How to Remove Focus and Notifications Box Windows 11

Question

How to Remove Focus and Notifications Box Windows 11

Kelly Urban 210

Does anyone know how to remove the "notifications" box AND "focus"?

When I click the date/time I just want a calendar to pop up, no notifications center and no focus thingy.

Locked Question. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

Anonymous

2023-04-03T15:19:46.96+00:00

Kind of ironic I have to waste time trying to get rid of this "Focus Assist" garbage from what was a useful and simple calendar and clock.
Hanna, Tom L 20 Reputation points

2023-04-30T20:06:40.48+00:00

Right! Give me liberty from this damn alarm or give me....a Mac.
Martin Janíček 10 Reputation points

2023-10-16T08:28:40.4966667+00:00

Very true, MS tries to make things more complicated and kind of screwed with each release of their system
Mindy Bowen 115 Reputation points

2023-11-13T17:18:37.93+00:00

I don't think the person trying to answer understands the question. We want the entire UI container for those potential notifications gone --or at least moved somewhere else. When I open datetime + calendar, I only want datetime & calendar functions --nothing else. It is distracting --I forget why I went into the menu to begin with when those unrelated items are there. I added a photo to hopefully clarify what is going on.
RDiaz-67 60 Reputation points

2024-03-29T16:33:30.7833333+00:00

How come this is not an easy option to turn off? Most of our users HATE This. And by the way as others have noted at least in WIN11 enterprise Focus Assist is not there.
Anonymous

2024-06-05T09:32:38.56+00:00

"updates" like this annoy me to no end
Michael Grimsley 5 Reputation points

2024-07-01T14:46:19.9333333+00:00

I agree. I am not a fan. Even with the Show the timer in the clock app is unchecked, it still shows under the calendar.
Michael Grimsley 5 Reputation points

2024-07-01T14:49:27.6766667+00:00

I agree. They should give the option to enable instead of making it default. Even though I unchecked Show the timer in the Clock app, it still shows.
Elena Svancarova 5 Reputation points

2024-11-08T14:59:40.57+00:00

I guess you have to present some new features with every new release but why on Earth do you make it so difficult or impossible for users to turn them off?
j2024 5 Reputation points

2024-12-21T06:24:18.48+00:00

Who could've thought to make a "notification box" that has the capacity to take up 5% of my 32 inch screen to display "no notifications" - on top - have the horrible idea to tie it to date and time, and make it unremovable? Seriously? And then the Focus Session thing? I can't even believe it exists-- a tool that YOU set up to -- enforce self control on yourself?? Requiring self control? Is attention deficiency disorder really so wide spread in 2024 this needed adding?

Why burden users tying this stuff to what used to be a functional date + time for 40 years.... Really can't believe this stuff. Fix it - let us remove this -- stuff. I can't conceptualize how any of this was considered a good idea let alone achieved.

Remove this or give us an option.
j2024 5 Reputation points

2024-12-21T06:25:42.5633333+00:00

This entire situation is so absurdly unbelievably bad. How any of this horrifying decision making actually passed qa and manifested is actually blowing my mind.
I hate this operating system so much.
j2024 5 Reputation points

2024-12-21T06:26:25.8733333+00:00

Windows 11 is psychological warfare against decent men
j2024 5 Reputation points

2024-12-21T06:28:53.5933333+00:00

It's so unbelievably terribly bad that it's more realistically sabotage of windows or terrorism of it's consumers bc I'm learning Linux over this.
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
Dave_B 0 Reputation points

2025-03-24T18:49:57.5233333+00:00

Exactly!!! I used to love Microsoft (MS), and now I hate them as they are turning into Apple forcing product users to consume ONLY the products and services within their Microsoft Ecosystem. Any 3rd party use of apps, products, or services within the Windows operating system are diminished from MS FORCING windows users to KEEP certain PC Files, and Software programs so they can PROFIT off of their spying activities of the users sending them product offers, ads, or collecting privacy data the users didn't want to experience. For example, the NOTIFICATION BOX PURPOSELY LEFT BIG AND BLANK HANGING OVER THE CALENDAR, KNOWING IT IS ANNOYING AS HELL...

