MT5 ERROR CODES · UPDATED OCTOBER 2026

“Failed to get list of signals”: the MT5 error explained.

You opened the Signals tab in MetaTrader 5 and instead of the catalog you got “Failed to get list of signals”. First, breathe: this is not a trading error. Your broker connection, your EA and your manual orders are not involved. The message means the terminal could not download the list of copy-trading signals from the MQL5 service over HTTPS — almost always a network problem on the machine where MT5 runs (usually your VPS), not a broker rejection. Here is the 60-second diagnosis and every fix, ordered by how often we see each cause.

BBenjamin SF · Founder Published Oct 21, 2026 Updated Oct 21, 2026 Read 5 min
Quick answer

“Failed to get list of signals” means MT5 cannot reach the MQL5 signals service (signals.mql5.com) over HTTPS. First test: open mql5.com in a browser on the same machine. If it fails, fix the network (firewall/antivirus outbound 443, proxy, DNS). If it loads, update the terminal build and clear the proxy in Tools > Options > Server. Either way trading keeps working: the Signals tab is a separate MQL5 service, not your trade connection.

The 60-second diagnosis

MATCH YOUR SYMPTOM TO THE CAUSE. THEN JUMP TO THE FIX.

Signals tab empty, with the error or “Waiting for update”SIGNALS TAB · TOOLBOX (CTRL+T)
cause 1The terminal cannot reach signals.mql5.com over port 443 — firewall or antivirus blocking the outbound traffic of terminal64.exe. The most common cause on VPS.
Works at home, fails on the VPSVPS · DATACENTER EGRESS
cause 2A proxy is configured in the terminal (Tools > Options > Server) that no longer exists, or the datacenter filters outbound traffic to *.mql5.com.
Everything else loads, only the Signals tab failsDNS · IPV6
cause 3Broken resolver or dead IPv6: mql5.com resolves but signals.mql5.com does not, or the terminal prefers an IPv6 route that goes nowhere.
Started after an update, or on an old buildLIVEUPDATE
cause 4An outdated build or a half-failed LiveUpdate: very old builds talk to deprecated endpoints of the service and only show this generic message.
Also fails in the browser on the same machineMQL5 SERVICE · REGION
cause 5The MQL5 service itself is down (maintenance) or your IP/region is blocked; some white-label builds also ship the Signals tab disabled by the broker.
The VPS clock is off by minutes or hoursTLS HANDSHAKE
cause 6A wrong system clock breaks TLS certificate validation before any list can download — classic on freshly cloned VPS images.

Where to look: the Signals tab retries on its own and the Journal (Ctrl+T > Journal) logs the failed request. And check the bottom-right connection status: if it says Connected, your trading link is fine — this error is only about the signals catalog.

The fixes, in order of frequency

1. Test mql5.com from the same machine

Fixes the split between network and terminal in ten seconds. Open a browser on the same machine where MT5 runs (on a VPS, the browser inside the remote desktop) and load mql5.com.

  • If mql5.com does not load: the problem is the network — continue with fixes 2, 3 and 4.
  • If it loads fine: the network is OK and the problem is in the terminal — jump to fixes 5 and 6.
  • Also try the signals page directly: www.mql5.com/en/signals. If the homepage loads but this page does not, you are in cause 5 (service or region).

2. Allow the terminal outbound HTTPS (443)

Fixes cause 1. The terminal only needs outbound HTTPS to MQL5: no inbound ports, no port forwarding. Firewalls and “aggressive” antivirus suites are the usual blocker.

  • Add an outbound allow rule for terminal64.exe (Windows Defender Firewall > Outbound Rules), or allow HTTPS to *.mql5.com.
  • Check the antivirus “web shield” / “script protection”: temporarily disable it, reopen the Signals tab, re-enable it if that was not it.
  • On a corporate or managed VPS, ask the provider to allow egress to *.mql5.com on 443.

3. Remove the proxy

Fixes cause 2. A leftover proxy in the terminal (or in Windows) sends MQL5 requests to a server that no longer exists, so every download of the list fails while charts keep working.

  • In MT5: Tools > Options > Server > Proxy > set None (or delete the entry). Restart the terminal.
  • On a Windows VPS, also reset the system proxy: open a terminal and run netsh winhttp reset proxy.
  • If you legitimately need a proxy to reach the internet from that VPS, verify it forwards HTTPS to *.mql5.com.

4. Fix DNS and IPv6

Fixes cause 3. A resolver that answers for mql5.com but chokes on signals.mql5.com (or a broken IPv6 route) leaves exactly this symptom: everything works except the Signals tab.

