Complete guide to Tradingview alerts

One of the biggest challenges for any trader is continuously monitoring market data and information. Today, the better charting software provide alerts notifications of specific events. In this post I will provide a complete guide to setting and configuring Tradingview alerts.

This guide aims to help users navigate, set and configure tradingview alerts. It provides a step by step tutorial on the different alert types including: Tradingview price alerts, Tradingview indicator alerts, Tradingview strategy alerts and Tradingview drawing alerts. This guide will also explain how to setup all these types of alerts and how to manage the alerts.

Tradingview comes integrated with a full suite of trading alert options. To follow along with this tutorial open a TradingView chart by clicking the link. The table of contents below is a useful tool for navigating this guide.

What are Tradingview Alerts

Tradingview alerts notify users when price meets a predetermined criteria. This can be a price level, indicator area, trend line or directional movement. Tradingview alerts are most useful to traders that have medium to longer term trade horizon and can’t be at their workstations continuously.

All Tradingview alerts are ‘Server-side’. Which means all preset alerts are created and triggered on Tradingview’s servers. Users don’t need to have their computers or Tradingview running for an alert to trigger and receive alert notification.

Users can be notified that an alert has been triggered via SMS, email, via the App or popup window in the platform.

Are Tradingview alerts FREE?

Tradingview alerts are available with ALL Tradingview plans. FREE plan users have limited access to the Tradingview alerts feature.

If you plan to use alerts on a regular basis or rely on alerts for your trading strategy then upgrading to a paid plan is a must!

How many alerts do you get with the FREE Tradingview plan?

Free plan uses to access ONE active server side alerts with a maximum duration (expiry) of 2 months.

If you want more alerts active at one time or you want alarms to stay active for a longer duration you’ll need to upgrade to either the PRO, PRO+ or PREMIUM plan.

How to get access to Tradingview multiple Alerts?

ALL Tradingview plans have access to the alerts function.

Free plan uses have access to a single active alert with a maximum duration (expiry) of 2 months.

For access to the ‘multiple alerts‘ feature. You must have either a Pro, Pro+ or premium account. See the info graphic below for the alarm features available with each account.

Does Tradingview send alerts?

YES, All tradingview plans allow users to receive alert notification via SMS, email and via the Tradingview App.

For more information about the types of alert notifications available plus how to setup a notification see the Alert Notifications section below.

Advantages of Tradingview alerts

The key benefit of trading alerts is to give traders the flexibility of not being glued to the screen. This flexibility branches out to two sub-benefits:

• Time : A likely benefit enjoyed by long-term investors. Most medium to longer term traders, cannot keep a watchful eye on markets every single minute of each day. Trading alerts provide immediate notification of events specific to a trading plan.
• Missed opportunities : Any trader watching multiple markets will inevitably miss opportunities. Alerts reduce the risks associated with missed opportunities. 

TradingView Alert Types

Real-Time Price Alerts

This is the most commonly used trading alert. Real-time price alerts are used on price levels of interest. Enabling an alert on a particular price level will notify the user once price action moves and satisfies a particular condition set by the user. These alerts happen in real time, notifying the user instantly. 

Indicator Alerts

A feature often overlooked: indicator alerts is a helpful tool that you should consider adding as complement to price alerts. When price and indicator alerts work in tandem in building your criteria, a trader will be able to qualify trades more systematically, avoiding emotional judgment.

Common technical indicators you can set an alert to: volume indicators, RSI, MACD, ATR, among a thousand others available in TradingView. 

Popular uses for the Tradingview indicator alerts include: Tradingview MACD crossover alert, Tradingview Moving average crossover alert, Tradingview EMA cross alert, Tradingview RSI alert

Strategy Alerts

TradingView, as powerful as it is, allows users to create strategies on historical and/or real-time charts using computer algorithms. Often referred to as Pine script, strategy users can create or select from Indicators & Strategies that are already available and can subsequently execute actual buy/sell orders. TradingView runs the order via broker emulator. 

Strategy alerts, on the other hand, works by alerting users once an order is successfully executed using the strategy built/selected by the user.

Draw Your Own Alerts

Finally, TradingView also offers alerts for the lines drawn using the line drawing tool. You can set alerts on drawing objects:  trendlines, horizontal lines/rays, etc.

