The Account menu helps you manage which account you’re viewing and trading in on the thinkorswim® platform. If your login is associated with multiple accounts you can quickly switch between them using this menu. It’s also where you can view which trading features are enabled for each account. This page explains how to access and understand these settings.
Accessing Account Features
The account menu is located in the top-left corner of the thinkorswim interface. Click the dropdown next to the current account name (e.g., 12345678SCHW (Individual)).
This menu allows you to:
- switch between different linked accounts.
- access the Check trading features… option
Switching Between Accounts
The Account menu lets you choose which account you’re working with. If your Schwab login is linked to multiple accounts, you’ll see a dropdown like this:
- <TOTAL> SCHW (All Accounts): Aggregates data across all your accounts that are viewable on the thinkorswim platform. Use this to view combined balances, positions and performance.
- [Account Number] (Individual): A standard brokerage account. Trading features vary by account.
- [Account Number] (Margin): A brokerage account approved for margin trading. Enables borrowing funds to increase buying power.
- [Account Number] (IRA): A tax-advantaged retirement account. May have restrictions on trading products like options or futures.
Viewing Trading Features
Selecting Check trading features… opens up the User Setup screen under the Account tab. This section displays:
- the selected account
- a grid listing various asset types and your enrollment/approval status for each
Trading features are managed externally on Schwab.com. Click the link beside each asset type to update or request access. Trading features may include:
|
Asset Type |
Description |
Status Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Forex |
Ability to trade currency pairs. |
Enrolled / Not Enrolled |
|
Futures |
Ability to trade futures contracts. |
Enrolled / Not Enrolled |
|
Options |
Level of options approval. |
Full / Covered Calls /Long / Spreads / None |
|
Margin |
Indicates whether margin trading is enabled. |
Enrolled / Not Enrolled / Not Approved |
|
Portfolio Margin |
Advanced margin feature allowing increased leverage for eligible accounts. |
Enrolled / Not Approved |
Statuses for Margin and Portfolio Margin are determined by a combination of factors, including your options approval level and whether your account is configured for margin trading.
- A margin account may show Not Approved if options approval is not full.
- Portfolio Margin requires specific permissions for both margin and options to show as Approved.
Color indicators help clarify the status of each permission:
- Green: Enrolled, approved, or enabled.
- Red: Not enrolled or not approved.
These colors remain the same regardless of your platform display settings.
Customizing Account Settings
In the same panel, you also can:
- choose which accounts to display (e.g., All or individual ones)
- reorder the accounts
- set a default account
- toggle display on FX account info
For more details on these settings, see thinkorswim® Setup.