The phone drill: closing a trade when the PC is dead
Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2026 8:12 am
Laptop battery dies, three positions open, and the phone app has not been opened for two months. It asks for an update, then a password, then a server that has to be selected again. Four minutes later the first position is closed. That is the realistic version of the backup plan for a lot of traders.
A backup that was never tested is a hope. The phone version needs its own preparation:
- The app logged in, with the correct account and server saved, and the login method known without hunting for a password manager.
- Biometric or PIN access working and the app permitted to run on mobile data as well as Wi-Fi.
- One-click or quick close settings understood, including the default lot size, which may differ from the desktop.
- Position list showing the right symbols, in a view that makes a close a single tap.
Mobile apps are weaker for management: fewer order types, awkward stop editing, quote display that may differ slightly. That is acceptable, because the only job is to get out or move a stop.
Run a monthly drill: from a locked screen, open the app, find a demo position and close it, timed. Under 30 seconds is a sensible target.
How long does the drill take from lock screen to a closed position?
A backup that was never tested is a hope. The phone version needs its own preparation:
- The app logged in, with the correct account and server saved, and the login method known without hunting for a password manager.
- Biometric or PIN access working and the app permitted to run on mobile data as well as Wi-Fi.
- One-click or quick close settings understood, including the default lot size, which may differ from the desktop.
- Position list showing the right symbols, in a view that makes a close a single tap.
Mobile apps are weaker for management: fewer order types, awkward stop editing, quote display that may differ slightly. That is acceptable, because the only job is to get out or move a stop.
Run a monthly drill: from a locked screen, open the app, find a demo position and close it, timed. Under 30 seconds is a sensible target.
How long does the drill take from lock screen to a closed position?