Creating TradingView Alerts – How to set a Tradingview Alert

Where can I find the Alert feature in TradingView?

First step in creating alerts is to access the “Create Alert” window. Here are the ways to do this:

1. Alert Button (Top toolbar)

You will find an alarm clock icon on the main toolbar at the upper portion of your screen. 

2. Shortcut (Alt + A) 

Referring to the image above, you can also access “Create Alert” by doing the keyboard shortcut Alt + A. 

3. TradingView Alerts Manager 

Another option is to access the alarm clock icon found on the right side of your screen. This is the Manage Alerts panel. We will go in depth on this panel in Section “Manage Alerts.” 

Click “Set Alert” 

4. Plus Button (Y-Axis) 

This is another shortcut: automatically assigning an alert to the price level of interest by clicking the plus (+) sign beside prices on the Y-axis. This will no longer open “Create Alert.”

Select “Add Alert for SP:SPX” for price level 3,001.13”

Once clicked, an orange arrow and dotted line will appear at the 3,001.13; indicative of an alert set for that price level. 

5. Right Click 

 Another shortcut option where users can simply use the cursor to select  level of interest by hovering on the bar/candlestick. Unlike the Plus button option, this will open the “Create Alert.”

Select “Add Alert”

6. Idea Title 

Lastly, “Create Alert” is also accessible in idea titles. TradingView has an idea dashboard where ideas are posted by its community members. Clicking an idea will open the post and expand the chart.

Once expanded, click the alarm clock icon on the title bar to open “Create Alert”

TradingView Alert Settings

There are 5 functions that we will discuss one-by-one: Conditions, Options, Expiration Time, Alert Actions, and Message.  

1. Create Alert | Condition

This function is the crux in making your alert. A condition is used to qualify whether a specific price action meets a specific item in your criteria. It serves as the alert trigger suggesting a user-specific action/decision. 

In this subsection, we will explore the different features of the condition function: 

• Subject : This is a dropdown menu where you can choose which chart element you’d like to set an alert to. In this case, I selected SPX as my subject as I’d like to get notified on SPX prices. 

• Alert Type : TradingView offers a variety of condition types to select from. We will describe each one thoroughly in Section “Alert Condition Types.”

• Value : There are two fields under this feature: a dropdown field(left side) and a value field. 

The dropdown field works similarly to the subject feature previously discussed. 

Selecting “value” simply means that you’d like to be alerted on a price level of your choice. 

In the example above, my alert value is set at SPX’s 3,009.06 level. 

2. Create Alert | Options 

Users can toggle the recurrence of a particular alert.  Note: option settings differ under real-time and indicator/drawing alerts.

• Options | Real-time Price Alerts 

You can select the alert to only occur once or recurrent corresponding to how many times the condition is satisfied.  

In this example, I will only be alerted once when SPX prices crosses 3,009.6 

• Options | Indicator/Drawing Alerts

• Only Once : Alert is triggered only once
• Once per Bar: Alert is triggered every time a condition is satisfied but limited to not more than once for each bar/candlestick
• Once per Bar Close: Alert is triggered when condition is satisfied at the closing price 
• Once per Minute : Alert is triggered every time but not more than once each minute

3. Create Alert | Expiration Time 

Set the lifespan of your alert. 

Note: Beginning from date of creation, TradingView’s default alert validities for non-premium accounts is  limited to 2 months. If you need for time upgrade to a premium account. 

4. Create Alert | Alert Actions 

TradingView covers a handful of alert actions to select from. From app notifications, email, to webhooks, users have the flexibility of not only selecting one but choose a multiple of options to suit their alert needs. 

It is important to note that TradingView does not need to be opened to receive these alerts. 

To learn in depth about the different types of alert actions, refer to section “Alert Actions and Notifications.” 

5. Create Alert | Message

The last component of “Create Alert”is setting the alert message. TradingView will have a template provided, filled with the necessary details of the alert (condition triggered and level). However, you may opt to craft your own by adding other text or variable values.

   Sample of user-created message 

6. Variable Values 

One of the latest add-ons is variable values/placeholders.

Variable values substantiate the message prompt by adding other details that may be relevant to the user. 

There is minor algorithmic coding required to successfully do this. 

For more information, click here

Alert Notifications

As promised, we will describe the different alert actions. The image below represents the expanded version of the Alert Actions function.  Tick the checkbox beside the alert action of your choice. 

