How to Setup Account, Charts and Trades in Think or Swim

Think or Swim Account and Charts Setup

1. Start the process of setting up your account using this link –

https://invest.tdameritrade.com/grid/p/accountApplication.

2. Complete the TD Ameritrade application.

3. We suggest that you not only open an account for equities, but also get approval for options and other products

you plan on trading in the future. Then you are already approved and do not have to complete more paperwork

later.

4. Fund your account.

5. Now you are ready to start trading.

6. Download the charts from the website - https://www.tdameritrade.com/home.page. Login, click on the “Trade”

tab at the top of the page. Then click “Trading Platforms”. Click the green “Launch” button under “thinkorswim”.

This downloads the program to your computer. Most computers default location for downloaded files is the

“Downloads” folder on your computer.

7. Go to the file and double click to start the install. Follow the instructions until the procedure is completed.

8. Double click on the Think or Swim icon on your desktop.

9. Enter your user name. Then if you want to save it so you do not have to enter it every time you login, click the

unlocked lock to lock it.

10. If you click on the gear in the lower left you can select the color scheme you like. Use the default memory setting

to start. Click “Save”.

11. Enter your password. You can select “Live Trading” or “Paper Trading”. We suggest that you use paper trading to

learn your trading platform and learn how to setup trades. Then click “Log In”.

12. Now that you have your charts installed, let’s setup the charts and install indicators.

13. Download your indictor file and save to your computer. Remember where you saved the file. DO NOT TRY TO

OPEN THE FILE. It must be imported into your ToS platform using the following process.

14. Click the charts tab at the top of the platform. Enter a symbol in the box located in the top left and press “enter”

on your keyboard.

15. Click the “Studies” box in the top right. Click “Edit Studies” in the dropdown.

16. In the new window that popped up, click “Import” in the bottom left.

17. Another window pops up. Click the box to the right of “Look In” and locate the folder where the ToS Study file is

located. Highlight the study file by left clicking on the file name. Then click the open box.

18. Now the study has been added to the list of studies. Scroll down the list and locate the new study. Highlight the study,

then click “Add Study” in bottom left. Then click “Apply” and “Open” in the bottom left.

19. You can customize the look by clicking the “Style” box in the top right. Then in the dropdown click settings. In the

popup window click each one of the tabs and choose which functions you want on or off. When finished, click “Apply”

and “OK”. Also, you can make the charts full screen by clicking the box in the lower left. Click it again to bring

back the gadgets.

Think or Swim OCO Trade Setup

1. Insert the symbol you want to trade into the chart. Then right click on the chart. Click in the dropdown “Buy

Custom” or Sell Custom”, depending if you are setting up a long or short trade. Then click “with OCO Bracket”.

2. This will bring up the order bar.

3. Click the link in the quantity box . Now the number of shares is linked for all three orders and you only have

to enter the quantity once.

4. Enter the number of shares.

5. Click the link in the TIF box . If there is a price that has to be reached before entering the trade we suggest

that you choose GTC.

6. There are several choices for the entry order. If you want to enter with minimum and maximum price range select

“Stop Limit”.

7. Unlink the exit order links . Change the link from “TRG” to “MAN”. This will lock the exit prices.

8. The “Stop Price” in the entry order is the minimum price required to enter the trade. The “Limit Price” in the entry

order is the maximum price you are willing to pay to get into the trade. This will protect you if there is a price gap.

9. Below the entry order is the target price to exit the trade for profit. This is a “Limit” order. The next order is the

stop loss to exit and protect capital. This is a “Stop” order.

10. Next Click “Confirm and Send” when you are ready to place the trade.

11. Confirm you orders are correct and click “Send”.

12. Your order has now been placed.