# Server UTC offset

`Server UTC offset in minutes` tells the EA **what the broker server time is relative to UTC** when running **backtests** (where MT5 often can’t supply it).

The EA uses this offset to align **hard-coded news timestamps (UTC)** with your broker’s **server time** inside the Strategy Tester.

### When it’s used

* **Backtest only.** If the tester can’t determine server time, the EA uses your manual offset.
* **Live/forward:** Ignored (the EA reads server time directly).

{% hint style="info" %}

### Why it matters (news & timing)

Many filters use **UTC news timestamps**. In backtests, without the correct offset, news events won’t line up with your broker’s candle times → you get **false positives/negatives** for news filters, session blocks, or time windows.\
Setting the offset ensures the EA evaluates news filters and time rules **as they would have happened** on your broker’s server time.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}

### Input & range

* **Type:** integer minutes (no decimal)
* **Typical range:** −720 … +840 (UTC−12 … UTC+14)
* **Examples:**
  * `0` → UTC
  * `60` → UTC+1
  * `120` → UTC+2
  * `-300` → UTC−5
    {% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}

### How to find the correct value

1. **Check broker server time vs UTC** for the historical period you test (e.g., if server was GMT+2, set `120`).
2. **Cross-check with known events/sessions:**
   * FX rollover is near **17:00 New York**; align your server midnight & session closes.
   * Major news (e.g., NFP 13:30 UTC) should appear at the correct **server time** after applying the offset.
3. **DST note:** Some brokers shift server time with **daylight saving**. If your backtest spans a DST change, either:
   * split the test into pre-DST and post-DST with different offsets, or
   * set the offset for the dominant segment and accept minor timing drift around the switch.
     {% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}

### Best practices

* **Document the offset** you use for each historical interval (brokers change policies over the years).
* **Keep the sign right:** East of UTC is **positive**, west is **negative**.
* **Validate on a news day:** Pick a known UTC event, confirm the EA’s news block triggers at the expected **server timestamp** in visual mode.
* **Be consistent across symbols:** The server offset is global for the account, not per-symbol.
  {% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %}

### Why use it

* Accurate **news filter** behavior in the tester.
* Correct **daily/weekly boundaries** (midnight server time), session windows, and rollover logic.
* Reproducible backtests across machines and MT5 builds.
  {% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}

### Why not / limitations

* It’s a **static assumption**: won’t auto-adjust for historical DST shifts inside one continuous backtest.
* Using a wrong value will misalign events and distort results; when in doubt, **verify** with a known timestamp.
  {% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}

### Troubleshooting

* **“News filter didn’t fire in test.”** Offset likely wrong; recheck the broker’s server time for that date.
* **“Daily limit reset at the wrong hour.”** Your midnight is misaligned—adjust the offset by ±60 as needed.
* **“Results change after DST week.”** Split tests around the DST change with different offsets.
  {% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}

### Quick setup

1. Determine broker **server = UTC ± X** for your test period.
2. Convert `X` hours to minutes and set **Server UTC offset in minutes** (e.g., UTC+2 → `120`).
3. Run a short **visual backtest** over a known news event to confirm alignment.
4. Proceed with full tests once timing checks out.
   {% endhint %}


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