{"id":22279,"date":"2026-10-29T11:42:35","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T08:42:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/roboforex.com\/blog\/?p=22279"},"modified":"2026-10-29T13:34:56","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T10:34:56","slug":"trading-robot-settings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roboforex.com\/blog\/education\/trading-robot-settings\/","title":{"rendered":"Trading Robot Settings Explained: Lot Size, Stops and Magic Number"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Trading robot settings come down to three inputs: the lot size, which sets how much each trade can lose, the Stop Loss<\/a> and Take Profit<\/a> levels, which close a trade at a set loss or gain, and the magic number, which marks the trades that belong to the robot. This guide shows how to choose each one on a demo account.<\/p>\n\n

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TL;DR<\/div>\n
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  1. The lot size comes from the loss you accept, the Stop Loss distance and the pip value: lot = risk in USD \/ (stop in pips x pip value).<\/li>\n
  2. Stop Loss closes a trade at a loss, Take Profit closes it at a gain, and Trailing Stop<\/a> moves the Stop Loss behind the price. The same stop with a double lot doubles the loss.<\/li>\n
  3. The magic number is the ID a robot writes on its orders. Give every robot on one account its own number.<\/li>\n <\/ol>\n <\/div>\n\n

    A robot decides when to enter a trade. These settings decide what one entry can cost you and how you tell the robot's trades from all the others on the account.<\/p>\n\n

    <\/span>What Are the Three Settings That Control a Trading Robot’s Risk?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    The three settings are the lot size, the Stop Loss with the Take Profit, and the magic number. The lot size sets how big every trade is. The two stop levels set where a trade closes. The magic number tells the robot which trades are its own. Their names and their place on the Inputs tab depend on the robot, and some robots keep one of them inside the code.<\/p>\n\n

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    Setting<\/th>What it decides<\/th>Where to find it<\/th>Safe start for the first week<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n
    Lot size<\/td>How big each trade is, so how many USD one pip of price movement is worth<\/td>Inputs tab, often named Lots, Volume or Lot<\/td>The smallest lot the symbol allows, then the lot from the formula below<\/td><\/tr>\n
    Stop Loss and Take Profit<\/td>The prices where a trade closes with a loss or with a gain<\/td>Inputs tab in pips or points, or set inside the robot's code<\/td>The robot's defaults, after you check that the loss at the Stop Loss fits your risk<\/td><\/tr>\n
    Magic number<\/td>Which orders and positions belong to this robot<\/td>Inputs tab, if the robot has the field, otherwise inside the code<\/td>The default with one robot, a different number for each robot when you run two<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n <\/table>\n <\/div>\n\n

    In MetaTrader 5<\/a> all three sit in the robot's properties window, on the Inputs tab. The screenshot shows them in one robot from the MQL5 Market. Your robot can use other names and a different order<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

    \"Inputs<\/a>
    Magic Number, Fixed Lot Size, Stop Loss and Take Profit on the Inputs tab. The values are the robot's defaults, shown as an example. Source: MetaTrader 5, RoboForex demo account.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

    <\/span>How Do You Choose a Lot Size for a Trading Robot?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    You choose the lot size from three numbers: the money you accept to lose on one trade, the distance to the Stop Loss in pips and the value of one pip for 1 lot. The formula is:<\/p>\n

    Lot = risk in USD \/ (Stop Loss in pips x pip value for 1 lot in USD)<\/p>\n

    Here is a worked example for EURUSD on a standard account. One pip is worth 10 USD for 1 lot of EURUSD.<\/p>\n

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    1. Risk.<\/strong> A balance of 1,000 USD and a risk of 1% give 10 USD for one trade.<\/li>\n
    2. Stop Loss.<\/strong> The distance from the entry price to the Stop Loss is 20 pips.<\/li>\n
    3. Lot.<\/strong> 10 \/ (20 x 10) = 0.05 lot.<\/li>\n
    4. Check.<\/strong> 0.05 lot x 20 pips x 10 USD = 10 USD, the loss you accepted.<\/li>\n <\/ol>\n

      Before you launch the robot, read the pip value of your symbol: right-click the symbol in Market Watch and open Specification, or use the RoboForex forex calculator<\/a>. Robots label distances in pips or in points. On a EURUSD quote with five decimals, 1 pip equals 10 points, so read the label before you type a value.<\/p>\n\n

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      Enter your account size, the share of it you accept to risk on one trade, the Stop Loss distance and the pip value. The default pip value of 10 USD fits EURUSD, GBPUSD, AUDUSD and other pairs quoted in USD.<\/p>\n\n

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      100<\/span>50,000<\/span><\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      0.5%<\/span>1% in the example<\/span>5%<\/span><\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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