How to Disable Widget Notifications on Windows 11

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to disable widget notifications on Windows 11. To get rid of constant widget notifications distracting you on Windows 11, you can turn off those pesky widget notifications.

Windows 11 brings a fresh and modern interface with its dynamic widgets, providing quick access to personalized information and functionality. Widgets can be found in the lower-right corner of the taskbar in Windows 11.

However, these notifications can sometimes become overwhelming and disrupt your workflow. That’s why it’s essential to know how to turn them off when needed. You cannot uninstall widgets in Windows 11. Remember that turning off widget notifications and disabling the widgets are two different things.

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By the end of this article, you’ll clearly understand how to disable widget notifications on your Windows 11, helping you focus on what matters most without any interruptions. So, let’s dive in and take back control of your desktop!

What are widgets in Windows 11?

On your Windows desktop, widgets are little cards that show dynamic content from your favorite apps and services. You can find, pin, unpin, arrange, resize, and customize widgets to suit your interests on the Widgets board, which is optimized to display personalized content and relevant widgets based on your usage. Read what Microsoft has to say about Windows 11 widgets.

Open the Widgets board by selecting the weather icon in your taskbar or the Windows logo key + W. Here you see some widgets already installed by Microsoft.

In addition to seeing live content on your taskbar from the weather widget, you can also see live updates from other widgets such as sports, finance, and breaking news.

You can customize these widget tiles by hiding them or removing them from the board. You can also visit the Microsoft Store to install new widgets.

Types on Widget notifications in Windows 11

Microsoft offers two types of widget notifications on Windows 11:

Dynamic notifications: The notifications are updated to provide users with relevant and updated information. For example, the weather widget displays the weather information about your current location. If the weather changes, the widget is updated to inform users about the change in temperature.
Badge notifications: With badge notifications, the widget displays multiple notifications as badges from a specific interest that you follow. If you have chosen to receive news notifications, for example, several news feeds are displayed as badge numbers, and clicking on the widget shows all the news updates.

Understanding the Purpose of Widget Notifications

Widget notifications in Windows 11 serve as a way to provide quick access to personalized information and functionality. These dynamic widgets can be a useful tool for staying up-to-date with weather updates, calendar events, news headlines, and more. With just a glance, you can gather relevant information without having to open multiple applications or websites.

Widgets are one of many Windows 11 features designed to make life that much easier. Here are a few of the benefits of using them:

Widgets save your time: A widget basically gives the user important information without having to open a new window or website.
Widgets can be customized: Not all but most of the widgets can be customized to suit your needs, so you can prioritize what’s important.
Multitask: Widgets help you stay organized and productive while still providing you with access to information at a glance.
Access: They can be a great accessibility tool, as they make it possible to view information briefly without needing to navigate complex menus.

The Impact of Widget Notifications on Productivity

Before we delve into the steps of disabling widget notifications, let’s discuss the impact these notifications can have on your productivity. While they provide quick access to information, they can also be a source of distraction, pulling your attention away from the task at hand.

Constant interruptions from widget notifications can disrupt your workflow, making it difficult to maintain focus and concentration. If you are in a meeting and showcasing an important PowerPoint for your employees, an unwanted widget notification can be really annoying.

Studies have shown that even brief distractions can significantly reduce productivity and increase the likelihood of errors. Therefore, it’s essential to manage and control the notifications that appear on your desktop to create a more efficient and distraction-free environment.

Disable Widget Notifications on Windows 11

Now that we have covered the purpose of widget notifications and their impact on productivity, let us have a look at how to turn them off in Windows 11.

To disable widget notifications on Windows 11:

Step 1. Launch the Widgets board by hovering the mouse pointer over the widget icon on the taskbar. Alternatively, you can use the Windows key + W keyboard shortcut to launch the widget board directly.

Step 2: In the top-right corner of the Widgets board, click on your profile icon to open widget settings.

Step 3: Under the Widget taskbar behaviors, you can configure multiple widget options, which include:

Open Widgets board on hover: opens the widgets board when hovering on the taskbar icon.
Show notification badges: Get widget notification badges on the taskbar.
Show announcements: Get announcements from the widgets on the taskbar.

Disable Widget Notifications on Windows 11

Step 4: To disable widget notifications, toggle off the “show notification badges” and “show announcements.”

Congratulations! You have successfully turned off all widget notifications on Windows 11. This will provide you with a distraction-free environment, allowing you to focus on your work without any interruptions.

How do I manage Windows widget interests?

The Widgets board in Windows 11 displays the widgets based on the interests that you have opted for. If you don’t want to see widgets related to a specific topic, you can unselect them under Manage Interests.

Hover the mouse over a widget and click on See More. From the drop-down menu, select Manage Interests.

On the Personalize Microsoft Start window, you can select or unselect any of the interests for top stories, news, movies, sports, money, lifestyle, and more.

How do I turn off Windows widgets?

As mentioned earlier, Windows 11 places the widgets in the lower-left corner of the taskbar. Most users see a weather widget that displays the widget board when they hover over it.

You can disable all the Windows widgets with a few easy steps. Right-click on the taskbar and select Taskbar Settings. Toggle off the Widgets option, and this will disable widgets in Windows 11.