SOLUTION: DO NOT GIVE 1 COMPANY THE BUSINESS OF SERVICINGALL OF YOUR SOFTWARE NEEDS, OR SOFTWARE PRIVACY NEEDS CONTAINING SENSITIVE DATA AND ACTIVITIES. CREATE CHECKS AND BALANCES USING CONTROL GROUPS OR LEVELS, ISOLATING PRIVATE DATA ACTIVITIES BETWEEN SEPARATE PROVIDERS, CHECKING UPON ONE ANOTHER, AND DIVERSIFYING THE VENDORS AND PROVIDERS... FOR EXAMPLE, I ROTATE PASSWORD VAULT PROVIDERS, ANTIVIRUS, SEPERATE FROM MY VPN, USE PRIVACY BROWSERS, AND SEPERATE COMPUTERS FOR SEPARATE TASKS. I USE SEPERATE NETWORKING COMPANY WITH ABILITY TO ADD STAND ALONE FIREWALL, WHICH ALSO ALLOWS MY VPN. NOW I WILL CHANGE MY COMPUTERS AND OPERATING SYSTEM - FOR ALL FINANCIAL, OR SENSITIVE COMMUNICATIONS, AND WORK, I WILL USE LINUX, OR A VERSION OF LINUX (BASED ON BUSINESS OR INTEREST YOU ARE IN OR PREFERENCE), LIKE UBUNTU FOR BUSINESSES IS PROBABLY THE BEST VERSION OF LINUX, BUT I HAVE CURRENTLY POPOS, ALSO A VERSION OF LINUX. BUT I PLAN TO CREATE DOZENS OF VIRTUAL MACHINES, TO HANDLE ALL MY WORKLOADS, APPLICATIONS, AND SEPERATE LEVELS, OR CATEGORIES OF MY TASKS/ WORKLOAD… THIS IS GREAT FOR SECURITY, SPEED, EFFICIENCY, COST, AND BEST OF ALL CUSTOMIZABLE SOFTWARE WITH THE BEST PRIVACY PROTECTION AVAILABLE!
April Wales 20 Reputation points

2025-07-23T21:55:27.91+00:00

I finally bit the bullet and upgraded to windows 11 and boy am I SORRY! What the heck is this stupid notification box above my useful calendar. Who the hell wants to be told every second that someone emailed them??? Just check your damn email! I want to get rid of this box completely and have my calendar the way it used to be. Can someone please answer this question???
Steve T 0 Reputation points

2026-03-10T01:31:03.29+00:00

I would also like to remove the notification tab & focus timer as I have no need of them, and when I open the calendar it often pops up minimised like this

As though I clicked the calendar button to see anything other than the calendar? This feels like a solution to a problem or need that didn't exist. Just let me see what day it is, please.

6 answers

Anonymous

2023-04-03T15:19:46.96+00:00

Kind of ironic I have to waste time trying to get rid of this "Focus Assist" garbage from what was a useful and simple calendar and clock.
Hanna, Tom L 20 Reputation points

2023-04-30T20:06:40.48+00:00

Right! Give me liberty from this damn alarm or give me....a Mac.
Martin Janíček 10 Reputation points

2023-10-16T08:28:40.4966667+00:00

Very true, MS tries to make things more complicated and kind of screwed with each release of their system
Mindy Bowen 115 Reputation points

2023-11-13T17:18:37.93+00:00

I don't think the person trying to answer understands the question. We want the entire UI container for those potential notifications gone --or at least moved somewhere else. When I open datetime + calendar, I only want datetime & calendar functions --nothing else. It is distracting --I forget why I went into the menu to begin with when those unrelated items are there. I added a photo to hopefully clarify what is going on.
RDiaz-67 60 Reputation points

