Fix Windows 10/11 Notifications Not Showing: Do Not Disturb, App Permissions, and Services

Fix Windows 10/11 Notifications Not Showing: Do Not Disturb, App Permissions, and Services​

Difficulty: Beginner | Time Required: 10 minutes
Windows notifications are useful for email alerts, calendar reminders, app messages, security prompts, and system updates. If notifications suddenly stop appearing, the cause is usually simple: Do Not Disturb / Focus assist is enabled, an individual app has been muted, notification banners are turned off, or a Windows notification service is not running correctly.
This guide walks you through the most common fixes for Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Prerequisites​

Before you begin:

1. Save any open work.
2. Make sure you are signed in to the affected Windows account.
3. If you are using a work or school PC, remember that some notification settings may be controlled by your organization.
4. Restart the PC once if you have not already. A simple restart can reload the notification system.

Note: Windows 11 uses Do not disturb, while Windows 10 commonly uses Focus assist. They serve the same general purpose: reducing or silencing notifications.

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1. Check the Notification Center First​

Sometimes notifications are not missing — they are being sent silently to the notification area.

On Windows 11​

1. Press Windows key + N.
2. Look for missed notifications in the notification center.
3. If you see notifications there but no pop-up banners, continue with the next steps.

On Windows 10​

1. Press Windows key + A.
2. Check the Action Center for missed notifications.
3. If alerts appear there but not on-screen, your banner or Focus assist settings may need adjustment.

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2. Turn Off Do Not Disturb or Focus Assist​

This is the most common reason notifications stop showing.

Windows 11​

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to System.
3. Select Notifications.
4. Make sure Do not disturb is turned Off.
5. Expand Turn on do not disturb automatically.
6. Review each automatic rule, such as:
   • During certain times
   • When duplicating your display
   • When playing a game
   • When using an app in full-screen mode
   • For the first hour after a Windows feature update
7. Turn off any rule that is silencing notifications unexpectedly.

Windows 10​

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to System.
3. Select Focus assist.
4. Choose Off.
5. Under Automatic rules, check for rules that may turn Focus assist on automatically.
6. Disable any rule you do not want, such as rules for gaming, full-screen apps, or scheduled quiet hours.

Tip: If notifications only disappear while gaming, presenting, watching videos full-screen, or after a Windows update, an automatic rule is probably responsible.

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3. Make Sure Global Notifications Are Enabled​

If the main notification switch is off, apps cannot show normal notifications.

Windows 11​

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to System > Notifications.
3. Turn Notifications to On.
4. Expand the notification options if available.
5. Make sure options such as notification sounds, lock screen notifications, or reminders are set the way you prefer.

Windows 10​

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to System > Notifications & actions.
3. Turn on Get notifications from apps and other senders.
4. Review the other checkboxes, including:
   • Show notifications on the lock screen
   • Show reminders and incoming VoIP calls on the lock screen
   • Allow notifications to play sounds

Note: If global notifications are disabled, individual app settings may appear correct but still fail to show alerts.

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4. Check Notification Permissions for the Specific App​

If only one app is affected, check that app’s notification permission.

Windows 11​

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to System > Notifications.
3. Scroll down to Notifications from apps and other senders.
4. Select the affected app.
5. Turn notifications On.
6. Make sure these options are enabled if you want them:
   • Show notification banners
   • Show notifications in notification center
   • Play a sound when a notification arrives
7. Set the notification priority if needed.

Windows 10​

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to System > Notifications & actions.
3. Scroll to Get notifications from these senders.
4. Select the affected app.
5. Turn notifications On.
6. Enable banner, Action Center, and sound options as needed.

Tip: Some apps, such as Outlook, Teams, Discord, Slack, browsers, and messaging apps, also have their own notification settings inside the app. If Windows settings look correct, open the app and check its notification preferences too.

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5. Review Priority Notifications​

If you want certain alerts to appear even while Do Not Disturb is active, add them to your priority list.

Windows 11​

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to System > Notifications.
3. Select Set priority notifications.
4. Choose whether to allow:
   • Incoming calls
   • Reminders
   • Specific apps
5. Add important apps such as Mail, Outlook, Teams, Calendar, or your preferred messaging app.

