Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
In Windows 10, you can control notifications globally or app by app, decide whether alerts appear as banners, sounds, lock-screen previews, or Action Center entries, and rearrange the Quick actions you use most. Open the panel with Windows key + A, or go to Start > Settings > System > Notifications & actions for detailed controls.
Important: Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. This guide applies to existing Windows 10 installations, but where practical, moving to a supported Windows release is safer. Microsoft’s current documentation may show Windows 11 labels such as notification center, Quick Settings, Focus, or Do not disturb; the instructions below specifically use Windows 10 terminology.
What Notifications, Action Center, and Quick actions do
Notifications are alerts generated by Windows and installed apps. They may appear as pop-up banners, play sounds, show information on the lock screen, or collect for later review.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Action Center is the Windows 10 panel that stores missed notifications and provides access to system controls. Open it by selecting its taskbar icon near the clock or pressing Windows + A. The icon may change appearance when unread notifications are available.
Quick actions are the tiles inside Action Center. Depending on your device and configuration, they can include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or network controls, Location, Focus assist, Project, VPN, or Tablet mode. Not every Windows 10 PC has every tile.
For Microsoft’s Windows notification and Action Center guidance, see Microsoft’s notification documentation.
#1 Best Overall
Turn all Windows 10 notifications on or off
- Open Start.
- Select Settings.
- Choose System.
- Open Notifications & actions.
- Under Notifications, turn Get notifications from apps and other senders on or off.
This is the quickest way to silence Windows notifications, but it is usually too broad. Turning notifications off globally can hide useful security, calendar, messaging, and system alerts. For most people, leave the global switch on and adjust individual apps instead.
Customize notifications for one app
Go to Start > Settings > System > Notifications & actions, then scroll to Get notifications from these senders. Select an app to view the controls available on your Windows 10 build.
Depending on the app and release, you can control:
- Whether the app can send notifications.
- Whether notifications appear as desktop banners.
- Whether notification sounds play.
- Whether alerts appear in Action Center.
- Whether notifications appear on the lock screen.
- How many notifications from the app remain visible in Action Center.
- Notification priority, where that option is available.
Windows 10 releases do not all expose identical labels or priority controls. Microsoft’s newer documentation may describe Top, High, and Normal priority levels, but do not assume those choices appear on every Windows 10 installation.
A practical three-level setup
- Essential: Keep banners, sounds, and Action Center visibility enabled for security tools, calendars, messaging apps, and important system alerts.
- Useful but non-urgent: Keep Action Center visibility, but disable banners and sounds so alerts can be reviewed later without interrupting you.
- Low-value or promotional: Turn notifications off for newsletters, store promotions, and apps that generate noise without useful information.
Control lock-screen notification privacy
Windows 10 lets you decide whether notifications appear on the lock screen. Depending on your build, related controls may also cover reminders and incoming VoIP calls.
Showing notification details is convenient when you want to see messages without signing in. However, anyone looking at a shared or unattended laptop could also see sensitive information. For better privacy, disable lock-screen notifications or choose the option that hides notification details if your build provides it.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesChanging lock-screen visibility does not necessarily disable notifications after you sign in. Those are separate notification behaviors.
Dismiss, clear, or disable notifications
Open Action Center with Windows + A, then use the appropriate action:
- Open or act on one: Select the notification.
- Dismiss one: Select its close button.
- Clear one app’s alerts: Use the close control beside that app’s notification group.
- Clear everything: Select Clear all notifications.
- Stop future alerts: Change the app’s settings under Settings > System > Notifications & actions, or use the app’s own notification settings.
Clearing or dismissing an existing notification does not stop that app from sending future notifications.
Customize Quick actions in Action Center
- Open Start > Settings.
- Go to System > Notifications & actions.
- Under Quick actions, select Edit your quick actions.
- Select Add to add an available tile.
- Select Unpin or the equivalent remove control to remove a tile.
- Drag tiles to rearrange them.
- Select Done to save the layout.
