A license key connects one MT5 terminal to PineHook. Create and name your keys, add an optional secret key, and see what each one authenticates.

License keys connect your MT5 terminals to PineHook. Each license holds one live connection at a time — a single chart that trades every symbol for your broker.

License Workflow

Create → Name → (Optional) Secret Key → Configure EA

What is a License?#

A license key is a unique identifier that:

Authenticates your MT5 EA with PineHook
Routes signals to the correct terminal
Tracks signal usage and history
Can be named for easy identification

Creating a License#

You already have one

On your first dashboard visit we create a license called My First License and show you its key. It has no secret key, so you can paste that key straight into your EA and connect. Once the EA is running, adding a secret key (below) is a sensible next step.

To create additional licenses:

Log in to your dashboard
Go to Licenses
Click Create License
Enter a descriptive name (e.g., "Home PC", "VPS 1", "Demo Account")
Click Create

Your new license key will be displayed. Copy it immediately; you'll need it for the EA.

Security

Treat your license key like a password. Don't share it publicly or commit it to version control.

Secret Key (Optional Security)#

A Secret Key is an optional additional layer of authentication for your license. Licenses are created without one, including the first license we make for you, so nothing stops your EA connecting on day one. Adding a secret is recommended once your EA is up and running.

What It Does#

When enabled, your EA must provide both the License Key AND Secret Key to connect. This protects against:

Someone seeing your license key in TradingView notifications
Accidental exposure of your license key in screenshots
Shoulder-surfing attacks

How It Works#

License Key: included in webhook messages (visible in TradingView alerts)
Secret Key: entered only in EA configuration (never in webhooks)

Even if someone copies your license key from a notification, they can't use it without your secret key.

Generating a Secret Key#

Go to Licenses in your dashboard
Click the three-dot menu on the license, then Set Secret Key
The generated secret is shown once; copy and save it securely
Enter it in your EA configuration

One-time display

The full secret key is shown only once, in the generation dialog (with a copy button). Copy it before closing that dialog; once closed, the dashboard can never reveal it again (the server stores only a one-way hash). Only you, in your EA configuration, have the value at that point. If lost, generate a new one and update the EA.

Keep It Separate

Never include your Secret Key in webhook messages or share it. It should only exist in your EA settings.

License Limits#

Your subscription tier determines how many licenses you can have:

Tier	Licenses
Trial (first 14 days)	1
Standard	1
Pro	3
Premium	10

If you need more than 10 licenses, contact us about custom needs and we can put together a plan.

Beta accounts

During the public beta, every account is capped at 1 license regardless of which plan name you purchased. The full per-tier limit becomes available when the beta ends and your subscription transitions to a paid plan.

Managing Licenses#

Viewing Licenses#

In your dashboard under Licenses, you can see:

License name
License key (partially hidden)
Status (Active / Disabled / Connected / Last seen / Never connected)
Last connected timestamp
Connected MT5 account number and broker server (when online)

Renaming a License#

Click the three-dot menu on the license card
Click Rename
Enter the new name in the dialog
Click Save

Enabling / Disabling#

A license can be temporarily disabled without deleting it (useful for pausing a strategy):

Click the three-dot menu
Click Disable (or Enable to re-activate)

Disabled licenses don't accept signals, and their history is preserved, but they still count against your tier cap. Only deleting a license frees a slot.

Regenerating a Key#

If you believe your license key has been compromised:

Click the three-dot menu
Click Regenerate License
Confirm the action
Update your EA with the new key

Warning

Regenerating a key will disconnect any EA using the old key. Update your EA immediately. The previous key is permanently retired and can never be re-issued.

Deleting a License#

Click the three-dot menu on the license you want to delete
Click Delete
Confirm the deletion

Deleting a license will:

Disconnect any connected EA on that license
Move the license into the Deprecated group (it stops accepting new signals)
Preserve signal and trade history for the full 2-year retention period. Historical rows remain visible under the Deprecated filter in Signal Logs (Analytics only lists active licenses)
Permanently retire the license key so it can never be reissued (security guarantee)

Connection Status#

Each license shows its current connection status:

Connected (pulsing green dot): EA is connected right now
Last: <time ago> (amber dot): has connected before, currently disconnected
Never connected (blue dot): license has never been used
Disabled (gray dot): license has been manually disabled

License Best Practices#

Use Descriptive Names#

Name your licenses so you can identify them easily:

✓ "Home PC, EURUSD Strategy"
✓ "VPS, Scalping Bot"
✗ "License 1"

One License Per Terminal, One Chart Per Account#

Each MT5 instance should use its own license, and within that instance PineHook belongs on one chart only — it trades every symbol from there. A license holds a single live connection per MT5 account: if the same license connects from a second chart (or another terminal on the same account), the newest connection wins and the older one is disconnected with a note in the Experts tab. Sharing one license across genuinely different accounts/terminals causes them to keep kicking each other, so give each its own license.

Rotate Keys Periodically#

For security, consider regenerating your license keys periodically, especially if:

You shared your key accidentally
You're switching computers
You suspect unauthorized access

Managing Licenses