the platform here:
   • MetaTrader 4: ~/Library/Application Support/net.metaquotes.wine.metatrader4/drive_c/Program Files/MetaTrader 4/MQL4
   • MetaTrader 5: ~/Library/Application Support/net.metaquotes.wine.metatrader5/drive_c/Program Files/MetaTrader 5/MQL5
   If you installed MetaTrader from your broker, the path may be different: check it with File → Open Data Folder.
3. Copy all files from the Indicators folder of the archive into MQL4 → Indicators (or MQL5 → Indicators).
4. Copy all files from the Libraries folder of the archive into MQL4 → Libraries (or MQL5 → Libraries).

Copy the files themselves, not the folders. If you drag a whole folder onto an existing folder with the same name, Finder may offer to replace it, and the files that were already there will be lost.

Step 4. Restart MetaTrader and allow DLL imports

1. Close MetaTrader and launch it again, so that the new indicators appear in the Navigator window.
2. Choose Tools → Options → Expert Advisors, enable Allow DLL imports and click OK. This is the recommended way: DLL imports are then allowed for all indicators at once.
3. In the Navigator window, open Indicators and drag a ClusterDelta indicator, for example ClusterDelta_#Footprint, onto a chart.
4. In the indicator properties window, open the Dependencies tab, check that Allow DLL imports is enabled and click OK. This tab exists in both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5.

Step 5. Log in with your ClusterDelta account

1. Click the status icon on the indicator panel. The ClusterDelta Manager window opens.
2. Click Existing Account, enter your ClusterDelta username and password and click Save.
3. If the Authorization field shows Successful and the Active Subscription field shows Premium, everything is set up correctly: the status icon turns green and the indicator starts loading data.

The authorization window, status colours and errors are described in detail in the guide How to install and use indicators.

Alternative: the ClusterDelta Orderflow app for macOS

If MetaTrader is not essential for you, try ClusterDelta Orderflow. It is a standalone app with a native macOS version that runs without Wine or emulators. It has footprint charts with ten chart types, volume and delta profiles, imbalances, POC and value area. You log in with the same ClusterDelta account.

• The macOS installation packages (.pkg) are on the download page. On a Mac with an Apple Silicon processor (M1–M4), install the package for Big Sur: it works on all Macs with Big Sur or later. The Ventura/Sonoma package is intended for Intel Macs only.
• While you work with the app, switch macOS to Light mode: System Settings → Appearance → Light.
• The macOS version of Orderflow does not yet include the two major updates that the Windows version received, so some features may be missing.

ClusterDelta also has indicators for cTrader and NinjaTrader 8, but these platforms are designed primarily for Windows. On a Mac, use MetaTrader or ClusterDelta Orderflow.

Troubleshooting

• The indicators do not appear in the Navigator. Make sure that the files are in the Indicators folder inside the folder that File → Open Data Folder opens, and restart MetaTrader.
• The indicator shows a DLL error. Enable Allow DLL imports in Tools → Options → Expert Advisors and in the indicator properties.
• Fatal error or the indicator does not start. Usually some libraries are missing. Copy all files from both folders of the archive, Indicators and Libraries, again.
• The status icon is red or orange. Check your username and password in the ClusterDelta Manager and make sure that you have an active Premium subscription.
• The platform is unstable or does not start after a macOS upgrade. Check the Wine version in the log and reinstall MetaTrader if necessary, as described in Step 1. Before a major macOS upgrade, save your indicators and templates. Apple has announced that Rosetta support for Intel-based apps will be limited starting with macOS 28, so check the MetaQuotes news before you upgrade.
• The official package does not work for you. Experienced users can install MetaTrader with CrossOver, a paid Wine-based app by CodeWeavers. To find the folder for the indicators, click Open C: Drive in the properties of the installed MetaTrader in CrossOver and go to Program Files/MetaTrader 4/MQL4 or Program Files/MetaTrader 5/MQL5.
• Error messages. MetaTrader writes indicator errors to the Experts tab: View → Terminal in MetaTrader 4 or View → Toolbox in MetaTrader 5.
• Nothing helps. Write to support (see below). If the indicators still cannot be made to work on your Mac, see the refund policy.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use ClusterDelta indicators on a Mac without Windows?

Yes. Install MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 from the official MetaQuotes package for macOS, which runs the platform inside Wine, and copy the indicators into its data folder. Another option is the native ClusterDelta Orderflow app for macOS.

Do the indicators work on Macs with Apple processors?

Yes. MetaQuotes states that its macOS package supports Apple processors from M1 onwards. The indicators run inside the Windows environment that Wine emulates, so their DLLs work just as they do on Windows.

MetaTrader or ClusterDelta Orderflow: which is better on a Mac?

If you trade in MetaTrader and want order flow data on the same chart, use the indicators. If you only need footprint charts and volume profiles for analysis, the Orderflow app is easier to install and runs natively on macOS.

Need help?

Write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Include your ClusterDelta username, the platform (MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5), your macOS version, the type of processor (Intel or Apple) and a screenshot of the problem or the text from the Experts tab. Other ways to reach us are on the contacts page.