> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.trada.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.trada.io/connecting-accounts/credential-sets-oauth.md).

# Connections & cTrader sign-in

How Trada groups your trading accounts under the login you connected, and how cTrader connects and re-authorizes through its own secure sign-in.

When you add an account, Trada saves the login you used as a **connection**. This page explains what a connection is, the actions on a connection's row, and how cTrader connects through its own secure sign-in instead of a password.

Trada is software; you retain trading responsibility. A connection only lets Trada read the accounts under it and, where you set up a copier, place the copied trades. Your accounts stay with your broker or prop firm.

<figure><img src="https://1071438488-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FOsaVyFC53CtoAY5kabHr%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-0a8ae36609f9b6e65d3a963b002cff4f9080ad2a%2Fcredential-sets.svg?alt=media" alt="The Nested view of the Accounts page: connection rows with platform, validation, account count, and actions"><figcaption><p>Connections in the <strong>Nested</strong> view — one row per login, with its actions on the right. Sample values are illustrative.</p></figcaption></figure>

## Understand connections

A connection is one login to one platform: the credentials you entered, or for cTrader the authorization you gave on cTrader's sign-in page. There is no separate page for connections — you create one each time you use **Add Account**, and you see them on the **Accounts** page in the **Nested** view.

One connection can hold several trading accounts. A TradeLocker, DXTrade, MatchTrader, or cTrader login often gives access to more than one account, and you choose which of them to import. A MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 login holds one account.

## Read the Nested view

Open **Accounts** and select **Nested** (the default view). Each row is a connection:

* **Connection Name** — the **Name** you gave when you added it. If you left it blank (cTrader only), the row reads the platform followed by "Connection", for example **cTrader Connection**.
* **Platform** — the platform the login belongs to.
* **Validation** — whether Trada could log in with the saved details: **Valid**, **Pending** while the check runs, or **Invalid**. An invalid connection also shows a red alert icon next to its name.
* **Accounts** — how many trading accounts you imported from this login. A red number beside it counts the ones that read **Disconnected**.

Select the arrow next to a connection's name to expand it and see its trading accounts, each with its own **Connection** status and actions. See [Connect a Forex or CFD account](/connecting-accounts/connect-forex.md).

## Use the connection actions

The icons at the end of a connection's row act on the whole login:

* **Refresh accounts** — checks the login for trading accounts that were added since you connected. Not shown for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which hold one account per login.
* **Re-authorize** — cTrader only. Sends you back to cTrader's sign-in page to renew Trada's access. See [Re-authorize cTrader](#re-authorize-ctrader) below.
* **Import accounts** — opens **Import Accounts** for this login, so you can add accounts you did not import the first time. The icon shows how many are waiting; it is greyed out when there are none.
* **Delete connection** — removes the login and every trading account under it.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Delete connection** has no confirmation step, and it removes every trading account under that login at once. To remove a single account, expand the connection and use **Delete** on that account's row instead, which asks you to confirm.
{% endhint %}

## Connect cTrader with secure sign-in

cTrader connects through secure sign-in (OAuth). Instead of typing your cTrader password into Trada, you approve Trada on cTrader's own sign-in page.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Open the Add Account dialog

Open **Accounts**, stay on the **Forex** tab, and select **Add Account**. A **Name** is optional for cTrader.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Pick cTrader and your server

Choose **cTrader** as the **Platform**, then pick your broker's server under **Server**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Authenticate on cTrader

Select **Authenticate cTrader**. Trada sends you to cTrader's sign-in page. Sign in there and approve Trada's access.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Import your accounts

cTrader sends you back to the **Accounts** page, and **Import Accounts** opens with your cTrader accounts ticked. Untick any you don't want and select **Import&#x20;*****N*****&#x20;Account(s)**.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

If you already had a connection for the same cTrader login, Trada reconnects that one instead of adding a second. **Import Accounts** then says: "You already had this connection, so we reconnected it instead of adding a new one."

If the sign-in does not complete, a red **OAuth Authorization Failed** banner appears at the top of the **Accounts** page with the reason. Dismiss it and start again from **Add Account**.

## Re-authorize cTrader

If your cTrader accounts stop syncing because cTrader no longer accepts Trada's access — for example, you revoked it on cTrader's side — renew it without deleting anything:

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Find the cTrader connection

In **Accounts**, switch to the **Nested** view and find your cTrader connection.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Select Re-authorize

Select **Re-authorize** (the key icon) on the connection's row. Trada sends you to cTrader's sign-in page.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Approve Trada again

Sign in and approve Trada's access. You come back to the **Accounts** page. The connection and its accounts stay as they were — nothing is deleted or imported again. If an account still reads **Disconnected**, select **Connect** on its row.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Connect with credentials

Every other platform connects with the login your broker or prop firm gave you, entered directly in the **Add Account** dialog: MetaTrader uses an **Account ID** and **Password**, TradeLocker and MatchTrader an **Email** and **Password**, and DXTrade a **Username** and **Password**. The full steps, including TradeLocker's server and account-type fields, are in [Connect a Forex or CFD account](/connecting-accounts/connect-forex.md).

## Change a saved login

You can't change a connection's saved login in Trada. **Edit** on an account's row changes only its **Name** and **Broker**. If your platform password or login changes, contact support. For cTrader, use [Re-authorize](#re-authorize-ctrader) instead — there is no password to change.

## Related

* [Connect a Forex or CFD account](/connecting-accounts/connect-forex.md)
* [Supported platforms](/connecting-accounts/supported-platforms.md)
* [Syncing, status & troubleshooting](/connecting-accounts/syncing-troubleshooting.md)