FAQ - Charts

You can customize chart settings using the controls along the top of the Charts tab:

• Select the gear icon " in the header to open the Chart Settings window and adjust appearance, price and time axes, and other chart preferences.
• Click the Time frame setup to choose a different aggregation or time interval.
• Open the ú Style menu to change the chart mode, chart type, price type, or to save and load chart styles.
• Use the ċ Drawings and û Studies menus to add drawings, apply studies, and manage saved drawing/study sets.
• Click the Ē Grid icon in the upper-right corner to choose a multi-chart layout and select Save grid as… if you want to reuse it.

For more details, see the Chart Customization section of the thinkorswim® Learning Center.

To change the chart background, go to the Charts tab and click the gear icon " to open the Chart Settings window.

In the Appearance tab, locate the Common section. Under Other, choose a new color for background, and adjust the grid color if needed.

Click Apply and select OK to save your changes.

To turn on/off the symbol logo, click the gear icon " to open the Chart Settings window.

On the General tab, find the Display section and check or uncheck Show Symbol Logo.

Click Apply and select OK to save your changes.

To change how volume appears on a chart, click the gear icon " in the Charts tab to open Chart Settings.

On the tab that matches the type of symbol you are charting (for example, Equities, Options, Futures, or Forex), uncheck Show volume subgraph to remove volume from the chart.

To show volume on top of the price chart or return it to its own subgraph, go to the General tab and check or uncheck Overlap volume.

Click Apply and select OK to save your changes.

Start by entering the first symbol in the symbol box on the Charts tab.

Open the û Studies dropdown menu, select Add study, and choose Compare with. Pick a symbol from the list or select Custom symbol… to enter one manually. Repeat these steps to add more symbols.

If you want to view the comparison in percentage terms rather than price values, click the gear icon " to open Chart Settings. In the Price axis tab, check Show price as percentage.

Click Apply and select OK to save your changes.

You can display multiple studies in the same lower subgraph by opening the û Studies menu and selecting Edit studies….

Add each study by selecting it on the left and clicking Add selected. In the Added studies and strategies panel, use the up and down arrows E F next to each study to move it into the same lower section. When the studies appear in the same lower panel in the list, they will display together in one subgraph below the chart.

Click Apply and select OK to save your changes.

Open the Time frame setup at the top of the Charts tab. In the Time frame tab, choose Tick or Range under Aggregation type. Adjust the settings as needed, then click OK to apply your changes.

Open your watchlist in the left sidebar. In the watchlist header, select the link icon S to the right of the watchlist name and choose a link color.

Then open the Charts tab and select the same link icon S to the right of the chart’s symbol box. When both are set to the same color, clicking a symbol in the watchlist will load it on the chart.

You can use the same linking feature throughout the platform, including the Trade, Analyze, MarketWatch, and Tools tabs.

To view Extended-Hours trading on a chart, first make sure you are using an intraday aggregation. Daily charts do not display Extended-Hours data. Open the Time frame setup at the top of the chart and select an intraday interval, such as minutes or hours.

Next, click the gear icon " to open Chart Settings. On the Equities, Options, or Futures tab, check Show extended session.

To display Extended-Hours trading with a different background color, also check Highlight extended session.

Click Apply and select OK to save your changes.

Click the gear icon " to open the Chart Settings window, then go to the Time axis tab. In the Expansion area field, choose a preset number of bars or enter a custom value.

Click Apply and select OK to save your changes.

Open the ċ Drawings menu and select Drawing Tools. Choose the Đ Arrow tool from the list and click on the chart to place the arrow.

Right-click the arrow and select Edit properties…. In the properties window, choose the arrow direction you want and click OK to confirm your changes.

Click the gear icon " to open the Chart Settings window. In the Equities, Options, Futures, or Forex tab, use the Price type dropdown and select bid or ask.

Click Apply and select OK to save your changes.

Earnings and dividends might be turned off in your chart settings.

Click the gear icon " to open the Chart Settings window, then go to the Equities tab and check Show corporate actions to display earnings, dividends, and other corporate actions on the chart.

Click Apply and select OK to save your changes.

Trend lines and other drawings are anchored to the exact price and time points where you place them. When you switch to a different time frame, the spacing and number of bars between those points change. Because the drawing connects the same anchors in a new aggregation, its angle or position may look different.

This behavior is expected, as drawings follow the original price and time points you selected rather than the visual layout of a specific time frame.