In the world of technical analysis, one size does not fit all. Traders and investors have unique strategies, time horizons, and risk tolerances — and their charts should reflect that. Custom chart intervals empower you to tailor how price and time data are displayed, giving you a clearer, more personalized view of market behavior. Whether you're analyzing short-term fluctuations or long-term trends, adjusting intervals can help filter noise, highlight meaningful movements, and align your charts with your trading style.
This guide explores how to customize both time-based and price-based intervals, explains key chart types that support advanced interval settings, and shows how personalization enhances analytical precision.
Understanding Chart Intervals and Customization
Chart intervals determine how data points are grouped and visualized. They form the foundation of any chart’s structure and influence how patterns, trends, and signals appear. There are two primary types:
Time-Based Intervals
These divide price data into fixed time segments — such as 1 minute, 15 minutes, 1 hour, or 1 day. Each candle (or bar) represents activity during that exact period, regardless of how much price moved.
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For example:
- A daily candle captures opening, closing, high, and low prices over 24 hours.
- A 5-minute chart updates every five minutes, useful for intraday traders.
While these intervals are standardized, they can be customized beyond presets to match specific trading rhythms — like using a 150-minute interval instead of 120 minutes.
Price-Based Intervals
Unlike time-based charts, price-based intervals ignore the clock entirely. Instead, new chart elements (like Renko bricks or Range bars) form only when a predefined price movement occurs. This approach filters out minor fluctuations and emphasizes significant directional moves.
Common price-based chart types include:
- Renko
- Kagi
- Point & Figure (P&F)
- Line Break
- Range Charts
These are ideal for traders seeking clarity in volatile markets or those focused purely on price action without time distortion.
How to Customize Time Intervals
Customizing time intervals allows you to analyze market behavior over non-standard durations — perfect for aligning with session times, strategy cycles, or macroeconomic events.
On most platforms supporting advanced charting (such as TradingView), follow these steps:
- Open your chart.
- Locate the time interval selector (usually at the top toolbar).
- Click on it and select “+ Add custom interval…”
- Enter a value in minutes (e.g., 90 for a 1.5-hour chart).
- Confirm — your chart now displays data in your chosen interval.
You can also type directly into the interval box: entering 180 creates a 3-hour chart even if it’s not listed by default.
This flexibility is especially helpful for:
- Monitoring extended trading sessions (e.g., Asian + European overlap)
- Avoiding artificial breaks caused by rigid hourly boundaries
- Smoothing choppy patterns on standard intervals
Customizing Price-Based Chart Intervals
Price-based charts operate differently from traditional time-based ones. Here, movement triggers updates, not time passage. Let's explore how different chart types handle interval customization.
Renko, Kagi, and Point & Figure Charts
These charts use similar inputs for defining sensitivity to price changes:
1. Average True Range (ATR)
Uses volatility-based measurements from the ATR indicator. For instance, setting a brick size of “2 ATR” means a new Renko brick forms only after price moves twice the current ATR value — adapting dynamically to market conditions.
2. Traditional (Fixed Value)
You define an absolute price amount (e.g., $0.50). New bricks or columns appear only when price exceeds this threshold.
3. Percentage of Last Traded Price (LTP)
Sets the interval as a percentage of the current market price. For example, 1% ensures the required move scales with the asset’s value — useful for comparing across instruments or adjusting to inflationary shifts.
This method automatically rounds to the nearest tick size for accuracy.
Range and Line Break Charts: Unique Interval Logic
While also price-driven, these chart types apply distinct rules.
Range Charts
Range bars form based on minimum price movement, not time. You choose a range value (e.g., 10 ticks or $2), and a new bar appears only when that range is exceeded.
Predefined options often include:
- 1 range
- 10 ranges
- 100 ranges
- 1000 ranges
These help isolate volatility-driven momentum and reduce false signals during sideways markets.
Line Break Charts
These track directional strength by comparing current price to prior highs and lows. A new line appears only if price surpasses previous extremes.
The interval here refers to how many prior lines the system considers before reversing color (typically green for uptrends, red for downtrends). Common settings are 3-line or 5-line reversals — higher numbers filter out noise but lag slightly.
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Why Custom Intervals Matter for Modern Traders
Customization isn't just about aesthetics — it's about analytical accuracy. Markets don’t move in uniform blocks; neither should your charts.
By tailoring intervals:
- You gain better alignment with your trading timeframe and entry/exit logic
- Noise from low-significance movements is reduced
- Patterns emerge more clearly on price-based charts
- Volatility-adjusted intervals (like ATR) keep your analysis adaptive
Moreover, combining custom intervals with other tools — indicators, drawing tools, multi-timeframe overlays — unlocks deeper insights within platforms like Supercharts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I use custom intervals on mobile apps?
A: Yes, most advanced trading platforms support custom interval setup on mobile devices through the chart settings menu, though direct input may require desktop for full control.
Q: Do custom intervals affect backtesting results?
A: Absolutely. Changing intervals alters data aggregation, which impacts signal generation and performance metrics. Always validate strategies across multiple interval types.
Q: Are price-based charts suitable for all assets?
A: They work best with liquid instruments where consistent price movement occurs — such as forex pairs, major stocks, or crypto assets. Low-volume assets may produce delayed or sparse signals.
Q: How do I decide between ATR and fixed-value intervals?
A: Use ATR in volatile or changing markets for adaptive sensitivity. Choose fixed values when you want consistent thresholds regardless of market conditions.
Q: Can I save my custom interval settings?
A: Yes, most platforms allow saving chart templates with predefined intervals, indicators, and layouts for quick reuse.
Q: Is there a limit to how small or large a custom interval can be?
A: While technically flexible, extremely small intervals may lead to overfitting or data overload. Extremely large ones may miss critical details. Balance granularity with purpose.
Final Thoughts: Make Your Analysis Truly Yours
Technical analysis becomes powerful when it reflects your unique perspective. Custom chart intervals give you that power — letting you reshape time and price into formats that match your strategy.
Whether you're refining entry points with precise time intervals or cutting through market noise with Renko or Range charts, personalization turns raw data into actionable insight.
As markets evolve, so should your tools. Embrace flexibility. Explore alternative chart types. Test different configurations. And remember:
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With the right setup, your charts won’t just display data — they’ll tell your story of the market.