No Ticket Needed

Appearance

4 min fix 3 min read Recently reviewedBeginner

By , IT support technician

Quick Answer

Open Settings > System > Notifications to turn off app alerts entirely or customize how they appear on your screen.

How to Customize Notification Settings in Windows ​

Applies to: Windows 11, Windows 10
Article Type: How-To
Last Updated: 2026-03-09

Summary ​

Windows displays notifications from apps, the system, and email — but too many alerts can break your focus. This article shows how to control which apps send notifications, silence them during certain hours, and reduce unnecessary interruptions without missing anything important.

Prerequisites ​

  • Windows 10 or Windows 11.
  • No admin rights required.

Instructions ​

1. Open Notification Settings ​

Access the central notification controls.

  1. Press Win+I to open Settings.
  2. Select System > Notifications.
  3. The notification settings page displays all available options.

2. Turn Off Notifications Globally ​

Silence all notifications at once.

  1. On the Notifications settings page, toggle Notifications to Off at the top.
  2. All app and system notifications stop immediately.
  3. Toggle back to On when you want to resume receiving alerts.

3. Disable Notifications for Specific Apps ​

Keep useful alerts while silencing noisy apps.

  1. On the Notifications settings page, scroll down to Notifications from apps and other senders.
  2. Locate the app you want to silence (e.g., Tips, Suggested, or a specific app).
  3. Toggle the switch next to the app name to Off.
  4. Repeat for each app you want to mute.

4. Customize How an App Notifies You ​

Fine-tune an individual app's notification behaviour.

  1. On the Notifications settings page, click on the app name (not the toggle) to open its detail settings.
  2. Configure the following options:
    • Show notification banners — Controls pop-up alerts on screen.
    • Show notifications in notification centre — Keeps alerts in the side panel.
    • Play a sound when a notification arrives — Toggles the alert sound.
    • Priority — Set to Top, High, or Normal to control display order.
  3. Adjust each option to suit your preferences.

5. Disable Lock Screen Notifications ​

Prevent sensitive information from appearing on the lock screen.

  1. On the Notifications settings page, scroll to the top section.
  2. Uncheck Show notifications on the lock screen.
  3. Notifications will no longer display when your computer is locked.

Troubleshooting ​

TIP

Use Focus Assist (also called Do Not Disturb) to mute notifications during presentations or deep work. See the related article below for a full guide.

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
Still receiving notifications after disabling an appNotifications cached before changeClose and reopen the app, or restart your computer to clear the notification queue.
Cannot find a specific app in the listApp has not sent a notification yetThe app will appear in the list after it sends its first notification.
Notification sounds continueSound enabled at app levelClick the app name in notification settings and toggle Play a sound to Off.