Windows 10​

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to System > Focus assist.
3. Under Priority only, select Customize your priority list.
4. Add the people, apps, or reminders you want to allow.

Warning: Priority notifications are useful, but if too many apps are added, Focus assist / Do Not Disturb becomes less effective.

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6. Check Background App Permissions​

Some apps need permission to run in the background before they can send timely notifications.

Windows 11​

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Apps > Installed apps.
3. Find the affected app.
4. Select the three dots next to it.
5. Choose Advanced options, if available.
6. Look for Background app permissions.
7. Set it to Power optimized or Always.

Windows 10​

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Privacy > Background apps.
3. Make sure background apps are allowed.
4. Confirm the affected app is allowed to run in the background.

Note: Not every desktop app shows background permission options in Settings. Traditional Win32 programs often manage notifications through their own settings or startup behavior.

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7. Restart Windows Notification Services​

Windows relies on notification services to deliver app and system alerts. If a service is stuck, restarting it may help.

1. Press Windows key + R.
2. Type services.msc.
3. Press Enter.
4. Look for Windows Push Notifications System Service.
5. If it is not running, right-click it and choose Start.
6. If it is already running, right-click it and choose Restart, if available.
7. Also look for services beginning with Windows Push Notifications User Service.
8. If available, restart the related user service.

Warning: Avoid disabling Windows notification services. Disabling them can break notifications for Store apps, system alerts, and some desktop apps.

If the service restart option is unavailable or greyed out, restart the computer instead.

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8. Check Battery Saver and Focus Modes​

Battery-saving features can delay or suppress background activity.

Windows 11​

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to System > Power & battery.
3. Check whether Battery saver is on.
4. Turn it off temporarily and test notifications again.

Windows 10​

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to System > Battery.
3. Turn off Battery saver temporarily.
4. Test the affected app again.

Tip: On laptops, notifications may behave differently when unplugged, especially for apps that depend on background syncing.

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9. Repair or Reset the Affected App​

If one app still refuses to notify you, repair or reset it.

Windows 11​

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Apps > Installed apps.
3. Select the affected app’s three dots.
4. Choose Advanced options.
5. Try Repair first.
6. If that does not work, try Reset.

Windows 10​

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Apps > Apps & features.
3. Select the affected app.
4. Choose Advanced options, if available.
5. Use Repair or Reset.

Warning: Resetting an app may remove local app data or sign you out. Use Repair first when available.

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10. Update Windows and Restart Explorer​

If notifications are still broken system-wide, install updates and refresh the Windows shell.

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Windows Update.
3. Select Check for updates.
4. Install available updates.
5. Restart your PC.

If you want to refresh the taskbar and notification area without rebooting:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Find Windows Explorer.
3. Right-click it.
4. Select Restart.

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Additional Troubleshooting Notes​

• If you use Microsoft Teams, make sure your Teams status is not set to Do not disturb.
• If browser notifications are missing, check both Windows notification settings and the browser’s site permissions.
• If this is a company-managed device, Group Policy or Intune may control notification behavior.
• If notifications stopped after a major update, review automatic Do Not Disturb / Focus assist rules again.
• If only sound is missing, confirm your system volume, app volume, and notification sound settings.

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Conclusion​

Windows notification problems are usually caused by quiet mode settings, app-level notification permissions, background restrictions, or notification services. By checking Do Not Disturb or Focus assist, confirming app permissions, reviewing background access, and restarting notification services, you can usually restore alerts in just a few minutes.
Key Takeaways:

• Turn off Do Not Disturb in Windows 11 or Focus assist in Windows 10 if notifications are being silenced.
• Make sure global notifications and individual app notifications are enabled.
• Check automatic quiet rules for gaming, full-screen apps, presentations, and feature updates.
• Restart Windows notification services if alerts are missing system-wide.
• Repair or reset the affected app if only one app has notification problems.

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This tutorial was generated to help WindowsForum.com users get the most out of their Windows experience.

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References​

1. Official source: support.microsoft.com
   

   Notifications and Do Not Disturb in Windows - Microsoft Support

   Learn how to manage and configure notifications in Windows, including using the "Do Not Disturb" feature to silence alerts and stay focused. Discover how to activate "Do Not Disturb" from the Notification Center and use shortcuts to enhance productivity.

   support.microsoft.com