When you open 1k_scanner for the first time, the most important thing is not advanced settings. It is the order you use to read the screen.

This guide follows the real app workflow and keeps only what matters for your first five minutes:

Scan wide in a dense grid → narrow with consensus signals → confirm in single chart → record in checknote.

1) What to check first (30 seconds)

At launch, 1k_scanner loads your saved layout (tabs, grid, theme, settings). As a new user, just verify these three items:

• Are you in the workspace/tab you actually want (CRYPTO/NASDAQ, then your current tab)?
• Is the view in dense grid mode (for broad scan)?
• Is data loading normal (no repeated “No data”/loading errors)?

That is enough to start.

2) Minute 1: scan wide in a dense grid (within your loaded universe)

The core view model is simple: rows = timeframes, columns = symbols. One column gives you a multi-timeframe view of a single symbol.

• Dense grid: Ctrl(Cmd)+7
• Expanded grid: Ctrl(Cmd)+8
• Focus move: arrow keys or W/A/S/D

In the beginning, prioritize breadth over zoom. First identify where movement is happening, then go deeper.

3) Minute 2–3: use consensus hotlist cues to narrow candidates

A common beginner mistake is tracking too many symbols at once. The consensus hotlist and its cues are where you narrow that list quickly.

Interpretation rule matters:

• Consensus is an attention signal, not an execution button.
• Neutral/dispersed areas are often better treated as “wait.”
• Use consensus to rank where to look next, not to force entries.

So the job here is not “buy/sell now.” It is “which few charts deserve deeper inspection?”

4) Minute 3–4: switch to single chart for focused validation

Once candidates are down to 2–3, then zoom in.

• Single-chart toggle: Space
• Tab switch: Cmd+Left/Right (macOS) or PageUp/PageDown
• Search focus: Enter

At this stage, avoid heavy prediction questions. Focus on whether structure is repeating consistently.

5) Minute 5: lock your observation criteria with checknote

Without notes, good observations reset by the next session. Use checknote to store criteria, not just outcomes.

• Checknote toggle: V
• Save layout: F12
• Load layout: Ctrl(Cmd)+L

A simple 3-line format works well:

1. Why this symbol was selected
2. Which signal combination was observed
3. Hold / watch / skip decision

Even this small habit improves consistency quickly.

First-user 5-minute checklist

• 0:00–1:00 Verify tab/grid/network
• 1:00–2:30 Wide scan in dense grid
• 2:30–3:30 Narrow with consensus hotlist cues
• 3:30–4:30 Validate in single chart
• 4:30–5:00 Write 3-line checknote

Your first five minutes are not about perfect calls. They are about building a repeatable observation rhythm.

1k_scanner is built to keep that rhythm continuous—from wide market scan to focused review and recorded decisions.