What the timeframe controls
The timeframe sets how much time each candlestick on your chart represents. On the M1 (one-minute) chart, every candle is one minute; on the D1 (daily) chart, every candle is a whole day. Switching timeframes does not change the price data — only how it is grouped.
Zooming from a fast timeframe to a slow one is like stepping back from a painting: the detail blurs but the overall shape becomes clearer. Both views are useful for different questions.
The numbered steps
Step 1: With a chart open, find the timeframe toolbar (View → Toolbars → Timeframes if it is hidden) — a row of buttons like M1, M5, M15, M30, H1, H4, D1, W1, MN.
Step 2: Click the timeframe you want; the same chart instantly redraws with candles of that size.
Step 3: Alternatively, right-click the chart, choose "Timeframes", and select from the menu. On the mobile app, tap the timeframe label at the top of the chart and choose from the list.
Step 4: Confirm the change by checking the timeframe label shown on the chart or in its title bar.
Choosing a timeframe that fits you
Fast timeframes (M1, M5) suit very short-term trading and demand constant attention; slower ones (H4, D1) suit trades held for days and let you check in occasionally. Beginners usually do better on slower timeframes, which give time to think and generate fewer, calmer decisions.
Many traders glance at a higher timeframe for the overall trend and a lower one for timing, but jumping frantically between timeframes to justify a trade you already want is a common trap. Pick timeframes that match your plan and stick with them.
An honest note
A lower timeframe shows more detail but also more noise — random wiggles that mean nothing and can trick you into overtrading. Faster is not better; for most beginners it is simply harder and more expensive. There is no risk to changing a timeframe itself, but the style it pulls you toward carries real risk.