---
title: "Files and Folders - For Advanced Users - Getting Started - MetaTrader 5 Help"
description: "This section contains the description of how the platform's files and folders are stored. In the main mode of platform start... - Files and Folders - For Advanced Users - Getting Started"
image: "https://www.metatrader5.com/i/logo_metatrader5.png"
url: "https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/structure"
---

[MetaTrader 5 Help](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help) → [Getting Started](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/startworking) → [For Advanced Users](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/startworking/start_advanced) → Files and Folders

# Files and Folders

This section contains the description of how the platform's files and folders are stored. In the [main mode](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/start#guest) of platform start, modifiable and read-only files of the platform are stored separately.

## Read-only Files of the Platform

These files are located in /Program Files/platform folder/. They are:

- Terminal.exe — the executable file of the trading platform;
- MetaEditor.exe — the executable file of the built-in [MQL5 language editor](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/autotrading#mql5);
- Sounds/*.wav — a set of standard audio files of the trading platform;

## Modifiable Files

The main platform directory contains several folders: Bases, Config, Logs, MQL5, Profiles, Templates, Tester. For quick access to the desired storage location, use command "![Open data folder](https://www.metatrader5.com/i/help/terminal/en/terminal_data_icon.png) Open data folder" in the [File](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/startworking/interface) menu.

> All text files are of Unicode format. Use appropriate software to edit them.

The Bases directory contains the platform's data bases grouped by servers, as well as some settings:

| Folders and Files | Description | Sub-folders | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Default | Default folder of the platform database | History | The folder stores history data of financial instruments. Each security is stored in a separate directory that contains files yyyy.hcc, ticks.dat and the cache folder. Files yyyy.hcc contain one-minute data of a symbol, the file name reflects the year to which the data belong. The file ticks.dat contains tick data of a symbol. Files *.hc stored in the "Cache" folder contain bars of different timeframes calculated for a symbol from one-minute data. They are automatically created when you select the appropriate [chart period](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/charts_analysis/charts#operations). |
| Mail | The folder stores all emails received or sent from the platform. Mail databases are stored in *.dat files; a separate file is created for each account opened in the platform. For example, mail-xxxxx.dat, where xxxxx is the account number. |  |  |
| Server 1 — N | Platform database folders for different trade servers | News | The folder only stores one file news.dat containing the database of all [newsletters](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/charts_analysis/fundamental#news) ever received in the platform from a selected trade server. |
| Symbols | File selected-xxxxx.dat contains the database of symbol currently selected in the [Market Watch](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/trading/market_watch) window. File symbols-xxxxx.dat contains the common database of symbols available on this trade server. |  |  |
| Trades | Contains subfolders named by [account](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/startworking/acc_open) numbers ever opened in the platform. Each account folder contains files deals_yyyy.mm.dat and history_yyyy.mm.dat with the information about trade and order [history](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/trading/performing_deals#trade_history) respectively. Separate files are created for each month. Here yyyy means the year, and mm — month. |  |  |
| alerts.dat | Contains the database of created [alerts](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/trading/performing_deals#alert). |  |  |
| books.dat | Contains a list of currently open windows of request queues. |  |  |
| favourites.dat | Contains a database of elements added to Favorites of the [Navigator](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/startworking/interface) window. |  |  |
| gvariables.dat | Contains information about [global variables](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/service_global) used in the platform. |  |  |
| hotkeys.ini | Contains a database of keyboard shortcuts. |  |  |
| indicators.dat | Contains usage statistics of [indicators](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/charts_analysis/indicators) to display in the [Insert](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/startworking/interface) menu. |  |  |
| objects.dat | Contains usage statistics of [objects](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/charts_analysis/objects) to display in the [Insert](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/startworking/interface) menu. |  |  |

Directory Config contains platform configuration files:

| Folders and Files | Description |
| --- | --- |
| certificates | Folder containing certificate files *.pfx |
| accounts.dat | Contains a database of [accounts](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/startworking/acc_open) and their settings. |
| common.ini | Contains common platform settings available in the [Options](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/startworking/settings) window opened through the [Tools](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/startworking/interface) menu. |
| metaeditor.ini | Contains common settings of [MetaEditor](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/autotrading#metaeditor). |
| terminal.ini | Contains platform interface settings and last used values (for window positioning, attached indicators, etc.) |
| servers.dat | Trade server settings for [connection](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/startworking/authorization#server). |

