Windows 11 can show banners, play a chime and stack alerts in Notification Center for almost every app on the PC. You can switch all of it off in one place, quiet a single noisy app, mute only the sound, or pause alerts for a while. Windows 10 steps are noted where they differ, and the last two sections cover alerts that keep appearing anyway.
Turn off all notifications in Settings
This one switch stops both the banners and the alerts in Notification Center.
- Open Settings and select System.
- Select Notifications.
- Turn the Notifications toggle off.
- To cut the tips and suggestions about Windows as well, scroll down to Additional settings on that page and switch those options off. Windows 10 lists them on the same page as Get tips, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows and Suggest ways I can finish setting up my device.
- To get them back later, open this page again and switch the toggle back on.
Stop one noisy app
If only a few apps bother you, leave the main switch on and change them individually. Windows 10 keeps these under Settings > System > Notifications & actions, and the main toggle there is Get notifications from apps and other senders. To keep alerts off the lock screen as well, expand the Notifications row and clear Show notifications on the lock screen and Show reminders and incoming VoIP calls on the lock screen. Windows 10 uses the same two labels on its page.
- Go to Settings > System > Notifications.
- Scroll to Notifications from apps and other senders.
- Switch off the toggle next to the app.
- Or select the app name for finer control. Clearing Show notification banners leaves the alert in Notification Center only, while clearing Show notifications in notification center leaves just the pop-up banner. Each app can also be ranked Top, High or Normal so its alerts sit higher or lower in the panel. While Do not disturb is on, Set priority notifications > Add apps lets chosen apps keep getting through.
Mute notification sounds but keep the banners
Banners still appear after this change; they just arrive silently. Windows 10 has the same checkbox on the Notifications & actions page. If all Windows sound is gone, the no-sound steps apply instead.
- Open Settings > System > Notifications.
- Select the Notifications row to expand its options.
- Clear Allow notifications to play sounds.
Pause alerts with Do not disturb
When you want quiet only for a while, Do not disturb hides banners and sounds without disabling anything permanently. Alerts that came in meanwhile are collected and shown in Notification Center when you switch it off. The quickest route is Win + N, then the Do not disturb button at the top of Notification Center. You can also turn it on from Settings > System > Notifications. Select Turn on do not disturb automatically on that page to choose a schedule or situations such as playing a game, using an app full screen, duplicating the screen or the first hour after a feature update. Windows 10 calls the equivalent Focus Assist: press Win + A, then select the moon icon to cycle through Priority only and Alarms only.
Notifications still showing after you turned them off
Hiding the notification center is not the same as turning notifications off. A policy or tweak that removes the Notification Center icon only takes away the panel; apps still create alerts behind it. To actually stop them, use the Notifications toggle under Settings > System > Notifications. If you want complete quiet for a set period instead, open Settings > System > Focus, pick a duration, and select Start focus session. Two more sources of alerts are easy to miss. Number badges on taskbar icons are controlled under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors: clear Show badges on taskbar apps. Website alerts come from Microsoft Edge: open Settings and more > Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Notifications and turn off Ask before sending. For Game Bar pop-ups, turn off Xbox Game Bar separately.
Focus Assist on Windows 10 won't stay off
Focus Assist can switch itself back on because its automatic rules fire when certain conditions are met, even after you turned the feature off. Check these two things.
- Open Settings > System > Focus assist, scroll down to the automatic rules and turn each one off or change its conditions so it no longer starts Focus Assist.
- Open Settings > Time & Language > Date & time and turn on both Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically, then restart the PC.