How To Customize Notification In windows 11

Windows 11 offers a more refined and customizable notification system, allowing users to manage how they receive alerts from apps, system settings, and other sources. The ability to control notifications is essential for improving your workflow and reducing unnecessary distractions. With Windows 11, you can customize your notifications based on your preferences, choosing which apps are allowed to send alerts and how those alerts are displayed.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore how to customize notification settings in Windows 11, manage app-specific notifications, configure notification priorities, use Focus Assist to minimize distractions, and more.

 1. Understanding the Notification Center in Windows 11

The Notification Center in Windows 11 is the central hub where all notifications are collected and displayed. The Notification Center is integrated with the Quick Settings panel, allowing users to access notifications alongside quick access to frequently used settings, such as Wi-Fi, brightness, and volume controls.

Accessing the Notification Center

1. To open the Notification Center, click on the date and time section in the taskbar, located at the bottom-right corner of the screen.

2. Alternatively, you can press Windows + N to directly open the Notification Center.

Once opened, you'll see a list of recent notifications from various apps, system alerts, and other sources. Notifications can be managed individually, or you can use options to clear all notifications at once.

2. Managing Notifications Globally

Windows 11 allows you to manage notifications globally, meaning you can control how all notifications are displayed across your system. You can disable notifications entirely, or you can fine-tune how notifications appear on your screen.

Step 1: Open Notification Settings

1. Press Windows + I to open the Settings app.

2. In the sidebar, navigate to System, then click on Notifications.

Step 2: Global Notification Settings

Here, you will find a toggle labeled Notifications at the top of the screen. By default, this is turned on, meaning notifications are enabled system-wide. You have the option to disable all notifications by turning this switch off, but that might prevent you from receiving important alerts.

Below the global toggle, you’ll see various options to manage notifications more specifically:

1.Show notifications on the lock screen: Enable or disable notifications when your PC is locked.

2.Show reminders and incoming VoIP calls on the lock screen: Toggle on to allow reminders and calls to come through, even when your PC is locked.

3.Allow notifications to play sounds: You can turn off notification sounds if you prefer a quieter work environment.

4.Show me the Windows welcome experience: Decide whether you want to receive tips, tricks, and recommendations from Windows after updates.

 3. Customizing App-Specific Notifications

In Windows 11, you can control how individual apps send notifications. This is particularly useful if you want to receive alerts from certain apps while blocking notifications from others.

 Step 1: View the List of Apps

1. In the Settings app, under System > Notifications, scroll down to find the Notifications from apps and other senders section.

2. Here, you’ll see a list of all apps that send notifications. Each app has a toggle next to its name, which you can use to enable or disable notifications for that specific app.

Step 2: Customize App Notification Settings

1. Click on any app in the list to further customize its notification settings.

2. Inside the app's notification settings, you’ll have several options:

•    Show notifications banners: Notifications appear in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
•    Show notifications in Notification Center: Choose whether the app’s notifications are saved in the Notification Center.
•    Play a sound when a notification arrives: Control whether the app plays a sound with its alerts.
•    Priority level: You can set the priority of notifications for this app (more on this below).

By customizing notifications for individual apps, you can reduce unnecessary distractions while ensuring you don’t miss important alerts from critical apps like email, messaging services, or work tools.

4. Adjusting Notification Priorities

Windows 11 allows you to assign priority levels to apps, which helps you manage which notifications should take precedence over others. Setting priority levels can help streamline your notification experience by ensuring that only high-priority notifications interrupt your workflow.

Step 1: Assign Priority Levels

1. Go to Settings > System > Notifications.

2. Scroll down to the list of apps under Notifications from apps and other senders.

3. Click on the app you want to prioritize, and scroll down to the Priority of notifications in Notification Center section.

Step 2: Choose a Priority Level

You can choose from three priority levels:

1.Top: Notifications from this app will always appear at the top of the Notification Center.

2.High: These notifications will be shown above normal-priority notifications but below top-priority ones.

3.Normal: Notifications will be shown in the order they are received and will have no special priority.

By setting specific priority levels, you can control which apps can interrupt you during work hours and which notifications will be stored in the Notification Center for later review.

5. Using Focus Assist to Reduce Distractions

Focus Assist is a built-in feature in Windows 11 that helps minimize distractions by temporarily suppressing notifications. You can configure Focus Assist to activate during specific times or under certain conditions, such as when you are playing a game or using an app in full-screen mode.

Step 1: Access Focus Assist Settings

1. Open the Settings app, then navigate to System > focus Assist.

Step 2: Set Focus Assist Modes

Focus Assist has three modes:

1.Off: All notifications are allowed.

2.Priority only: Only notifications from apps you mark as high priority will be allowed.

3.Alarms only: Only alarms will be allowed to interrupt you.

 Step 3: Configure Focus Assist Automatic Rules

1. Scroll down to the Automatic rules section in the Focus Assist settings.

2. Here, you can customize Focus Assist to turn on automatically during certain times, when duplicating your display, when playing a game, or when using an app in full-screen mode.

3. You can also specify whether you want to receive a summary of missed notifications after Focus Assist turns off.

This feature is especially useful if you need uninterrupted time for work, gaming, or watching videos.

 6. Customizing Notification Timing and Display Duration

You can adjust how long notifications stay on the screen before they disappear. This can be particularly useful if you often miss notifications that appear for too short a time or if you want notifications to clear themselves quickly.

 Step 1: Adjust Notification Duration

1. Open Settings, then go to Accessibility.

2. Scroll down to the Visual effects section and click on Dismiss notifications after this amount of time.

3. You can choose how long notifications remain on the screen, with options ranging from 5 seconds to 5 minutes.

This setting ensures that you don’t miss any important alerts, even if you’re away from your computer for a short period.

7. Managing Notification Badges on Taskbar Icons

Some apps display notification badges (small red or number bubbles) on their taskbar icons, alerting you to missed messages or tasks. These badges can be customized or disabled altogether.

Step 1: Turn Off Notification Badges

1. Right-click on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.

2. Scroll down to the Taskbar behaviors section.

3. Uncheck the option labeled Show badges (unread messages counter) on taskbar apps.

By turning off notification badges, you can reduce visual clutter on your taskbar.

 8. Customizing System and Security Notifications

Apart from app notifications, Windows 11 also sends system and security alerts, such as Windows Update reminders, battery warnings, and antivirus notifications. You can manage these system-level notifications to reduce unnecessary alerts.

Step 1: Access Security and Maintenance Notifications

1. Open Settings > System > Notifications.

2. Scroll down to find Notifications from system services such as Security and Maintenance.

3. Click on Security and Maintenance, then toggle off specific types of notifications, like Windows Update alerts or Battery Saver warnings.

This customization ensures that you only receive system notifications that are important to you.

Conclusion

Customizing notifications in Windows 11 allows you to create a more focused, less distracting digital workspace. With the ability to fine-tune global settings, manage app-specific notifications, set priorities, and use features like Focus Assist, you can control how and when you receive alerts. Whether you’re looking to streamline your workflow or simply reduce distractions during personal time, the notification management tools in Windows 11 offer flexibility and ease of use. By taking advantage of these features, you can ensure that you stay informed without being overwhelmed by constant interruptions.