Renko Charts in Thinkorswim: Complete Setup, Settings & Troubleshooting

Thinkorswim includes Renko bars as one of its range-based chart options, but finding the settings and choosing a useful brick size can take some experimentation. In this guide, I’ll walk through my Thinkorswim Renko setup, explain the settings worth paying attention to, and cover some things to check when a Renko chart looks blank, noisy, or doesn’t behave the way you expect.

I’ll also explain the difference between standard Renko and UniRenko, how I approach brick-size selection, and how Thinkorswim Renko charts can fit into a larger testing workflow.

Important: there isn’t one Renko setting that is best for every stock, ETF, forex pair, cryptocurrency, trading style, or market condition. Treat the settings on this page as starting points for experimentation rather than universal recommendations.

How to Set Up Renko Bars in Thinkorswim

Thinkorswim handles Renko as a range-based aggregation rather than a conventional time-based candlestick interval. That means the setting isn’t necessarily where someone accustomed to changing between candlesticks, bars, and other visual chart styles might initially expect to find it.

Here is the setup path I use:

1. Open a chart for the symbol you want to analyze.
2. Click the Chart Settings gear icon.
3. Open the Time axis tab.
4. Find the Aggregation Type setting.
5. Change the aggregation from a time-based setting to Range.
6. Select Renko Bars under the available Range Type settings.
7. Choose the Renko sizing parameters you want to test.
8. Click Apply and review the chart.
9. If you plan to reuse the configuration, save the layout or chart style for easier access later.

The screenshot above shows the Thinkorswim area where the range and Renko settings can be configured.

After applying the settings, don’t worry if the first brick size you try doesn’t produce a useful chart. Brick size is one of the most important variables in Renko analysis, and experimenting with several values is part of the process.

Thinkorswim Renko Setup Video

If you’d rather follow the process visually, this video walks through the Thinkorswim Renko setup step by step.

If you use the responsive video CSS already installed on Lacois, the wrapper above will keep the video at the correct 16:9 aspect ratio on desktop, tablet, and mobile.

Thinkorswim Renko Settings: What Should You Use?

This is usually the next question after getting Renko working: what settings should I use?

I don’t think there is a single answer. The setting has to make sense for the instrument, its price movement, and what you’re trying to analyze.

Goal	Starting Idea to Test	What to Watch
Shorter price moves	Smaller brick size	More detail, but potentially more reversals and noise
Larger trends	Larger brick size	Cleaner broad structure, but fewer signals
Volatility-based starting point	Use ATR as a reference	Whether the resulting brick size captures useful swings
Strategy testing	Fixed brick value	Consistency when comparing rules and historical periods

The tradeoff is important. A smaller brick isn’t automatically more accurate, and a larger brick isn’t automatically better at identifying trends. You’re changing the amount of price movement required to construct the chart, so you’re also changing the structure your strategy sees.

For a broader discussion of how chart construction relates to trading horizon, see my Best Timeframe for Renko Charts guide.

Choosing a Renko Brick Size in Thinkorswim

Brick size affects nearly everything that comes afterward: trend appearance, swing points, reversals, patterns, indicator behavior, entry frequency, and exit frequency.

I like to think about brick sizing in two broad ways.

Fixed Brick Size

With a fixed-size approach, you choose a numerical value and use that value consistently for the chart.

This can be useful when testing because the brick-size variable stays controlled. You can compare entry rules, indicators, or exit methods without simultaneously changing the numerical brick size.

Using ATR as a Brick-Size Reference

ATR can also provide a volatility-based reference for selecting a brick size to test.

For example, you can calculate ATR, apply a multiplier if desired, and use the result as the starting fixed brick value. Once you select that fixed value, the bricks use that numerical size until you change it.

This is different from a platform’s native ATR-based Renko construction method, where ATR is incorporated into how the Renko chart itself is calculated. I keep those concepts separate because they can produce different historical charts and therefore different strategy results.

For the full explanation, see my ATR-Based Renko Brick Size Calculation guide. You can also experiment with values using my free Renko Brick Size Calculator.

Early vs Confirmed Entries on Thinkorswim Renko Charts

Once the chart is configured, another decision is how much confirmation you want before acting on a Renko setup.

