Navigating the world of investing can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re starting out. Fortunately, the Fidelity mobile app makes it easy to manage your investments from your smartphone. Whether you want to buy or sell stocks and ETFs, monitor your portfolio, fund your account, or access research tools, the Fidelity app has you covered. This detailed guide will show you how to use the the Fidelity app step-by-step, covering everything from transferring funds to placing trades and exploring app features.
Getting Started with the Fidelity App
Once you’ve downloaded and logged into the Fidelity mobile app, you’ll land on the main dashboard. This screen gives you a high-level overview of your accounts, including:
- Your total balance
- The daily change in value (both in dollars and percentage)
- A breakdown of all your accounts (such as individual brokerage or Roth IRA)
For example, the dashboard may show a balance of $2,841 with a daily gain of 1.21%. Simply swipe down to refresh the data and view your most recent account activity.
At the bottom of the dashboard, you’ll find navigation tabs for:
- Markets
- Recent Activity
- Positions
- Tax Forms
How to Fund Your Fidelity Account
Before you can place a trade, you’ll need to add money to your account. Here’s how:
- Tap Transfer on the home screen.
- In the new window, select:
- The account you want to transfer from (e.g., your Capital One bank account)
- The Fidelity account you want to transfer to (e.g., your Individual Brokerage account)
- Enter the amount (e.g., $30).
- You can also:
- Link additional bank accounts
- Transfer investments from another brokerage
- Wire funds to your bank
Important Note on Fund Holds
Before proceeding, take note of the 10-business-day hold that applies to newly transferred funds. This means while you can trade with the credited funds right away, you won’t be able to withdraw them for 10 business days. This is standard with most brokers and shouldn’t be a concern.
Once you review the details, tap Submit. The money will be credited within 1–3 business days, but it appears in your account instantly for trading purposes.
How to Buy Stocks or ETFs on the Fidelity App
After your funds are available, you’re ready to buy.
Steps to Buy:
- Tap Transact, then tap Search or choose from previously traded assets.
- Type the stock or ETF symbol into the search bar (e.g., “SCHD”).
- Tap the plus sign (+) to add frequently traded assets to a custom list. You’ll be prompted to create a name for the list (e.g., “ETFs”).
- Select your desired asset to open its profile screen.
Here you can:
- View real-time charts (1-day to 5-year range)
- Check bid/ask prices
- View volume, day range, and performance
- Read the latest news
- Access research, including:
- Expense ratio
- Dividend yield
- Top holdings (e.g., Chevron, Coca-Cola)
Placing the Order:
- Tap Buy.
- Enter the number of shares (e.g., 1 share).
- Choose the order type:
- Market (execute immediately at the current price)
- Limit, Stop-Loss, Stop-Limit, Trailing Stop, etc.
- Tap Preview, and if all looks good, slide to submit the trade.
After a short wait, your purchase will appear in your portfolio. You can now see two shares of SCHD, with a detailed purchase history.
How to Sell Stocks or ETFs
Selling an asset follows the same simple flow:
- Tap Sell.
- Choose how many shares to sell.
- Review the order details.
- Slide to the right to confirm and execute the sale.
Just like buying, you’ll receive confirmation and can see the update in your dashboard shortly.
Exploring Your Fidelity Account Features
Beyond trading, the Fidelity app offers robust tools for account management and research.
View Your Portfolio:
Tap on your account to:
- Access charts (up to 3 years back)
- See your available cash
- Review performance (e.g., 5-year returns, pre-tax returns)
- Understand how time in the market impacts growth
Investment Tab:
- View open positions
- Maintain a watchlist
- Track US and global markets
- Explore market futures, including:
- Commodities
- Energy
- Metals
- Forex
Market Insights:
In the Markets section, you can:
- Check top news stories
- Track market movers
- Compare sector performance
- Monitor bond and treasury rates (from 3 months to 30 years)
Financial Planning Tools
The Planning tab allows you to set and track long-term goals. Whether you’re saving for retirement, building an emergency fund, or planning for a home, the app guides you with questions to help define and achieve your objective.
Examples of planning tools include:
- Retirement plans
- College savings
- Wealth building milestones
Discover Tab – Learn as You Invest
The Discover section offers educational content, including:
- Investing tutorials
- Financial planning articles
- Market strategy videos
This is a great area for beginner investors who want to build knowledge alongside their portfolio.
Final Thoughts on How to Use the the Fidelity App
If you’re new to investing or switching brokers, knowing how to use the the Fidelity app efficiently can save you time and stress. From funding your account and buying ETFs to monitoring markets and using research tools, the app delivers everything a modern investor needs in a clean, intuitive interface.
With features like:
- Quick trade execution
- Custom watchlists
- Real-time performance data
- Financial planning tools
… the Fidelity mobile app empowers you to take control of your investments from anywhere.
Whether you’re a casual investor or someone building a serious retirement portfolio, learning how to use the the Fidelity app is a key step toward reaching your financial goals.





