How to Enable and Use Focus Assist in Windows 11 and 10

You can set the “When I’m playing a game” option to “Off” here if you don’t like that, or click the “When I’m playing a game” option and select “Alarms Only” if you want to hide priority notifications as well. To enable Focus Assist automatically on a schedule, scroll down to the “Automatic rules” section, and then click the “During these times” option. Focus Assist is one of the many other useful features available in Windows 10. As this feature has also made its way to Windows 11 with Alarm & Clock integration, you can use it the way you want. When configured properly, Focus Assist can help you with avoiding unnecessary interruptions during meetings, presentations, or gaming.

Besides starting a focus session manually from the Alarm & Clock app, you can also configure Focus Assist settings to automatically enable it during specific times. You can also configure the priority list by clicking the Customize priority list option under the Priority only setting. After that, you will see the option to configure which apps display notifications while Focus Assist is turned on.

But, if a priority contact sends you a message with another communication app that isn’t integrated with My People, Windows won’t give that notification priority. You can quickly toggle Focus Assist on or off from a quick action tile in the Action Center. Just click on the Action Center icon and then click on the Focus Assist icon repeatedly to toggle betweenPriority & Alarms only modes or to turn off Focus Assist.

You can manually configure hours (select During these hours option) to start Focus Assist during that time. Besides that, you can also select the Focus Assist (Alarm or Priority) setting for that duration. Focus Assist helps you stay focused by easily blocking notifications, sounds, and alerts to create a distraction-free work environment. This feature might come in handy if you are preparing for or giving a presentation or trying to focus on a paper. You can use Focus Assist to block interruptions or distractions on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC. With Focus Assist, you can reclaim your productivity and keep distractions at bay.

How to Configure Your Priority List

Alarms refers to alarms you set in apps like the included Alarms & Clocks app. The news he’s broken has been covered by outlets like the BBC, The Verge, Slate, Gizmodo, Engadget, TechCrunch, Digital Trends, ZDNet, The Next Web, and Techmeme. Instructional tutorials he’s written have been linked to by organizations like The New York Times, Wirecutter, Lifehacker, CNET, Ars Technica, and John Gruber’s Daring Fireball. To start a focused session manually, launch the Alarm & Clock app in Windows 11. If you have started the Alarm & Clock app for the first time, it might show you a get started page on the Focus Sessions tab. These modes can be managed by adjusting settings according to your needs, enhancing your productivity and ensuring you get the most out of your time.

Focus Assist is a feature in Windows 10 and Windows 11 designed to help you maintain concentration by managing which notifications you receive. Think of it as your digital doorman, deciding who gets to disturb you and who doesn’t. Utilizing this tool can make the difference between a fragmented workday and a streamlined, efficient workflow. If at any point you want to turn off Focus Assist, follow the steps we’ve previously outlined for the Action Center or Settings.

Windows also automatically detects when you’re playing full-screen DirectX PC games and enables Focus Assist automatically, preventing notifications from popping up on your screen and distracting you. This feature is set to Priority Only by default, so you’ll still see important notifications. By default, notifications from contacts pinned to your taskbar have priority. You can customize which notifications have priority from the Settings app.

Quickly Turn on Focus Assist from Action Center

You can then set your preferred start time and end time, along with which days Focus Assist should be enabled—everyday, weekdays only, or https://www.yourpowermed.hu/ weekends only. You can also select “Priority Only” or “Alarms Only,” depending on how many notifications you want to see during the scheduled time. The options under “Calls, texts, and reminders” are enabled by default and ensure you’ll always see phone calls from a linked phone, incoming text messages from a linked phone, and reminders from reminder apps. The first two features require the Cortana app for your phone, and Cortana can be used for reminders as well.

You can also enable Focus Assist quickly from Action Center in Windows 11. Simply click on the Network, Volume, and Battery icons in the system tray (right side of the taskbar) and then click on the Focus Assist tile to switch between Priority, Alarms, or Off. Just like Windows 10, you can enable Focus Assist from the Notification area, Settings in Windows 11. Besides that, you can also start a Focused Session from the Alarm & Clock app in Windows 11 which is not available in Windows 10. This feature lets you block all but the most important notifications, ensuring you can focus on the task at hand without constant interruptions from your system.

Quiet Hours, now known as Focus Assist, is a feature in Windows 10 designed to minimize distractions by suppressing notifications during specified hours. Whether you are working on an important project, studying for exams, or simply need some uninterrupted time, managing this setting can be crucial for maintaining productivity and focus. By default, Focus Assist will automatically switch to Alarms Only mode while you’re duplicating your display.

• Finally, click Start focus session button to start a focus session and stay focused for that duration without distractions.
• Focus Assist has also made its way to Windows 11 with some improvements.
• After that, you will see the option to configure which apps display notifications while Focus Assist is turned on.

Whether you’re using Windows 10 or Windows 11, this feature helps you stay focused by filtering out unnecessary notifications and allowing you to customize your notification preferences. So take the time to explore and customize your Focus Assist settings in Windows 10, and experience the difference it can make in your daily life. Windows 10’s “Focus Assist” feature is a “Do Not Disturb” mode that hides notifications.

In this post, we will see how to turn on or off Focus Assist in Windows 10 using Action Center, Windows Settings. You can control any or all of these, as well as determining to what level notifications are suppressed. Now, on the Focus Sessions page, you can start a focused session of your desired duration. The time is set to 30 minutes by default, however, you can change it using up and down arrows. Finally, click Start focus session button to start a focus session and stay focused for that duration without distractions. The notifications from Windows apps and programs might annoy you at times when you’re trying to focus on something.

Microsoft introduced the Focus Assist feature with the Windows 10 April 2018 update to solve this issue. Focus Assist has also made its way to Windows 11 with some improvements. So, now you can enable Focus Assist in your Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC and work without distractions.

Get these essential tools to fix issues, update drivers, and restore your PC to peak performance. Focus Assist replaces the “Quiet Hours” feature included with previous versions of Windows 10, and is much more powerful and configurable. Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Simply switch the mode back to “Off,” and all notifications will resume as usual. Whenever Focus Assist is turned off, it shows you a summary of what you missed. If you would rather not see that summary, you can uncheck “Show me a summary of what I missed while focus assist was on” at the bottom of this screen. At the top of the screen, select either “Off,” “Priority Only,” or “Alarms Only” to enable or disable Focus Assist. With over a decade of writing experience in the field of technology, Chris has written for a variety of publications including The New York Times, Reader’s Digest, IDG’s PCWorld, Digital Trends, and MakeUseOf.

From there, simply click on the Focus Assist tile to change its status. You can also configure Automatic rules here which define when to turn on Focus Assist automatically. This can be particularly beneficial for seniors who might find frequent pop-ups and alerts overwhelming. Plus, it’s super customizable, so you can fine-tune it to suit your specific needs. That’s where WindowsWindows is a widely used operating system developed by Microsoft Corporation, designed to provide a … More Focus Assist comes in, and it’s your new best friend when you need to buckle down and get things done without interruptions.

Beyond the web, his work has appeared in the print edition of The New York Times (September 9, 2019) and in PCWorld’s print magazines, specifically in the August 2013 and July 2013 editions, where his story was on the cover. He also wrote the USA’s most-saved article of 2021, according to Pocket. Since 2011, Chris has personally written over 2,000 articles that have been read more than one billion times—and that’s just here at How-To Geek. You can also configure automatic rules for Focus Assist just like in Windows 11. Windows 10 also offers keyboard shortcuts to facilitate quick access to Focus Assist. You can toggle Focus Assist on or off using Windows + A, which opens the Action Center.