> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.quanorix.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Sessions and timezones

> display_tz vs engine filters, live broker vs tester, and InpBrokerGmtOffset on the EA.

# Sessions and timezones

This is one of the most common reasons for “the app shows X but MT4 shows something else.” There are **several different clocks**.

<Frame caption="Settings · Sessions. Click to zoom.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/quanorix/2kJanlhXKp9-dfu0/images/es/settings-sessions-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=2kJanlhXKp9-dfu0&q=85&s=dbf18f385680779f6777de22d7ebab82" alt="Sessions tab with filter TZ and display TZ" width="1184" height="844" data-path="images/es/settings-sessions-dark.png" />
</Frame>

## Three concepts that are not the same

| Concept                         | What it does                                                                                               | Where                                 |
| ------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| **`display_tz`**                | **Display only** for UI, trade tables, and HTML reports                                                    | Settings → Sessions                   |
| **Engine hour/session filters** | Decide *when* the strategy may enter (`hour_of_day`, `time_window`, `day_of_week`, Asia/London/NY presets) | Session settings + strategy rules     |
| **MT4/MT5 chart clock**         | Candle timestamps in the terminal / Strategy Tester                                                        | Imported history + broker server time |

`display_tz` does **not** change the backtest or filters. It only changes how you read dates on screen.

## Important engine defaults

* `hour_of_day` / `time_window` / `day_of_week` gates without an explicit `tz` use **`America/New_York`** (with DST).
* `session_asia` / `session_london` / `session_ny` presets use that market’s local zone.
* Excel report exports use raw engine **UTC** timestamps; HTML respects `display_tz`.

## Live broker vs Strategy Tester

* On a **live account** (e.g. Pepperstone / HolaPrime) server time is often **GMT+2** (US winter) / **GMT+3** (US summer).
* The **Strategy Tester** uses timestamps from the **loaded history**. If you imported with **TickStory (or similar) in GMT/UTC**, the tester speaks UTC even if the terminal is Pepperstone.

## Calibrate the EA: `InpBrokerGmtOffset`

On the exported Expert Advisor:

* `InpBrokerGmtOffset` = hours to **subtract from the chart** to get GMT.
* Default **`0`** = assume history/tester is GMT/UTC.

**Typical parity:** GMT history + `InpBrokerGmtOffset = 0` + `hour_of_day` 14–18 (no tz) → New York wall-clock window in both Quanorix and the EA.

If tester history is in broker time (+2/+3), set `InpBrokerGmtOffset` to that chart→GMT offset **without** reinterpreting filter start/end hours as raw chart hours.

## Practical tips

* To debug app↔MT parity: set `display_tz = UTC` so HTML matches candles/Excel language.
* Use broker TZ in `display_tz` only when you want the UI to “read like” live server time.
* If you exported EAs **before** the current TZ contract and they use hour/session filters, **re-export**.

See also: [Export MT4/MT5 bots](/en/export/mt4-mt5) and [Troubleshooting](/en/troubleshooting/index).