Why Your Stock Scanner Shows No Results: A Troubleshooting Checklist

An empty stock scanner can mean that no stock currently matches your rules—not that the scanner is broken. Work through the configuration in a fixed order so you can separate a restrictive scan from a data or session issue.

1. Check what the window is supposed to show

A toplist shows stocks that satisfy its current conditions. An alert window records an event when its trigger occurs. A stock already above a reference level need not create a fresh crossing event merely because you open the window.

If you expect a continuously populated list, first check whether you are viewing a toplist or waiting for new alerts. See price alerts versus scanner alerts for the distinction.

2. Check the session and universe

Confirm the exchange session and timezone. A regular-session-only alert should not be expected to trigger during premarket. ChartsWatcher's Opening Range Breakout, for example, is documented for the regular market session.

Also confirm that the symbols you expect are within the product's supported universe and available data. A copied setup from another market may not be meaningful here.

3. Check units and calculation windows

ChartsWatcher expresses relative volume as a percentage: 200% corresponds to twice the baseline. A ratio copied from another platform may need a different numeric representation.

Look for other mismatches: dollars versus percent, daily volume versus five-minute volume, or current price versus change from open. Correct the definition before changing the threshold.

4. Remove one restriction at a time

Start with a simple, explainable configuration and add conditions individually. Where filters are combined as requirements, every extra condition narrows the eligible set. An accidental minimum above a maximum, or conflicting price conditions, can eliminate all matches.

Record which change makes results disappear. Do this in a research configuration; loosening a filter is a diagnostic step, not permission to lower your trading standards.

5. Separate filter bounds from built-in thresholds

Some alerts and filters have documented calculation-volume thresholds. Removing an additional volume filter does not necessarily remove the detector's own requirement. Check the relevant alert reference.

6. Check freshness before escalating

Inspect timestamps and the connection state. If a simple configuration is unexpectedly empty, record the symbol, session, timeframe, exact conditions and time of observation before contacting support. Avoid sharing account credentials.

An empty result can be correct. The goal is to make its cause understandable—not to force a scanner to produce candidates.