Notifications are alerts from apps, system, and other senders.
Windows 11 shows notifications on the lock screen (Win+L), Notification Center (Win+N), and notification banners at the lower-right corner of the screen above the taskbar on the main display.
If you like, you can turn on or off showing notification banners from specific apps above the taskbar corner.
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off show notification banners from apps for your account in Windows 11.
Quick Settings (Win+A) gives you quick access from the taskbar corner to commonly used settings and apps like Volume, Brightness, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode, Rotation lock, Battery saver, Accessibility, Night light, Mobile hotspot, Nearby sharing, Cast, and Project. Directly above your Quick Settings, you will see media playback controls when playing music or videos in Microsoft Edge or streaming music in apps like Spotify.
You can enable the Simplify Quick Settings Layout policy to reduce Quick Settings (Win+A) to only having the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Accessibility buttons, the brightness and volume sliders, battery indicator, and Settings link. Users will not be able to edit Quick Settings when simplified.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable simplify Quick Settings layout for all users in Windows 11.
Windows 11 puts notifications in the Notification Center (Win+N) on the taskbar corner where you can get to them instantly from the flyout.
You will also see the calendar flyout under the Notification Center flyout.
Starting with Windows 11 build 22610, you can disable opening the Notification Center and calendar flyouts via group policy.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the ability to open the Notification Center for all or specific users in Windows 11.
Quick Settings (Win+A) gives you quick access from the taskbar corner to commonly used settings and apps like Volume, Brightness, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode, Rotation lock, Battery saver, Accessibility, Night light, Mobile hotspot, Nearby sharing, Cast, and Project. Directly above your Quick Settings, you will see media playback controls when playing music or videos in Microsoft Edge or streaming music in apps like Spotify.
Starting with Windows 11 build 22610, you can disable opening the Quick Settings flyout via group policy.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the ability to open Quick Settings for all or specific users in Windows 11.
Quick Settings (Win+A) gives you quick access from the taskbar corner to commonly used settings and apps like Volume, Brightness, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode, Rotation lock, Battery saver, Accessibility, Night light, Mobile hotspot, Nearby sharing, Cast, and Project. Directly above your Quick Settings, you will see media playback controls when playing music or videos in Microsoft Edge or streaming music in apps like Spotify.
Starting with Windows 11 build 22610, you can disable editing Quick Settings via group policy.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the ability to edit Quick Settings for all users in Windows 11.
With the Phone Link app on your PC linked to your Android phone, you can instantly access the Android apps installed on your mobile device right on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC. Using a Wi-Fi connection, Apps allows you to browse, play, order, chat, and more — all while using your PC’s larger screen and keyboard.
You can easily access three of your most recently used apps from your Android phone using the Phone Link icon in your Windows taskbar navigation area. You will also find your recently used apps at the top of your Apps page inside the Phone Link app.
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off showing your recently used Android apps using the Phone Link icon on the taskbar corner for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
With the Phone Link app on your PC linked to your Android phone, you can view and manage your Android device notifications on your PC.
You can turn on or off showing a badge on the Phone Link app’s icon on the taskbar as part of managing your notifications. These badges are lightweight notifications that are contextual. For example, the badge can show a number for how many unread messages or missed calls you have from your Android phone.
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off show badge on Phone Link icon on the taskbar for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Bluetooth is a short range wireless technology which enables wireless data transmission between two Bluetooth enabled devices located nearby each other.
There are many different types of Bluetooth enabled devices you can add and pair to your PC, such as mobile phones, wireless headsets, speakers, fitness trackers, mouse, keyboard, etc…
When you turn on Bluetooth, the Bluetooth notification icon will show on the taskbar corner (system tray) by default.
The Bluetooth notification icon will not show on the taskbar corner (system tray) when you turn off Bluetooth.
This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the Bluetooth notification icon on the taskbar for your account in Windows 11.
The pen menu in Windows 11 makes it easy for you to access your favorite apps.
If you have a pen, tap it on your screen. The pen menu will appear in the corner of your taskbar.
You can add up to four apps as shortcuts to your pen menu.
This tutorial will show you how to show or hide the pen menu icon on the taskbar system tray for your account in Windows 11.
You can use the on-screen virtual touchpad to control the mouse pointer with your touchscreen.
The virtual touchpad can be dragged to any location you want on the screen.
This tutorial will show you how to show or hide the virtual touchpad icon on the taskbar system tray for your account in Windows 11.
Starting with Windows 11 build 22563, Microsoft introduced a new tablet-optimized taskbar state that’s specifically designed to make you feel more confident and comfortable using your device as a tablet. Your taskbar will automatically transition to this optimized version when you disconnect or fold back the keyboard on your 2-in-1 device. This feature only works on devices that can be used as tablets. It does not work on laptops or desktop PCs.
