> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.metacopier.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.metacopier.io/features/pro-features/trading-windows.md).

# Trading windows

The **Trading Windows** feature lets you schedule exactly when trades can be opened and whether any open trades should be closed outside these scheduled times.

## Overview

You can create one or more “windows,” each defined by the following:

* A **Start Time** and **End Time** in **UTC (Coordinated Universal Time)**. If you're not familiar with UTC, you can use this link to convert from your local time zone: <https://dateful.com/convert/utc>
* An optional set of **Active Days** (e.g., Monday through Friday)

Trades are only allowed to open during these windows, unless otherwise specified. You can also choose whether to automatically close any open trades when a window ends.

## Configuration Options

1. **Close Open Trades After Window Ends**
   * If switched on, any trades still open when a window finishes will be closed immediately (e.g., at 16:00 if your window ends at 16:00).
2. **Temporarily skip until next window**
   * This option is only applicable to copiers.
   * When trades occur outside a window and this setting is on, they’re queued up to be opened automatically at the start of the next window. If it’s off, those outside trades are simply ignored.
3. **Symbol-Specific Settings**
   * If you want different schedules for different symbols (e.g., EUR/USD vs. GBP/USD), you can create separate configurations for each symbol. Symbol-specific settings override any general settings.
4. **Copier vs. Account**
   * If you’re running multiple “copiers” under the same account, each copier can override the account-wide schedule. That means the copier’s windows apply to trades it places, rather than the account-wide schedule.

## How It Works

### When a Window Ends

If **Close Open Trades After Window Ends** is enabled and the clock passes your end time, any positions still open are immediately closed. For example, if your window is 09:00–17:00 on weekdays, any open positions at **17:00** are closed.

### Opening New Trades

* **Inside Window**: Trades open as normal.
* **Outside Window**:
  * **Temporarily skip until next window** = ON means those trades wait until the next scheduled window.
  * If that’s OFF, then those trades are ignored permanently.

### Active Days

Each window can be active on specific days (e.g., Monday through Friday). If it’s not set, the window applies every day. For example, a window with **Start Time** = 00:00, **End Time** = 23:59, **Active Days** = Monday–Friday means trading is allowed 24 hours a day during weekdays, but stops on weekends (Saturday, Sunday).

## Example Scenario

You define:

* **Close Open Trades After Window Ends**: ON
* **Temporarily skip until next window**: ON
* **Window**: Start Time 08:00, End Time 16:00, Active Days = Monday–Friday

**Result:**

* Any trade that tries to open after 16:00 (or before 08:00) waits until the next weekday at 08:00.
* If a position is still open when you pass 16:00, it’s closed automatically.
* No trading occurs overnight or on weekends.