How to stop notifications on Windows 10

How to stop notifications on Windows

If you’re tired of being interrupted and want to learn how to stop notifications on Windows 10, this is a must-read article.

It will go through quick and easy ways to disable desktop notifications in Windows.

We have all been there that constant desktop or Chrome notifications keep popping up on our screen while we are doing research for homework or attending an important Zoom meeting.

If you are fed up with such spam notifications, you have come to the right place.

This article provides an in-depth explanation of how you can stop such annoying notifications while keeping selected important ones.

Table of Contents

  1. How to stop notifications on Windows 10
    1. Disabling desktop notifications from Windows Settings
    2. Permanently disabling notifications from Group Policy Editor
    3. Disabling app notifications using Registry Editor
    4. Disabling Google Chrome notifications
  2. Wrap up

How to stop notifications on Windows 10

We will talk about several methods on how to disable Windows 10 notifications for all the different applications on your Windows PC.

This guide solely focuses on stopping notifications in Microsoft Windows 10, but the steps/methods are very similar for all versions of Windows.

Disabling desktop notifications from Windows Settings

Windows Action Center keeps up with all the notifications consisting of daily news, email alerts, app installations, download completions, Windows updates, WhatsApp messages, any social media app alerts, and many more.

The quickest and easiest method to disable unwanted notifications is to disable them via Microsoft Windows Settings app.

Here’s how to do that:

  • Press Windows + I key combination to open Windows 10 Settings. You can also navigate using the Start button;
How to Search in Windows 11

 

  • Go to System > Notifications & Actions and you can turn off notifications from there;

 

 

Here you can change the following:

  • Choose to see Lock Screen Notifications or not;
  • Turn Windows tips, tricks, and suggestions on or off;
  • Customize quick actions in Action Center;
  • Turn notifications, banners, and sounds on or off for any individual app.

Under Notifications and Actions, you can find Focus Assist. Windows Focus assist is a great feature that gives users more control over their notifications.

 

To disable specific app notifications temporarily, turn on Focus assist via the Lock screen or Action Center, this is like the silent mode which we are accustomed to on our phones.

Focus assist can be quickly accessed using the Action Center as follows:

 

Permanently disabling notifications from Group Policy Editor

The methods mentioned above still allow for some notifications. If you are looking for a more permanent fix, this method will let you do just that.

Here’s how to disable notifications from Group Policy Editor:

  • Press Windows key and search for Group Policy. You can also search for “gpedit.msc” and open it;

 

  • This also allows for you to manage administrative as well as other users’ notification settings;
  • Navigate through User Configuration ? Administrative Templates ? Start Menu and Taskbar menu in the editor;

 

  • Find Remove Notifications and Action Center policy. Open it by double-clicking. Enable it. Hit “Apply” to save changes.

 

By enabling this setting, we’ve removed ourselves from the trouble of app notifications.

Keep in mind that some app notifications can still pop up in the action center. These are system-enabled and are configured by Windows as such.

Disabling app notifications using Registry Editor

Next up, we will help you disable app notifications using the registry editor. The steps are as follows:

  • Click on the Start button or the Windows key. Search for Registry editor;

 

  • Before we make any changes to the Registry Editor, it’s always a good choice to make a Windows restore point. Please do so before you proceed;
  • Navigate to “Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows“;

 

  • Next, create a new key under the Windows folder. Name this key as “Explorer“;

 

  • Right-click Explorer. Create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value and name it “DisableNotificationCenter“;

 

 

  • Double-click on DisableNotificationCenter.  Give it a value of “1” and hit “Ok“.

You have successfully disabled all lock screen notifications by switching off the notification center.

Disabling Google Chrome notifications

Google Chrome notifications can at times get annoying. Random ads from different sites pop up.

If you have a Facebook or YouTube tab open, those notifications can pop up at the most embarrassing moments. We will show you how to disable Chrome notifications.

This involves the following steps:

  • Open a Chrome window. Navigate through the top right corner. Find the “triple dot icon”. Navigate to settings from the drop-down menu or type “chrome://settings/” as the URL;

 

  • Find site settings under “Privacy and Security“;

 

  • Find notifications and expand them.

 

Here you can add sites allowing them or not send notifications. You can also turn off notifications all in all as well.

 

Wrap up

In this guide, we have enabled you to deal with app notifications on Windows. Now you won’t have to go through the trouble of dealing with embarrassing chrome ads, random YouTube video notification, or just Windows update popping up now and then.

We went over 3 methods on how to disable windows notifications. In addition to that, we also talked about disabling chrome notifications.

Windows 10 has given users great customizability for their notifications as well as these can easily be disabled essentially by using a single button.

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