Windows 11 brings a more refined and organized notification system, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect out of the box. Some users find the constant alerts distracting, while others want more control over what notifications appear and how they’re displayed.
The good news is that Windows 11 offers a variety of customization options — letting you fine-tune notifications for specific apps, set quiet hours, or even turn them off entirely. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to customize notifications on Windows 11 to match your preferences.
Customize Windows 11 Notifications
Before you start, make sure you’re signed in with an account that has administrative privileges, have the latest Windows 11 updates installed, and know which apps you want to adjust notifications for. Once that’s set, you’re ready to explore the different ways you can customize how Windows 11 handles notifications.
Step 1: Open Notification Settings
- Press Windows + I to open the Settings app.
- In the left sidebar, select System.
- Click Notifications on the right panel.
Here, you’ll see all your general and per-app notification controls.
Step 2: Manage Global Notification Settings
At the top of the Notifications page, you’ll find a master switch labeled Notifications.
- Toggle it Off to completely disable all notifications system-wide.
- Toggle it On to customize how notifications appear.
When notifications are enabled, you can further adjust key behaviors, such as:
- Show notifications on the lock screen – Disable this if you want privacy on your lock screen.
- Show reminders and incoming VoIP calls on the lock screen – Turn off if you don’t want calls or reminders interrupting.
- Allow notifications to play sounds – Mute notification sounds for a quieter experience.
These options give you broad control over how and when alerts appear.
Step 3: Customize Notifications for Individual Apps
If you only want to adjust notifications for certain apps (like disabling them for social media but keeping system alerts), you can do that easily.
- Scroll down to the Notifications from apps and other senders section.
- You’ll see a list of all apps that can send notifications.
- Find the app you want to adjust and toggle it On or Off.
To go deeper, click on the app’s name to open its detailed notification settings. Here, you can:
- Decide whether notifications should appear in the notification center or as banners.
- Turn off sound alerts for that app.
- Control priority level (Top, High, or Normal) in the notification center.
For example, you can keep Outlook notifications visible and prioritized, while muting alerts from a game launcher or social media app.
Step 4: Use Focus Assist to Control When You’re Notified
If you want temporary quiet hours without turning notifications off completely, use Focus Assist.
- Open Settings > System > Focus assist (or click Focus directly in the Notifications settings).
- Choose one of the modes:
- Off – All notifications appear normally.
- Priority only – Only notifications from allowed apps or contacts appear.
- Alarms only – Only alarms will sound or display.
You can also set Automatic rules so Focus Assist activates automatically during specific times, gaming sessions, or when duplicating your display (such as in presentations).
Step 5: Adjust Notification Center Behavior
Windows 11 combines notifications and calendar events into a single Notification Center (accessible by clicking the clock and date in the taskbar).
Here’s how to tweak its behavior:
- Clear notifications quickly: Click Clear all at the top right to remove all pending alerts.
- Prioritize important notifications: Pin high-priority apps like Outlook or Microsoft Teams.
- Collapse or expand groups: Click the small arrow next to an app’s name to hide or show its messages.
This gives you a tidy, distraction-free view while keeping essential alerts visible.
Step 6: Turn Off Tips and Suggestions
If Windows keeps showing “helpful tips” you didn’t ask for, you can turn those off too.
- Go to Settings > System > Notifications.
- Scroll down and uncheck:
- Offer suggestions on how I can set up my device
- Get tips and suggestions when I use Windows
This will stop Windows from displaying pop-ups that promote features or settings you don’t need.
Wrapping Up
Customizing notifications in Windows 11 lets you strike the perfect balance between staying informed and staying focused. Whether you want total silence during work hours, app-specific control, or smarter scheduling with Focus Assist, Windows gives you all the tools to fine-tune your notification experience.
Once you’ve configured these settings, you’ll spend less time dismissing alerts and more time getting things done — without missing anything important.
