Cheat sheet
Technical Indicators Cheat Sheet: 10 Indicators, Settings and Readings
This technical indicators cheat sheet puts 10 of the most used indicators on one page: the type of each one, its common default settings and the reading most traders watch. Each name in the table links to its full lesson, and best TradingView indicators shows how a few of them fit together on one chart.
Indicators are calculated from past prices and volume, so they describe what has already happened; none of them predicts the next move. A reading means more at a support or resistance level and in the direction of the bigger trend, as technical analysis for beginners explains. Use the Print or save as PDF button to keep a copy.
The cheat sheet as text
| Indicator | Type | Default settings | Common reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI | Momentum | 14 | Above 70 overbought, below 30 oversold. In a strong trend it can stay there for a long time. |
| MACD | Trend and momentum | 12, 26, 9 | MACD line crossing above its signal line: rising upside momentum; crossing below: the opposite. |
| Stochastic | Momentum | 14, 3, 3 | Above 80 overbought, below 20 oversold; %K crossing %D in those zones. In a trend it can stay pinned. |
| Bollinger Bands | Volatility | 20, 2 | A squeeze (narrow bands) often comes before a big move. A band touch alone is not a signal. |
| ATR | Volatility | 14 | Typical range per candle, used to size stops (often 1 to 2 × ATR). Shows range, not direction. |
| ADX | Trend strength | 14 | Above 25: trending; below 20: ranging. Shows strength, not direction; +DI and −DI give direction. |
| EMA | Trend | 9 and 21 | Price above a rising fast EMA: short-term uptrend; below a falling one: short-term downtrend. |
| SMA | Trend | 50 and 200 | The 50 crossing above the 200: golden cross; crossing below: death cross. Both confirm late. |
| VWAP | Intraday average price, volume-weighted | Resets each session | Price above VWAP: buyers in control intraday; below it: sellers in control. |
| Ichimoku Cloud | Trend | 9, 26, 52 | Price above the cloud: uptrend; below it: downtrend; inside it: no clear trend. |
How to use this cheat sheet
- Pick one indicator per job: one for trend, one for momentum, one for volatility. Two momentum oscillators on one chart mostly repeat each other.
- Read the trend first. Overbought and oversold readings work best in ranges; in a strong trend RSI and Stochastic can stay at an extreme for a long time.
- Act at levels, not on a reading alone: an oversold reading at support means more than one in the middle of a range. Above-normal volume on the move adds context.
- Use ATR for the stop distance, then size the trade from it with the position size calculator.
- Start with the default settings and change the chart timeframe before you change the numbers; test any change on past charts first.
Questions
What is the best technical indicator?
There is no single best one, because each answers a different question: RSI and Stochastic measure momentum, MACD and moving averages follow the trend, ATR and Bollinger Bands measure volatility, and VWAP shows the session's average price. Most traders combine one or two with price levels. See best TradingView indicators.
Should I change the default indicator settings?
Defaults such as RSI 14 or MACD 12, 26, 9 are what most traders and charting platforms use, which makes them a sensible start. Shorter settings react faster and give more false signals; longer ones are smoother and later. Change one thing at a time and check it on past charts.
Does overbought mean the price will fall?
No. Overbought means price has risen fast compared with its recent declines. In a strong uptrend RSI can stay above 70 for a long time, so the reading describes strength, not a sell signal. The RSI indicator lesson shows why.
Is there a technical indicators cheat sheet PDF?
This page works as one. Use the Print or save as PDF button to print it or save it as a PDF; the poster and the table list the same 10 indicators in the same order.
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