The Logs directory contains [log files](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/journal) of the platform and [MetaEditor](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/autotrading#metaeditor), as well as crash logs:

| Folders and Files | Description |
| --- | --- |
| /Crash/crash.log.* | Directory /crash contains files of the platform crashes. These files are automatically sent to the developer company to determine and eliminate their causes. |
| yyyymmdd.log | Log files containing information about events occurring in the platform. Platform logs are stored in separate files for each day it runs. Here yyyy stands for the year, mm — month, dd — day. |
| metaeditor.log | [MetaEditor](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/autotrading#metaeditor) log files. |

The MQL5 directory contains all the information related to programs written in this language:

| Folders and Files | Description |
| --- | --- |
| /Experts | Contains [Expert Advisor](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/trade_robots_indicators), compiled files (*.ex5) and source code files (*.mq5). |
| /Files | Contains files used by Expert Advisors and scripts. |
| /Images | Contains image files in *.bmp format. |
| /Include | Contains common *.mqh include files. |
| /Indicators | Contains files [custom indicators](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/trade_robots_indicators). |
| /Libraries | Contains [MQL5](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/autotrading#mql5) libraries. |
| /Logs | Contains Expert Advisor log files (yyyymmdd.log). These files are created separately for each day of the EA operation, their names correspond to their creation date: yyyy stands for the year, mm — month, dd — date. |
| /Presets | Parameters of Expert Advisors start are stored in this folder (["Input Parameters"](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/trade_robots_indicators#run)). |
| /Profiles | Contains various profiles and templates:<br><br>- /Charts — chart [profiles](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/charts_advanced/templates_profiles#profiles). Templates of default chart settings are stored in the Default subdirectory. Custom and built-in profiles are stored in separate subdirectories with their names corresponding to the names of the profiles. Each profile contains *.chr files with chart descriptions and order.wnd file with the windows placement order.<br>- /Deleted — [templates](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/charts_advanced/templates_profiles)[of deleted charts](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/charts_advanced/charts_deleted) for subsequent re-opening.<br>- /SymbolSets — sets of symbols (including displayed information columns) for the ["Market Watch"](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/trading/market_watch) window.<br>- /Templates — chart [templates](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/charts_analysis/charts#template) as *.tpl files and ReportHistory.htm — [trading history](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/trading/performing_deals#trade_history) report template.<br>- /Tester — *.set files with the last used [sets of input parameters](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/testing#inputs) for each Expert Advisor that has ever been tested. |
| /Scripts | Contains files of [scripts](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/autotrading#type). |
| experts.dat | Contains usage statistics of [MQL5](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/autotrading#mql5) programs to display in the [Insert](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/startworking/interface) menu. |

The Tester directory contains files and folders used by the [Strategy Tester](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/testing):

| Folders and Files | Description | Sub-folders | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agent-IP-address-port | These folders are created for each agent of the tester. The folder name contains the IP address and port number the agent runs on. | MQL5 | The file of the Expert Advisor that was tested last is stored in this folder. Expert Advisors are not saved in the folders of [remote agents](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/metatester). |
| logs | The entries of the agent operation journal are stored in this folder. |  |  |
| bases | History data used by the agent are stored in this folder. |  |  |
| logs | This folder contains Strategy Tester [log](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/testing#result) files (yyyymmdd.log). These files are created separately for each day of the EA operation, their names correspond to their creation date: yyyy — year, mm — month, dd — day. |  |  |
| /Manager | This directory contains log entries of the [MetaTester](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/metatester) component. |  |  |
| /Cache | This folder contains the XML-file of cache of last [Expert Advisor optimization](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/algotrading/strategy_optimization#cache). |  |  |

## In this section

- [Platform Installation](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/installation)
- [Installation on Mac OS](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/install_mac)
- [Installation on Linux](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/install_linux)
- [Platform Start](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/start)
- [Extended Authentication](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/extended_authorization)
- [One Time Passwords - 2FA/TOTP](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/otp)
- Files and Folders
- [Manage Trading Accounts](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/account_manage)
- [Mailbox](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/mail)
- [Security System](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/security)
- [Live Update](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/autoupdate)
- [Platform Logs](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/journal)
- [Task Manager](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/task_manager)
- [Hot Keys](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/hotkeys)
- [Uninstalling the Platform](https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/start_advanced/deinstallation)

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