  • Test resolution: nslookup signals.mql5.com. If it fails, switch the VPS DNS to 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1 and retry.
  • If the machine prefers IPv6 but has no working IPv6 route, disable IPv6 on the adapter (or fix the route) and restart the terminal.
  • Reopen the Signals tab after each change: the terminal retries the download on its own.

5. Update the terminal build

Fixes cause 4. An outdated build can keep calling deprecated endpoints of the signals service. Updating is safe: your accounts, charts and EAs stay installed.

  • In MT5: Help > Check for Updates, or simply restart the terminal and let LiveUpdate run to completion.
  • If LiveUpdate keeps failing, download the latest build from mql5.com and install it over the existing folder (do not delete it first).
  • After the update, log in again if asked and reopen the Signals tab.

6. Sync the system clock

Fixes cause 6. TLS requires a reasonably accurate clock: with the VPS clock off by minutes or hours, certificate validation fails and the list never arrives — even when the browser works.

  • Check date, time and timezone on the machine (a cloned VPS image often keeps the old clock).
  • On Windows, sync from an admin terminal: w32tm /resync, or enable the time service / NTP on the VPS.
  • Restart MT5 after fixing the clock.

7. If mql5.com fails everywhere: it is upstream

Covers cause 5. If the MQL5 site also fails from the browser on that machine (or from other networks), the service or your region is the blocker — there is nothing local to fix. Try later or from another network. And if you trade your own strategy, you lose nothing: the Signals tab is only MQL5’s copy-trading marketplace.

  • Confirm with a second device or network whether mql5.com is reachable at all.
  • If your broker ships a white-label build with the tab disabled, ask them — some simply have no signals service.
  • Meanwhile keep trading: this error never blocks orders (see the next section).

When it is NOT a trading problem

THE SIGNALS TAB IS A CATALOG. YOUR ORDERS TRAVEL ANOTHER ROAD.

The Signals tab is MQL5’s copy-trading marketplace

That tab only downloads a catalog of signals you could copy. Your EA, your manual orders and your bridge never pass through it. The connection that matters for trading is the one in the bottom-right corner of the terminal: if it says Connected, your broker link is healthy no matter what the Signals tab says.

If your own signals do not arrive

If you landed here because TradingView alerts are not reaching MT5, the error you want is a different one: start with the guide “MT5 no connection”, confirm the terminal shows Connected, and then validate what your alert actually sends in the webhook tester — a payload with a typo fails long before any network does.

Test the payload, not the terminal

Before assuming the terminal is broken, send your exact alert JSON through the TradingView webhook tester — it validates the format and shows you exactly what the bridge would receive. The full field reference is in the SignalForge docs.

FAQ

CATALOG VS TRADING, VPS VS HOME, WEBHOOKS.

What does “Failed to get list of signals” mean in MT5?

It means MetaTrader 5 could not download the list of copy-trading signals from the MQL5 service (signals.mql5.com) over HTTPS. The Signals tab stays empty or shows “Waiting for update”. It is a network or terminal problem, not a trading error: your broker connection, your EA and your manual orders are not affected.

Does “Failed to get list of signals” stop my EA or my orders?

No. The Signals tab is MQL5’s copy-trading marketplace, a separate service from the trade connection. Check the connection status in the bottom-right corner: if it says Connected, trading works. If your EA is not trading, read the Experts and Journal tabs (Ctrl+T) for the real error, such as 4752 (trade disabled) or 4756 (request failed).

How do I fix “Failed to get list of signals” in MT5?

First open mql5.com in a browser on the same machine. If it fails, fix the network: allow terminal64.exe outbound HTTPS (port 443) in the firewall/antivirus, remove the proxy in Tools > Options > Server, and check DNS. If it loads, update the terminal build (Help > Check for Updates) and sync the system clock. If mql5.com also fails everywhere, the service or your region is the blocker and there is nothing to fix locally.

Does this error affect TradingView signals or my bridge?

No. TradingView alerts reach MT5 through your bridge’s webhook, not through the MQL5 signals service. If your TradingView signals are not arriving, start with the “No connection” guide, confirm the terminal is connected, and validate your alert payload in the webhook tester before assuming a terminal fault.

Keep reading

Payload schema and every supported field: SignalForge docs. Sister guide: “MT5 no connection”: why the terminal will not link to your broker. Full catalog: MT5 error codes explained.

Author

Benjamin SF is the founder of SignalForge and an expert in trading algorithm automation. He builds and operates the SignalForge bridge for prop-firm traders and maintains its public latency benchmark.

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