TradingView Alert Notification Types

• Send Email: Alerts are sent via email to the email address registered with your TradingView account
• Webhook URL: A post request is sent to the URL tagged once an alert is triggered

Note: this feature is only accessible for upgraded TradingView plans 

• Notify on App: Clicking this option will open a prompt requiring a TradingView app installed on your device and enabled push notification permissions 
• Show Popup: This option pushes notifications to your web browser if notifications are enabled and allowed. 

Note: As a browser popup, you will still be notified even when you are browsing on a different tab.

• Play Sound : Sound notifications are also an option to accompany your text type notifications. Ticking the “Play Sound” checkbox will open two options: sound type and duration options.

• Send Email to SMS : A viable option for non-premium users where you can receive notifications directly to your phone via text message. TradingView makes use of international email providers you can choose from to enable this feature to work smoothly. The list is updated frequently. 

You can check the list here  

TradingView Alert Conditions

We will go in great depth in discussing alert conditions. After reading this section, you will have an excellent understanding of the different value adds and unique importance of each of these conditions; and hopefully see how its distinct roles will fit in your trading system.

1. Crossing 

There are several ways to use the crossing feature. With regards to criteria, TradingView gives users the flexibility of choosing conditions that are a more precise or more generalized type of movement.

• Cross up 

Condition is triggered when price moves in an upward direction and crosses up a specific level of interest for the trader. 

“Notify me when SPX moves above 3,200”

• Cross down 

 The reverse of cross up. Condition is triggered when price moves in a downward direction crossing down. 

“Notify me when SPX moves below 3,000”

• Crossing 

 The main difference of crossing from the prior two is that a condition is met when a price crosses a level of interest regardless of the direction (up or down).

 “Notify me when SPX trades at my level of interest (2,900)”  

2. Greater than/Less than 

Although operates similarly to the cross up/down condition, greater than/less than differs by notifying when prices actually surpass a price mark. This is a valuable feature as it avoids alerting when prices are merely bumping your level of interest but rather when it exceeds it. 

Also, it notifies users when prices stay above a certain fixed value. 

Tip: This is particularly helpful in charts where there is an identified heavy support/resistance.

• Greater than 

 Condition is triggered when price surpasses and convincingly breaks above a level of interest 

“Notify me when SPX breaks above 3,400” or

“Keep notifying me as long as SPX is above 3,400”

• Less than 

 Acts as the reverse of “greater than.” Traders are notified when price convincingly breaks below a level of interest. 

“Notify when SPX breaks below 3,000” 

“Keep me notified as long as SPX is below 3,400”

3. Channel 

As channel formations are generally characterized as having an upper and lower bound, channel alerts are set on the condition of price movements moving in and out of a channel as well as movements within and outside the channel.  

In this condition, you have to create your own channel by setting the prices of the upper and lower bound. 

Tip: Channel alerts work well for consolidating, range-bound markets/stocks. Typically, consolidation patterns are characterized by a sideways movement, which moves within an upper and lower bound (similar highs and lows)

Channel alerts are subdivided into 4 types: 

Entering/Exiting

• Entering Channel 

 Condition is satisfied when price triggers and enters a channel. Similar to crossing, the way the price enters does not matter, whether it enters through breaking the upper bound (through a downward move) or the lower bound (through an upward move) 

“Notify me when SPX enters the 3,000-3,200 range” 

• Exiting Channel 

 Works in reverse of entering the channel. Condition is satisfied when price exits the set channel whether to the upside or to the downside.

“Notify me when SPX exits the 3,000-3,200 range

4. Inside/Outside Channel

The only difference between inside/outside with entering/exiting series  is that the latter takes into consideration the location of the previous candle relative to the channel.

Similar to Greater/Less than, Inside/Outside can be continuous as long as prices stay within/outside a channel. 

• Inside Channel

 Notifies the user when price is trading within the defined channel. 

“Keep me notified as long as SPX is within the 3,000-3,200 range”

• Outside Channel 

Notifies the user when the price is trading outside the defined channel.

“Keep me notified as long as SPX is outside 3,000-3,200 range”

4. Moving up/down 

This is an excellent feature for those traders who are in the lookout for stocks with good activity or moving in an above average price swing.  

Using this will alert you once the price moves within a certain set value (in ticks or %) specified in the number of bar/candlesticks. 