Put the controls you use most—often Network, Bluetooth, Focus assist, and Project—in the first row. Remove rarely used tiles so Action Center remains quick to scan. The cited Microsoft guidance documents editing the layout, but does not establish a universal Windows 10 Restore defaults command, so do not rely on one being present.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minutePC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Use Quick Action tiles
- Bluetooth: Turn Bluetooth on or off when supported by the adapter and its drivers.
- Tablet mode: Available only when Windows detects a suitable touch-capable configuration.
- Location: Available when Windows location functionality is supported and enabled.
- Focus assist: Change distraction-reduction modes.
- Project: Change display projection options.
- VPN or network controls: Availability depends on your system configuration.
If a tile cannot be added, the underlying feature may be unavailable because of missing hardware, drivers, touch capability, or configuration. Microsoft specifically documents hardware and driver considerations for Bluetooth and device-detection requirements for Tablet mode.
Set up Focus assist
Windows 10 calls its built-in distraction control Focus assist. Open Start > Settings > System > Focus assist.
The main modes are:
- Off: Receive all notifications.
- Priority only: Receive notifications allowed by your priority list.
- Alarms only: Suppress notifications except alarms.
Focus assist can also activate automatically. Microsoft documents rules for specified times, duplicated displays, gaming, and full-screen apps. You can optionally receive a summary of notifications suppressed while Focus assist was active.
Stop notifications during work or at night
- Open Settings > System > Focus assist.
- Expand Automatic rules.
- Select During these times.
- Set the start and end times.
- Choose the notification level allowed during that period.
- Configure specific days if your Windows 10 build offers that setting.
Focus assist does not automatically mean that every alert is blocked. Its behavior depends on the selected mode, your priority list, and any automatic rules. Older Windows 10 releases may use the related term Quiet hours. Windows 11 uses different terminology and paths, including Focus and Do not disturb.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Fix notifications that do not appear
- Check the global switch. Go to Settings > System > Notifications & actions and confirm Get notifications from apps and other senders is enabled.
- Check the individual app. Under Get notifications from these senders, select the app and turn its notifications on.
- Check banners. If banners are disabled, the alert may still be stored in Action Center. Open it with Windows + A.
- Check Focus assist. Open Settings > System > Focus assist and review its mode and automatic rules.
- Check sounds. Review the app’s notification sound setting and make sure Windows is not muted and the volume is audible.
- Check the app itself. Many apps have their own notification switch that can override or supplement Windows settings.
- Check the taskbar icon. Open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and review notification-area and system-icon settings. The Action Center icon is not guaranteed to remain visible.
- Check organization policies. A work- or school-managed PC may restrict notification, privacy, or personalization settings.
Fix a missing Quick Action tile
- Press Windows + A to open Action Center.
- Select Expand if the tile is not visible in the compact view.
- If it is still missing, open Settings > System > Notifications & actions.
- Select Edit your quick actions.
- Select Add and look for the action.
- If it is unavailable, check the device’s hardware, drivers, and feature support.
For example, Bluetooth may not appear when the PC lacks a Bluetooth adapter or the necessary driver. Tablet mode may be unavailable when Windows does not detect a touch-capable device. A managed computer can also limit which controls are available.
Choose a notification profile
Minimal interruption
- Disable banners and sounds for most apps.
- Keep important alerts visible in Action Center.
- Use Focus assist during work, gaming, or presentations.
- Hide lock-screen notification content.
Balanced everyday setup
- Keep banners for messaging, calendar, security, and important system alerts.
- Disable sounds for non-urgent apps.
- Keep promotional and social-media alerts out of Action Center.
- Place Network, Bluetooth, Focus assist, and Project among the first Quick actions.
Maximum awareness
- Leave global notifications enabled.
- Keep banners and sounds enabled for apps you need to monitor.
- Use per-app priority controls where your Windows 10 build provides them.
- Use Focus assist cautiously, because suppressed alerts may not be immediately visible.
Windows 10 support reminder
Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. The notification and Action Center controls described here remain useful on existing installations, but Windows 10 should not be treated as a fully supported current operating system. Check Microsoft’s current support information and consider moving to a supported Windows release where your hardware and software allow it.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
