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In Windows 11, press Windows + N to open Notification Center. In Windows 10, press Windows + A to open Action Center, which includes notifications. You can also select the notification area on the right side of the taskbar.
Notification Center keeps alerts from Windows and apps in one place. You can read or clear them, silence one app, or use Do Not Disturb when you want a quieter screen.
Windows 11 and Windows 10 use different panels
| Task | Windows 11 | Windows 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Read notifications | Windows + N, or select the date/time or notification bell on the taskbar | Windows + A, or select the Action Center speech-bubble icon |
| Open quick controls | Windows + A opens Quick Settings | Quick actions are part of Action Center |
| Change app notifications | Settings > System > Notifications | Settings > System > Notifications & actions |
| Quiet notifications temporarily | Do Not Disturb | Focus assist |
If you are looking for the Wi-Fi, volume or Bluetooth buttons in Windows 11, open Quick Settings rather than Notification Center. Our Bluetooth settings guide explains those controls.
Read, expand and clear notifications
- Select a notification to open the related app or item when that action is available.
- Expand a notification with its arrow to see more text or action buttons.
- Close one alert with its X or close button.
- Clear an app’s group with the close button beside that app’s name, where shown.
- Use Clear all to remove the alerts currently listed.
Clearing an email notification does not delete the email. It removes the Windows alert. Some apps show messages only inside the app or briefly on screen, so Notification Center is not a complete record of everything that happened on the PC.
Turn off notifications for one app
- Press Windows + I to open Settings.
- Open System > Notifications in Windows 11, or System > Notifications & actions in Windows 10.
- Find the app in the sender list.
- Turn its switch off, or open its entry to change the banner, sound and Notification Center options that are available.
This is useful when one app is noisy but you still want messages from everything else. You can usually turn off banner pop-ups while leaving the app’s alerts in Notification Center.
For a browser notification, also check that browser’s website-notification permissions. Blocking one website there can be more useful than switching off every notification from the browser.
Use Do Not Disturb in Windows 11
Open Settings > System > Notifications and turn on Do Not Disturb. You can also use the Do Not Disturb control in Notification Center.
Most notifications then go straight to Notification Center rather than appearing as banners. Alarms, reminders and allowed priority apps can still interrupt you, depending on your settings.
On the same settings page, review:
- Automatic rules: choose whether Do Not Disturb turns on at certain times, during a game, in full-screen apps or when duplicating a display.
- Priority notifications: choose which supported calls, reminders and apps may still show banners.
Microsoft‘s notification and Do Not Disturb guide explains the current behavior.
Use Focus assist in Windows 10
Open Settings > System > Focus assist. Choose the setting that fits what you want to receive, such as priority notifications or alarms only, and review any automatic rules.
If Focus assist keeps switching on by itself, check its schedule and gaming or display rules before assuming notifications are broken.
Notifications are missing or will not open
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| Windows + A shows only quick controls | That is expected on Windows 11. Use Windows + N for notifications. |
| One app is silent | Check both the Windows sender switch and the app’s own notification preferences. |
| No banners appear | Check Do Not Disturb or Focus assist, and whether banners are enabled for that app. |
| Notifications do not appear on the lock screen | Review the lock-screen notification choices in Windows notification settings. |
| The panel does not respond | Restart Windows and check for updates. Record any error if the problem continues. |
On a managed work or school PC, some switches may be controlled by the organization. There is usually no need to edit the Registry just to silence an app.
Common questions
Can I turn off all notifications?
The main Notifications switch in Settings turns off supported app notifications. For a temporary break, Do Not Disturb or Focus assist lets you quiet them without changing each app separately.
Does clearing Notification Center remove a security problem?
No. Dismissing an alert does not fix what triggered it. If you need to check the security app behind a warning, follow our guide to finding the antivirus installed on your PC.
Is a process called Notification Center automatically a Windows component?
A name alone cannot tell you that. If you are checking an unfamiliar Task Manager entry, check its file location and publisher rather than judging it by the name or a “32 bit” label.