Fix: Windows 10/11 Notifications Not Working? Troubleshooting Guide

Are you suddenly missing important alerts? Windows notifications are essential for staying updated, but sometimes they stop working unexpectedly. Whether it's specific apps not showing notifications or the entire Action Center (Notification Center) being silent, this guide provides step-by-step troubleshooting methods to fix common notification problems in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Preliminary Checks: The Usual Suspects

Restart Your Computer

A full restart can clear temporary glitches in Windows services

Check Focus Assist

Ensure Focus Assist or Do Not Disturb isn't accidentally enabled

System Settings

Verify system-wide notification settings are properly configured

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

1. Check Focus Assist / Do Not Disturb Settings

  1. Click the Action Center icon in the taskbar
  2. Look for "Focus Assist" or "Do Not Disturb" tile
  3. Ensure it's set to 'Off'
  4. Check Settings > System > Notifications for automatic rules

2. Verify System-Wide Notification Setting

  1. Go to Settings > System > Notifications
  2. Ensure the main toggle is switched On
  3. Check app-specific notification permissions

3. Check Background App Permissions

  1. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features
  2. Find the problematic app
  3. Check background app permissions
  4. Ensure it's set to "Power optimized" or "Always"

Advanced System Fixes

1. Run System File Checker (SFC)

sfc /scannow

2. Use DISM Tool

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Using Notification Logger for Better Control

While fixing notification issues is important, you don't want to miss critical information. Notification Logger helps you maintain control while ensuring you never lose important notifications:

  • Save all notifications for future reference
  • Search through your notification history
  • Export important notifications for documentation
  • Filter notifications by app, date, or content