Honestly, the question of which timeframe to choose for the RSI indicator is not about a universal answer, but about what exactly you want to achieve from trading.

I noticed that when I first started with technical analysis, I tried to look at everything at once. Then I realized — you need to base it on your own trading style. If you're a scalper or day trader, then M15 is your chart. On it, the RSI indicator reacts quite responsively to price movements, allowing you to catch short-term opportunities right during the day. Of course, on M5 and M1 you can trade even faster, but there's so much noise that without experience and additional filters, it's easy to catch a bunch of false signals.

For swing traders, H1 and H4 are the golden mean. On these charts, RSI shows a clearer picture, trends and pullbacks are visible, and you can hold a position for several days. The daily chart is a whole different story — here, you catch medium-term reversals, and trades can last for weeks.

And if you're an investor looking at the long term, then W1 and monthly charts — that's where signals are rare, but when they appear, it's serious. On these timeframes, the RSI indicator works as a filter for global overbought and oversold conditions.

What I’ve learned from experience: the main thing is to understand how long you usually hold trades. That determines everything else. On smaller timeframes, there's more noise; on larger ones, more reliable signals, but they form less frequently.

My advice — don’t get stuck on just one chart. I often look at several at once. For example, the daily chart shows me the overall trend, and then I go to M15 to find the entry point directly in the direction of that trend. This works much better than looking at only one timeframe.

Start with what matches your style, then experiment. The optimal settings can vary for each asset and each trader. The main thing — don’t be afraid to test and find your own scheme.