“Alert me when SPX moves $200 in 1 daily bar” 

Tip: This feature works in excellent tandem with Average True Range (ATR). Keeping ATR figures in mind when setting a moving up/down alert is helpful as it notifies you when volatility is picking up or when prices are swinging larger than its average range. 

• Moving up ($) 

 Alert is triggered when price moves up beyond the number of ticks per bar set in the criteria. 

• Moving down ($) 

 Like Moving up except the alert is triggered when price moves down

• Moving up (%) 

Similar to moving up($), but using percentage as basis rather than ticks. 

• Moving down (%) 

 Similar to moving down ($) but using percentage as basis. 

5. Custom Alerts

• Pine Strategy Script

Strategies created via Pine script algorithm can also have alert conditions that allow a user’s absolute customization. 

A typical alert condition function follows this signature: 

alertcondition(condition, title, message)

For more information on custom alerts click here.  As for strategy alerts refer to Subsection “Strategy Alerts” under Section “Alert Types”

Creating and Configuring Price, Indicators, Drawing and Strategy TradingView Alerts

This section will be divided into 3 parts where we will describe how to create and edit each of the alert types: real time price, indicators, and drawing objects. Creation and configuration of these alerts follow similar steps. 

Creating a tradingview Price alert

For illustration purposes, I will be using the S&P 500 as a hypothetical chart to base my price alerts on. 

Context:  I am looking at a possible (psychological) support break of the SPX. Hence, I would like to be alerted when SPX breaks down from the 3,000 level. 

Step 1: Open the “Create Alert” window

This window is accessible via selecting the alarm clock icon on the main toolbar and alert manager, Y-axis plus button, right click, idea title and shortcut Alt+A.

 For a refresher of these access points, refer to subsection “Where can I find the Alert Feature?” under Section “Creating Alerts.” 

Step 2: Fill the necessary fields 

* I selected the “Less Than” rather than “Cross Down” due to my breakdown criteria; I want SPX to convince me of its negative sentiment by piercing 3,000. 

By clicking the Create button, an orange line will appear at the 3,000 level, labeled by the alert message set (blue box). Also, the same alert will appear on the alert manager on the right side of your screen (black box). We will discuss the alert manager in detail in Section “Managing Alerts.” 

Editing Alerts 

 Open “Edit Alert”  

• Alert Chart Label – All active alerts are labeled on your chart, popping out once you hit “Create.” In the case of price alerts, alert labels are usually denoted as an orange line if alert is not yet triggered. 

To edit, double-click this or right click > select edit alert. 

• Manage Alerts – All alerts, whether active or not, is logged on the Manage Alerts panel. 

To edit, double-click or right click > select edit.  

Deleting Alerts 

• To delete an existing alert, simply click the red, “delete” button at the bottom left of the “Edit Alert” window. 

Creating a Tradingview Indicator Alert

TradingView offers the ability to assign an alert conditional on an indicator. The following steps outline how to do this:

Step 1 : Identify technical indicator

Make sure the indicator you’d like to place an alert to is already actively placed on your chart.

Step 2: Open “Create Alert” 

Similar to real-time price alerts, the first step in setting indicator alerts is to open the “Create Alert” window. 

Refer to section “Where can I find the ‘Alert’ feature?” for detailed accessibility options of the window.

Step 3: Fill the fields 

By default, TradingView sets the condition subject to the stock not the indicators. To change this, click the first dropdown then select the technical indicator of interest. This works the same for drawing objects. 

Note: The options provided in this dropdown menu is limited to what is already running on your chart.

You may also opt to do the other accessibility options (right click, Y-axis plus button) but instead of hovering at the price,  hover at the indicator of interest. 

Configuring Indicator Alerts 

Refer to subsection “Configuring Real-Time Price” alerts above. 

Note: Indicator alerts are usually denoted as gray dotted line 

Creating a Tradingview Drawing Alert

 Step 1 : Identify drawing object

A drawing object must already be drawn on the chart. You can set an alert on any of the drawing objects (refer to the left image) listed. 

This is accessible via the trendline icon (highlighted) on the toolbar on the left of your TradingView screen. 

Step 2 : Open “Create Alert” 

Follows the same accessibility procedures as real-time price and indicator alerts. 

