Thinkorswim
OK, trading veterans: Think you know everything about the thinkorswim® platform from TD Ameritrade? Is it second nature to log in and conduct technical analysis or map out complex options moves?
On thinkorswim you can trade a wide variety of instruments, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, options, futures (as well as options on futures) and FX. One of the best thing about the platform is the fact that you can take advantage of more than 300 commission-free ETFs. Thinkorswim offers some of the most highest levels of data and options of any high-sophistication trading platform on the market today. This is a vast and extremely complicated program, so even the most sophisticated traders should expect a steep learning curve going in.
- With thinkorswim® Desktop you get access to elite-level trading tools and a platform backed by insights, education, and a dedicated trade desk. Experience the unparalleled power of a fully customizable trading experience, designed to help you nail even the most complex strategies and techniques.
- With thinkorswim® you get access to elite-level trading tools and a platform backed by insights, education, and a dedicated service team. Experience the unparalleled power of a fully customizable trading experience, designed to help you nail even the most complex strategies and techniques.
- Apr 24, 2021 The working area of the thinkorswim platform can be divided into two parts: the left sidebar and the main window. The left sidebar is where you keep gadgets necessary for your work. The main window contains eight tabs, which provide you with numerous kinds of functionality: Monitor, Trade, Analyze, Scan, MarketWatch, Charts, Tools,.
Even if you consider yourself a thinkorswim black belt, there’s always more to learn. People often get comfortable doing what they’re familiar with and may forget to explore the platform further. Plus, new features are constantly being added that might improve your trading and research capabilities.
We asked a group of thinkorswim pros from TD Ameritrade about their favorite trading features. Some of the tools they touted are the tried-and-true workhorses we use every day. Others are deep under the hood, and still others are relative newcomers to the platform.
Chart Describer (Chesley Spencer, Director, Trading Product Development)
Chart Describer is a new feature in Charts. Find it just to the right of the Share subtab—look for a little box with an “i” sticking out.
The Chart Describer works like a scanner in reverse. Instead of saying, “I want to look at a specific stock symbol with the following technical factors,” it allows you to say, “I know nothing about technical indicators for this stock, but show me what they are.”
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The platform knows all the technical indicators and when they’re returning potentially significant results. It will sweep through them for your symbol and time frame and add them to your chart. In essence, Chart Describer can show you which technical indicators are in play.
For example, it might pull up a stock’s nine-day moving average, its standard deviation channel, or its ParabolicSAR. Chart Describer pulls up whatever technical indicators its analysis reveals as key in the current action.
Select the bold language in the indicator descriptions and a box will pop up with easy explanations. Then slide your cursor back to the far right and select Add studies to chart to see the indicators charted.
Active Trader Ladders (Stephanie Lewicky, Senior Manager, Futures & Forex)
Part of the power of thinkorswim is that it’s fully customizable—you can set it up exactly how you want. Active traders often want a chart, easy access to trade buttons, and a bird’s-eye view of the action. Ladders give you just that.
As the market moves up and down, so does the ladder. It’s like a living metaphor that lets traders “feel” the action. You can also see the volume that’s traded at each price so you know where the action is (or has been). Want to hit the bid or lift the offer? The big green and red buttons are right there (see figure 1). Want to put in a limit order? Hover on any point on the ladder and your default size pops up.
Www.thinkorswim.com
How to thinkorswim
thinkManual
Learn to use thinkoswim. Get started by learning platform layout and customization. Explore our many tabs and interfaces: Left Sidebar, Monitor, Trade, Analyze, Scan, MarketWatch, Charts, Tools, and more.
Mobile Trading
Have fun with mobile trading! Choose your OS or device type: iOS, Android, iPad.
Trading How-Tos
Watch how to trade different kinds of securities on thinkorswim: Stock, Single Options, Options Strategies, Futures, Forex.
PDF Guide
Want to learn thinkorswim offline? Here's a condensed PDF version of our guide.