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Windows 10⏱ 2 min

How to Turn Off Notifications on Windows 10

Silence noisy apps while keeping important alerts active.

Last verified: February 21, 2026

Windows notification management is centralised in Settings > System > Notifications, where a single master toggle controls all app banners, or you can scroll through the per-app list to silence specific offenders while keeping others active. Windows 11's Focus Mode takes this further with configurable schedules and a summary notification sent at the end of each focus period, so you don't miss important alerts — they're just held and delivered in batch. The notification centre (Windows + N) also lets you manage dismissed notifications and set priority levels per app, giving more granular control than the simple on/off toggles.

Quick Steps

Follow in order for the fastest result.

  1. 1Go to Settings > System > Notifications. Toggle off the master switch or disable individual apps by scrolling the app list.
  2. 2Enable Focus Mode or Do Not Disturb on a schedule for automatic quiet periods during work or sleep hours.
  3. 3Keep notifications active for Phone, Messages, and Security apps — these are critical alerts.

Still Not Working?

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Verify the Fix

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I turn off all notifications on Windows 10?
Go to Settings > System > Notifications and toggle off the master Notifications switch at the top. This silences all apps at once. You can still set exceptions for specific apps below.
How do I stop notification sounds on Windows 10 without disabling alerts?
Go to Settings > System > Notifications > click a specific app > set Notification sound to None. You'll still see the banner, just without audio.
Can I schedule quiet hours on Windows 10?
Yes. Go to Settings > System > Notifications > Do Not Disturb and set an automatic schedule to activate during specific hours, keeping all notifications queued until it ends.
Why are notifications still appearing after I turned them off on Windows 10?
Some apps have their own in-app notification system that bypasses the OS notification permission. Check the app's own Settings > Notifications section. Also check whether the app has a separate background refresh setting that is serving pop-ups without going through standard OS channels.

Same task, different device

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