NinjaTrader 8 Chart Settings Basics
Updated September 19, 2026
NinjaTrader 8 gives you extremely customizable charts. That’s good, but it also means beginners get lost in the menus. This guide strips out the noise and shows you the basic settings you actually need to control—data series, bar types, scaling, colors, trading display, and templates.
Opening Chart Settings
Right-click anywhere on a chart → Data Series… or Properties…. These two menus control 90% of the chart behavior you care about.
If you can’t find a setting, it’s almost always in one of these two windows.
Data Series: Where the Real Chart Settings Live
Data Series is the most important settings window in NinjaTrader 8. This is where you choose:
- Bar type (minute, tick, volume, range, Heiken Ashi, etc.)
- Bars value (5-minute, 1500-tick, 10-range, etc.)
- Trading hours template
- Candle colors
- Borders, wicks, plot thickness
| Setting | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Type | Chooses bar type (Minute, Tick, Range, Renko) |
| Value | The number tied to the bar type (e.g., 1500 ticks) |
| Trading Hours | RTH vs ETH templates |
| Candle Outline | Border color |
| Bar Color Up | Color for bullish bars |
| Bar Color Down | Color for bearish bars |
Most traders use:
- 5-Minute
- 1-Minute
- Tick charts like 1500 or 1000
- Range charts
Minute charts update on time. Tick charts update on volume. Range charts update on movement.
Chart Properties: Layout and Behavior
Right-click → Properties…
This window controls:
- Grid lines
- Background color
- Price scale
- Candle spacing
- Crosshair style
- Session break lines
If your chart looks “weird,” too zoomed, or too spaced out, Properties is the fix.
Scaling: How to Stop the Chart From Jumping
NinjaTrader documents automatic and fixed vertical scaling:
- Automatic – the visible chart objects participate in the price range when Auto Scale is enabled.
- Fixed – manually adjusting the vertical axis fixes the scale; NinjaTrader shows an F button that returns the chart to automatic scaling.
If the chart is fixed or compressed, drag the vertical price axis to adjust it. Select the F button in the upper-right chart margin to return to automatic scaling. Scale justification chooses the left, right, or overlay scale for an object; it is not the fixed/automatic control.
How to Change Candle Colors
Right-click chart → Data Series…
- Bar Color Up
- Bar Color Down
- Candle Outline
- Wick Color
Many traders pick:
- Green up / Red down (classic)
- White up / Red down (dark mode)
Whatever you choose, save it as a template.
Templates: Save Time and Stop Repeating Settings
Once your chart looks the way you want:
- Right-click chart
- Click Templates → Save As
- Give it a name like “MyBasicChart”
Next time you open a chart:
- Right-click
- Templates → Load
Done. No more repeating settings.
Performance Settings: Keep NT8 Fast
Some chart configurations slow down NinjaTrader:
- Huge historical lookback
- High-tick charts (e.g., 5000-tick)
- Tons of indicators
- Multiple charts all pulling deep data
To avoid lag:
- Limit days to load
- Use ETH or RTH templates with fewer sessions
- Only keep indicators you actually use
NinjaTrader 8 is fast, but not magic. Don’t overload it with nonsense.
Chart Settings Are the Foundation of NT8
NinjaTrader 8 only feels complicated until you master the basics: Data Series, chart Properties, scaling, and templates. These settings shape every trade you see. Nail them first, and the entire platform stops feeling clunky and starts working with you — not against you.
Sources, scope, and change risk
Platform behavior was checked September 19, 2026 against NinjaTrader's official guides for Data Series, Chart Properties, chart navigation and scaling, and chart templates.
NinjaTrader can change labels, defaults, and features by release, license, data connection, and custom add-on. Confirm the live platform and back up templates before changing a production workspace. Example chart values are preferences, not trading rules.