An added option: after creating your drawing object, a drawing panel will appear. You can click the alarm clock icon on this panel to open “Create Alert” 

  Step 3 : Fill the fields 

By default, TradingView assumes that you’d like to create an alert on value. To change, select your drawing object from the 3rd condition dropdown menu then fill the necessary fields. 

Configuring Drawing alerts 

Refer to subsection “Configuring Real-Time Price” alerts above. 

Note: Drawing alerts are usually denoted as a blue line on your chart (Refer to image below) 

Note: Status of drawing alerts is denoted by the color of the alarm clock (gray arrow)

Active : color is the same as the drawing object

Inactive : color will turn gray 

As mentioned in the previous section, strategy alerts are triggered once an order is executed as a result from a condition being satisfied. 

Creating a Tradingview Strategy Alert

Step 1 : Locate Strategy Tester / Pine Editor

Find these two strategy creators on the bottom panel

Step 2 : Apply strategy 

Ensure that a strategy is already running on your chart. You can opt to create your own via “Pine Editor” or select an already existing one via “Indicators & Strategies.”

Once the strategy is applied, you can access “Create Alert” by right clicking the strategy or clicking “More” on the upper left hand side below the main ticker. Click “Add Alert on EMA.” 

Step 3 : Fill the fields 

This follows the same idea with the other alert types discussed. After filling the fields, click “Create” 

Configuring Strategy Alerts

Refer to subsection “Configuring Real-Time Price” alerts above. 

TradingView Alerts Manager

Finding Manage Alerts 

The Manage Alerts panel is accessible via alarm clock icon located on the right hand side of your screen.

Understanding Manage Alerts Panel 

This is an expanded Manage Alerts panel. It is subdivided into two: Alerts and Alerts Log.

Alerts Panel (upper half) is where you can do most of the alert manipulation whereas the Alerts Log (bottom half) is where you will see a list of triggered alerts. We will discuss the Alerts Panel first then Alerts Log in the following section.

Alerts Panel

If you’d like to see more information (message, date created, status) on each of your alerts, hover your cursor on the specific alert. 

               User sample indicator alert 

Understanding components of a specific alert 

• Status :  To know whether an alert is active/inactive/stopped, check the color of the status symbol on the left side of the ticker. 
  • Green dot : Active 
  • Red dot : Manually disabled/expired  
  • Orange dot : Triggered alert (usually “Only once” alert settings)

• Ticker : Asset symbol 
• Message : Specific conditions and alert message associated with the alert 

Managing Alerts

Filters

By default, alerts are sorted by date creation (newest first). You can change this by clicking the down arrow icon on the Manage Alert main toolbar and select what you’d like to apply. 

        Sorting options

Settings (Three dots)

There are two actions available under Settings. First, visibility options allow users to filter which alerts they would like to see in their manage alerts window.

• Active : Shows only active alerts 
• Current Symbol : Shows alerts only for the asset that is actively running on the chart 
• Current Resolution : Only shows alerts that follow the same timeframe as the current symbol on the chart. 

Second, alert manipulation options under Settings are not alert-specific. Actions here take effect on all or some of the alerts sharing the same status such as restarting all inactive to stopping/deleting all alerts. 

For alert-specific manipulation, refer to Control keys and Right Click sections below. 

Control Keys 

Control keys appear when you hover on a specific alert. With just one click, a user can stop/restart, edit, or delete. 

• Pause/Restart

Denoted by the pause/play icon. Click Stop to make the alert inactive. Click Restart to reactivate the alert.

• Edit 

Clicking the gear icon will bring us to the “Edit Alert” window. To know more about editing alerts, visit subsection “Configuring Real-Time Price alerts” under Section “Creating Real-Time price alerts”

• Delete

Click the X-mark to delete.

Right click option 

Right click on an alert to reveal more options. Most of the actions under the right click dropdown is already discussed above. 

The “Clone” option is rather specific to the right click option. Clicking this will duplicate an alert. 

Alerts Log Panel

This is where historical data of the alerts that were successfully triggered will be shown. An Alerts Log is like a diary of your alerts, which can be very helpful for reflection and analysis.

Actions available under the Alerts Log Panel: Click Options (three dots) 

• Clear Log : Cleans up the log by deleting all triggered alerts 
• Export to a CSV file : Exports the log list as a CSV file. This will be saved on your device.

Images for this article sourced from TradingView.