There are two states of this taskbar: collapsed and expanded. In the collapsed state, the taskbar gets out your way, gives you more screen space, and prevents you from accidentally invoking the taskbar when you’re holding your tablet. In the expanded state, the taskbar is optimized to be easier to use with touch. You can easily switch between the two states by swiping up and down on the bottom of your device.
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off tablet-optimized taskbar for your account in Windows 11.
The hidden icon menu (chevron) on the taskbar corner shows the system tray notification icons you turned off.
Starting with Windows 11 build 22572, you can turn on or off showing the hidden icon menu on the taskbar corner.
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off the hidden icon menu for your account in Windows 11.
Time is a measure in which events can be ordered from the past through the present into the future, and also the measure of durations of events and the intervals between them.
The time on the taskbar corner displays the system time in a 12 hour clock format by default.
If you like, you can have the taskbar time display in a 24 hour clock format (aka: Military Time).
This tutorial will show you how to change the taskbar to display time in a 12 or 24 hour clock format for your account in Windows 11.
Jump Lists are available when you right click on an app on the taskbar or Start menu > All apps.
Jump Lists are lists of app specific tasks or items you can quickly open or get to for every day usage. Jump Lists can include pinned items, recent items, frequent items, tasks, and/or websites.
Items pinned to an app’s jump list will appear at the top of the jump list for quick access.
You can enable the Do not allow pinning items in Jump Lists policy to disable and remove Pin to this list and Unpin from this list context menus for Jump Lists.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable pin and unpin items on jump lists for specific or all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Jump Lists are available when you right click on an app on the taskbar or Start menu > All apps.
Jump Lists are lists of app specific tasks or items you can quickly open or get to for every day usage. Jump Lists can include pinned items, recent items, frequent items, tasks, and/or websites.
Items pinned to an app’s jump list will appear at the top of the jump list for quick access.
This tutorial will show you how to pin or unpin items on Jump Lists of apps for your account in Windows 11.
Jump Lists are available when you right click on an app on the taskbar or Start menu > All apps.
Jump Lists are lists of app specific tasks or items you can quickly open or get to for every day usage. Jump Lists can include pinned items, recent items, frequent items, tasks, and/or websites.
Windows 11 will display up to a maximum of 13 items in Jump Lists by default.
This tutorial will show you how to change the maximum number of items that can display in Jump Lists for your account or all users in Windows 11.
The taskbar in Windows 11 shows the Start menu, Search, Task View, Widgets, Chat, File Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Store buttons (icons) aligned to the center by default.
If you have more than one display connected to your PC, then you can show the taskbar on all displays instead of just on the main display.
The main taskbar is the taskbar with the clock and taskbar corner icons on it, and is on your main display. Taskbars that show on other displays not set as your main display do have the clock (if turned on), but do not have the taskbar corner icons on them.
When Show my taskbar on all displays is turned on when using multiple displays, you can select to show your taskbar apps on one of the following:
This tutorial will show you how to change which taskbar to show taskbar apps on when using multiple displays for your account in Windows 11.
Badges will show on apps on the taskbar by default.
These badges are lightweight notifications that are contextual and specific to individual apps. For example, the Mail app’s badge shows you the number of unseen emails (not unread). The Clock app’s badge will show you that you have an active alarm. The Weather app’s badge lets you know when there is a weather alert in the area.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable showing badges on taskbar apps for your account in Windows 11.
The taskbar in Windows 11 shows the Start menu, Search, Task View, Widgets, Chat, File Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Store buttons (icons) aligned to the center by default.
The taskbar will also show the icon of the app for any window you have open. If you like, you can pin an app to the taskbar to always show the app’s icon on the taskbar whether the app is open or not. Pinning an app to the taskbar makes it easier to open the app on demand from the taskbar.
You can enable the Do not allow pinning programs to the taskbar policy to disable and remove Pin to taskbar and Unpin from taskbar from context menus.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable Pin to taskbar and Unpin from taskbar for specific or all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
The taskbar in Windows 11 shows the Start menu, Search, Task View, Widgets, Chat, File Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Store buttons (icons) aligned to the center by default.
The taskbar will also show the icon of the app for any window you have open. If you like, you can pin an app to the taskbar to always show the app’s icon on the taskbar whether the app is open or not. Pinning an app to the taskbar makes it easier to open the app on demand from the taskbar.
You can enable the Remove pinned programs from the taskbar policy to prevent pinned items from being shown on the the taskbar, and to disable Pin to taskbar.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable show pinned items on the taskbar for specific or all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.