Getting Started With thinkorswim® web
Schwab's thinkorswim® desktop platform is comprehensive and customizable but also complex. For a more streamlined experience, the web version offers access, monitoring, and the most essential trading tools from any device.
Step 1. View your positions
Source: thinkorswim® web platform. Any investments reflected are for illustrative purposes only. Not intended to be, nor should they be construed as, a recommendation to buy, sell, or continue to hold any investment. Screenshots are for illustrative purposes only, may be historical in nature, and should not be used as a basis for any investment decision.
The default view after login is the 🅐 Positions panel. Here you'll see:
- Your 🅑 Account Summary, where you can toggle between Live Trading and paperMoney®, the thinkorswim virtual trading platform. From there, choose All Accounts or a specific account to check your account value, buying power, total cash, and daily profits or losses.
- Your account 🅒 Activity and Positions.
- Your 🅓 Watchlist, where you can select an existing or custom watchlist from the dropdown or create a New Watchlist.
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Step 2. Research your stocks
Source: thinkorswim® web platform. Any investments reflected are for illustrative purposes only. Not intended to be, nor should they be construed as, a recommendation to buy, sell, or continue to hold any investment. Screenshots are for illustrative purposes only, may be historical in nature, and should not be used as a basis for any investment decision.
To explore a specific stock in your Watchlist or Positions list, click its symbol to reveal the 🅔 Trade panel, where you can view 🅕 stock information, including:
- Quote Details, such as earnings per share, market capitalization, trading volume, yield, and more.
- Analyst Reports from a variety of sources, including Argus, CFRA, Morningstar, Schwab Equity Ratings, and more.
- Fundamentals, including metrics such as cash flow per share, financial leverage, gross profit margin, return on equity, and more.
- Option Stats, which breaks down volume of puts versus calls traded.
Step 3. Placing a trade
To place a trade, click the 🅖 Buy or Sell button, which will reveal the trade table at the bottom of the screen. From there you can:
- Adjust the order quantity.
- Change the order type and set the order expiration.
- Set other criteria, such as contingencies, conditions, and advanced orders.
Step 4. Using technical analysis
Source: thinkorswim® web platform. Any investments reflected are for illustrative purposes only. Not intended to be, nor should they be construed as, a recommendation to buy, sell, or continue to hold any investment. Screenshots are for illustrative purposes only, may be historical in nature, and should not be used as a basis for any investment decision.
For those who use technical analysis to inform their trades, the 🅗 Charts panel offers simplified charting tools with the 🅘 Studies and Drawings features front and center.
And to further research stocks using a variety of financial, valuation, and technical criteria, the 🅙 Scans panel offers dozens of Scan Filters to narrow your list.
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This material is intended for general informational and educational purposes only. This should not be considered an individualized recommendation or personalized investment advice. The securities, investment products, and investment strategies mentioned are not suitable for everyone. Each investor needs to review an investment strategy for his or her own particular situation before making any investment decisions.
Options carry a high level of risk and are not suitable for all investors. Certain requirements must be met to trade options through Schwab. Please read the Options Disclosure Document titled "Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options" before considering any option transaction.
Investing involves risk, including loss of principal.
Technical analysis is not recommended as a sole means of investment research.
Any investments reflected are for illustrative purposes only. Individual situations will vary and are not the experience of any specific clients and are no guarantee of future performance or success. Not intended to be reflective of results you can expect to achieve and are not intended to be, nor should they be construed as, a recommendation to buy, sell, or continue to hold any investment. Screenshots are for illustrative purposes only, may be historical in nature, and should not be used as a basis for any investment decision.