Suppose Renko breaks above a resistance level. You could test at least two approaches:

Approach	Entry	Potential Tradeoff
Earlier entry	Act when the predefined breakout condition occurs	Earlier participation, but less confirmation
Confirmed entry	Require additional Renko confirmation after the initial break	More evidence of continuation, but a later entry

Neither approach should automatically be considered superior. Confirmation can filter some failed moves, but it can also delay entries and change the risk/reward characteristics of the trade.

I compared this concept in more detail in Renko Entry Timing: Early vs Confirmed Entries.

For examples of structure-based triggers, patterns, and trade rules, see my Renko Buy and Sell Signals guide.

Using Indicators With Thinkorswim Renko Charts

Once your Renko chart structure looks useful, you can experiment with indicators for specific jobs such as trend direction, momentum, or confirmation.

I prefer not to load a Renko chart with indicators before deciding what each one is supposed to accomplish.

Purpose	Indicator to Experiment With
Trend direction	Supertrend or Moving Average
Momentum confirmation	MACD
Pullback momentum	RSI
Volatility compression and expansion	Bollinger Bands

The Renko chart can still define the price structure while the indicator performs one additional job. This makes it easier to test whether the indicator is actually improving the strategy.

I cover Supertrend, MACD, Bollinger Bands, RSI, and moving averages in my Renko Chart Indicators guide.

Can You Use UniRenko in Thinkorswim?

UniRenko and standard Renko aren’t the same chart construction method. UniRenko implementations use additional parameters that allow their trend and reversal behavior to be configured differently from conventional fixed-brick Renko.

The Thinkorswim setup shown in this guide uses the platform’s available Renko Bars range-chart option. It should not be treated as a UniRenko implementation.

If you’re trying to reproduce a strategy originally designed specifically around UniRenko parameters, don’t assume that standard Thinkorswim Renko bars will produce identical bricks or identical signals.

Instead, I would define exactly what the original strategy requires and determine whether those same construction parameters are available on the platform you’re using.

Troubleshooting Thinkorswim Renko Charts

If your Thinkorswim Renko chart looks wrong, is difficult to read, or doesn’t display what you expected, avoid changing several settings at once. Work through the setup one variable at a time.

Renko Chart Is Blank or Shows Very Few Bricks

Start by checking the most basic chart variables:

• Confirm that Aggregation Type is set to Range.
• Confirm that Renko Bars is selected.
• Check the brick-size value you entered.
• Try a smaller brick value as a diagnostic test.
• Try displaying a longer historical period.
• Test another actively traded symbol to see whether the behavior is symbol-specific.

If changing one of those variables causes bricks to appear, you have a useful clue about which part of the configuration needs attention.

The Renko Chart Looks Too Noisy

If you see frequent alternating bricks and the chart isn’t revealing the type of structure you’re trying to analyze, the brick size may simply be too small for your purpose.

Try increasing the brick value incrementally and compare the resulting swing structure. The objective isn’t to eliminate every reversal. It’s to find a setting that represents the price movement you actually want to study.

The Renko Chart Looks Too Smooth

The opposite can also happen. If the brick size is very large, the chart may remove price movement that matters to your strategy.

Try smaller values and compare how important swing highs, swing lows, support, resistance, and reversals change.

The Chart Doesn’t Seem to Update as Expected

First verify that the underlying symbol is receiving current price data and compare the Renko chart with a standard price chart for the same symbol.

You can also reopen the chart, verify the Range and Renko settings, test a simpler workspace, or temporarily test another symbol. These steps help separate a chart-configuration issue from a broader platform or data issue.

If the behavior persists, check Thinkorswim’s current support documentation or platform status rather than assuming that brick size, computer memory, or another specific factor is responsible.

Indicators Look Different After Changing Brick Size

That’s expected. Changing the brick size changes the Renko chart being analyzed, which can also change moving averages, MACD, RSI, Supertrend, and other indicator readings.

For that reason, I treat brick size as part of the strategy rather than merely a cosmetic chart preference.

How I Would Test a Thinkorswim Renko Setup

Once the chart is working, resist the temptation to keep adjusting it until the historical chart looks perfect. Instead, turn the setup into a repeatable experiment.

