Comments
How to Disable Windows 10 Notifications
Edited 8 months ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team
Windows 10NotificationsSettingsPersonalizationSystemConfigurationUsabilityInterfaceFeaturesManagement
This content is available in 7 different language
Windows 10 has a notification feature that helps users stay informed about updates, new emails, upcoming events, and other activities on their computer. While these notifications can be helpful, sometimes they can be overwhelming or disruptive, especially when you are trying to focus on work or watch a movie on your computer. If you want to disable these notifications, this guide will show you the steps you need to take to easily manage and turn off these notifications.
Understanding Windows 10 notifications
Before we talk about disabling notifications, it's important to understand how Windows 10 notifications work. Notifications in Windows 10 appear in the Action Center, where you can see alerts from apps, system alerts, calendar entries, emails, and other installed software. These notifications can also be slid in from the bottom-right corner of the screen, which can be intrusive.
You may receive several types of notifications:
- App notifications: Alerts from apps regarding updates, new messages, or other activity.
- System notifications: Notifications from the Windows operating system about updates, security alerts, etc.
- Calendar notifications: Reminders about upcoming events or appointments.
Disabling notifications via settings
Most users can disable notifications directly through the Windows 10 Settings app. Here's how you can do it:
Step 1: Access the settings
First, open the Start menu by clicking the Windows icon in the lower-left corner of your screen or by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard. In the search bar, type Settings and press Enter, or click the Settings gear icon that appears in the Start menu options.
Step 2: Go to system settings
Once the Settings window opens, go to System Settings. In the System window, look for Notifications & Actions in the list on the left side of the window.
Step 3: Customize your notifications
In the Notifications & actions panel, you can customize how you receive notifications. There will be a list of options with toggle switches. To disable all notifications, turn off the option that says Receive notifications from apps and other senders. This will prevent your computer from showing notifications from any app or system feature.
If you don't want to disable all notifications, you can customize them further. Scroll down to see a list of individual apps and toggle notifications off for the specific apps that particularly bother you. This allows you to keep important notifications from the apps you use most often.
Disabling specific types of notifications
If you want more control over which notifications are shown, you can also disable specific types of notifications:
Turn off notification sound
Sometimes, it might just be the sound notification that's annoying. To disable notification sounds, go to Settings > System > Sound. Under the Output heading, click Device Properties. Scroll down until you see the No Sound option and select it to mute notification sounds while still having notifications appear visually.
Disable lock screen notifications
If you don't want notifications to appear on your lock screen, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. Here, turn off the Show notifications on lock screen option.
Focus assist
Windows 10 also features Focus Assist to help reduce distractions. You can choose to only let certain notifications through. To configure it, go to Settings > System > Focus Assist. You can set it to Priority to receive notifications only from a set list of apps or set it to Alarms Only, which will block all notifications except alarms.
Disabling notifications via the registry (advanced)
If you are comfortable working with the Windows Registry, you can disable notifications more comprehensively. However, please be careful when editing the registry, as incorrect changes may affect the operation of your system.
Accessing the registry editor
Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor. If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes.
Go to notification key
In the list on the left, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PushNotifications.
Create a new DWORD value
In the PushNotifications key, right-click an empty space in the right pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new DWORD value NoToastApplicationNotification. Double-click this newly created DWORD and set its value data to 1 to disable notifications, then click OK.
Restart your computer
After editing the registry, restart your computer to apply the changes.
Conclusion
Many people feel that notifications can disrupt productivity, but Windows 10 offers flexible solutions to control or stop these notifications. You can use the settings in a straightforward way to turn them off or manage specific types and apps for a customized experience. Advanced users can explore the Windows Registry for a more comprehensive approach. By following these steps, you can work without interruption and enjoy a less distracting computer environment.
If you find anything wrong with the article content, you can