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You keep getting the “You have not been using the Mobile Authenticator for 7 days” message as you trade on Steam? Then the Mobile Authenticator setup must be at fault, and you should check them out. In the case that there is nothing out of the ordinary in the setting, it’s a good idea to wait. Take a good look at this article to learn more about approaches to the situation.
An Overview Mobile Authenticator
Mobile Authenticator, also known as Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator, is a security feature privy by Steam for people who want to improve the security of their accounts. While the use of Mobile Authenticator is optional, it helps Steam users avoid the trade hold while trading on Steam. If you choose to trade without enabling Mobile Authenticator, you’ll have to wait for a number of days for your trade to go through.
What Makes The Message Appear
Mobile Authenticator Setup
Usually, the “You have not been using the Mobile Authenticator for 7 days” message won’t give you a hard time if you nail the Mobile Authenticator/Trade Confirmation settings. Hence, if the Mobile Authenticator message gets in the way of your Steam trades, give Mobile Authenticator setup some thought.
Wait Period
In case you don’t know, Mobile Authenticator is not going to activate as soon as you turn it on. For Mobile Authenticator to work as intended, you must keep it on for a total of seven days (consecutive). If you recently activated Mobile Authenticator but have yet to complete the wait period, you should come across the “You have not been using the Mobile Authenticator for 7 days” message in every trade.
A Few Fixes
Check Out Mobile Authenticator Setup
All in all, you could instantly trade on Steam if:
- Mobile Authenticator has been active for seven days without interruption.
- Trade Confirmations is on.
If you struggle to set up Mobile Authenticator, go through the following steps:
- Step 1: Download Steam Mobile Authenticator to your phone, open it and go to Steam Guard > Settings > Get Steam Guard codes on my phone to activate account protection.
- Step 2: Go to Steam, open Settings, and make your way to Application Settings > Steam Preferences > Privacy Settings then turn on Trade Confirmations.
- Step 3: Wait for seven days, trade, and see how things turn out.
Wait
You recently activated Steam Authenticator but initiated trades without waiting for the wait period to expire? Then it’s only natural that you would see the “You have not been using the Mobile Authenticator for 7 days” message. The best solution is to wait, as there is no way to circumvent the wait period.
Trading Tips And Tricks On Steam
Stick To The Trade Window
It’s not uncommon for players who trade on Steam to make “under the table” agreements on trades. Such agreements sometimes include the “promise” of wiring a particular sum of real-world money from one person to the other. However, you should know that the practice isn’t recommended as nothing could stop the other party from accepting the trade items and then not holding up their end of the bargain. Thus, if you want to trade on Steam, remember to only exchange items that can be added to the trade window.
Check Out Item Properties
Not all items can be traded on Steam, and attempting to trade such items result in trading errors. Therefore, for good measure, take a look at the properties of items you want to trade before actually trading them to prevent errors.
Enable Steam Guard
While Steam Guard might be sometimes troublesome to use, there’s no questioning the fact that it contributes significantly to your account’s security. If you intend to trade on Steam Marketplace, it’s essential you have Steam Guard all set up first.

Chris started playing PC games in the 1980s, started writing about them in the early 2000s, and (finally) started getting paid to write about them in the late 2000s.
Following a few years as a regular freelancer, PC Gamer hired him in 2014, probably so he’d stop emailing them asking for more work. Since 2019, he started providing game reviews & tips for Grateful Dead Game. Chris has a love-hate relationship with survival games and an unhealthy fascination with the inner lives of NPCs. He’s also a fan of offbeat simulation games, mods, and ignoring storylines in RPGs so he can make up his own.