1. Choose the instrument. Start with one market or symbol.
2. Choose the Renko construction settings. Record exactly what you’re using.
3. Choose the brick size. Keep it consistent for the test.
4. Define the setup. For example, a swing breakout, trendline break, pullback, or pattern.
5. Define the entry. Decide whether you’re testing an early or confirmed entry.
6. Define invalidation. Establish what tells you the setup has failed.
7. Define the exit. Use a structure-based, indicator-based, or other predefined method.
8. Record the results. Include return, drawdown, trade count, average trade, and other metrics relevant to your experiment.
9. Change one variable. Then run the comparison again.

This is much more useful than looking at a completed Renko chart and choosing settings because they appear to fit past price movement.

For more on the testing process, see Backtesting Renko Chart Strategies.

Thinkorswim Renko Bars and Historical Testing

One important principle applies whenever you’re evaluating a strategy built on non-time-based charts: make sure you understand how the platform constructs the historical bars you’re testing.

Renko transforms price data into bricks based on the selected construction rules. A strategy result therefore depends not only on the entry and exit rules, but also on how those bricks were created.

That is why I record the brick size and chart-construction method alongside the rest of the strategy settings. If those inputs change, I’m no longer testing exactly the same system.

If you’re comparing brick values specifically, see my Renko Brick Size Backtesting walkthrough for another example of this testing mindset.

Thinkorswim Renko Bars FAQ

How Do I Add Renko Bars in Thinkorswim?

Open Chart Settings, select the Time axis tab, change the Aggregation Type to Range, and then select Renko Bars from the available Range Type settings. Choose the sizing parameters you want to test and apply the changes.

What Is the Best Renko Brick Size for Thinkorswim?

There isn’t one brick size that works best for every instrument or strategy. Smaller bricks show more price movement and generally create more bricks, while larger values emphasize broader price structure. I prefer testing several values and comparing the resulting swings and strategy performance.

Can I Use ATR to Choose a Renko Brick Size?

Yes. ATR can be used as a volatility reference for selecting a fixed brick value to test. That is different from a native ATR-based Renko construction method, so make sure you know which approach your chart is using.

Does Thinkorswim Have UniRenko?

The setup described on this page uses Thinkorswim’s Renko Bars range-chart option, not UniRenko. If a strategy requires specific UniRenko construction parameters, verify that your chosen platform supports those parameters rather than assuming standard Renko will produce equivalent results.

Why Is My Thinkorswim Renko Chart Blank?

Check the Range and Renko selections first, then verify your brick size and historical chart range. As a diagnostic test, try a smaller brick value, a longer historical range, or another actively traded symbol. If the problem persists, check Thinkorswim’s current support information for platform or data issues.

Why Does My Renko Chart Look Too Noisy?

Your brick size may be smaller than what is useful for the price movement you’re trying to analyze. Try increasing the value gradually and compare how the Renko swing structure changes.

Should I Use Wicks on Thinkorswim Renko Charts?

That depends on what information you want from the chart. A cleaner brick-focused display can make Renko structure easier to read, while wick information may provide additional context about price movement that occurred during brick formation. Test both views and use the one that supports your analysis.

Can I Use Indicators With Thinkorswim Renko Bars?

Yes. You can experiment with indicators such as moving averages, MACD, RSI, Bollinger Bands, and Supertrend. I prefer giving each indicator one specific job and testing whether it improves the Renko setup compared with using price structure alone.

Build the Thinkorswim Renko Chart First, Then Build the Strategy

The most important part of setting up Renko in Thinkorswim isn’t finding a magical brick size or indicator combination. It’s understanding how the chart is being constructed and then creating rules you can test consistently.

Start with the basic Renko setup. Experiment with brick size. Study the resulting swing structure. Then add entries, exits, indicators, and confirmation rules one at a time.

If you want to continue building from here, these guides cover the next steps:

• ATR-Based Renko Brick Size Calculation
• Renko Buy and Sell Signals
• Renko Chart Indicators
• Backtesting Renko Chart Strategies
• 3 Easy Renko Chart Strategies
• Renko Trading Resources

You can also follow my latest Renko experiments, platform walkthroughs, and strategy tests on the Renko Trading Channel on YouTube.

Educational purposes only. The Renko settings, indicators, trading rules, and examples discussed here are ideas for testing and experimentation. They are not financial advice or recommendations to buy or sell any security.