2024-03-29T16:33:30.7833333+00:00

How come this is not an easy option to turn off? Most of our users HATE This. And by the way as others have noted at least in WIN11 enterprise Focus Assist is not there.
Anonymous

2024-06-05T09:32:38.56+00:00

"updates" like this annoy me to no end
Michael Grimsley 5 Reputation points

2024-07-01T14:46:19.9333333+00:00

I agree. I am not a fan. Even with the Show the timer in the clock app is unchecked, it still shows under the calendar.
Michael Grimsley 5 Reputation points

2024-07-01T14:49:27.6766667+00:00

I agree. They should give the option to enable instead of making it default. Even though I unchecked Show the timer in the Clock app, it still shows.
Elena Svancarova 5 Reputation points

2024-11-08T14:59:40.57+00:00

I guess you have to present some new features with every new release but why on Earth do you make it so difficult or impossible for users to turn them off?
j2024 5 Reputation points

2024-12-21T06:24:18.48+00:00

Who could've thought to make a "notification box" that has the capacity to take up 5% of my 32 inch screen to display "no notifications" - on top - have the horrible idea to tie it to date and time, and make it unremovable? Seriously? And then the Focus Session thing? I can't even believe it exists-- a tool that YOU set up to -- enforce self control on yourself?? Requiring self control? Is attention deficiency disorder really so wide spread in 2024 this needed adding?

Why burden users tying this stuff to what used to be a functional date + time for 40 years.... Really can't believe this stuff. Fix it - let us remove this -- stuff. I can't conceptualize how any of this was considered a good idea let alone achieved.

Remove this or give us an option.
j2024 5 Reputation points

2024-12-21T06:25:42.5633333+00:00

This entire situation is so absurdly unbelievably bad. How any of this horrifying decision making actually passed qa and manifested is actually blowing my mind.
I hate this operating system so much.
j2024 5 Reputation points

2024-12-21T06:26:25.8733333+00:00

Windows 11 is psychological warfare against decent men
j2024 5 Reputation points

2024-12-21T06:28:53.5933333+00:00

It's so unbelievably terribly bad that it's more realistically sabotage of windows or terrorism of it's consumers bc I'm learning Linux over this.
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
Dave_B 0 Reputation points

2025-03-24T18:49:57.5233333+00:00

Exactly!!! I used to love Microsoft (MS), and now I hate them as they are turning into Apple forcing product users to consume ONLY the products and services within their Microsoft Ecosystem. Any 3rd party use of apps, products, or services within the Windows operating system are diminished from MS FORCING windows users to KEEP certain PC Files, and Software programs so they can PROFIT off of their spying activities of the users sending them product offers, ads, or collecting privacy data the users didn't want to experience. For example, the NOTIFICATION BOX PURPOSELY LEFT BIG AND BLANK HANGING OVER THE CALENDAR, KNOWING IT IS ANNOYING AS HELL...

SOLUTION: DO NOT GIVE 1 COMPANY THE BUSINESS OF SERVICINGALL OF YOUR SOFTWARE NEEDS, OR SOFTWARE PRIVACY NEEDS CONTAINING SENSITIVE DATA AND ACTIVITIES. CREATE CHECKS AND BALANCES USING CONTROL GROUPS OR LEVELS, ISOLATING PRIVATE DATA ACTIVITIES BETWEEN SEPARATE PROVIDERS, CHECKING UPON ONE ANOTHER, AND DIVERSIFYING THE VENDORS AND PROVIDERS... FOR EXAMPLE, I ROTATE PASSWORD VAULT PROVIDERS, ANTIVIRUS, SEPERATE FROM MY VPN, USE PRIVACY BROWSERS, AND SEPERATE COMPUTERS FOR SEPARATE TASKS. I USE SEPERATE NETWORKING COMPANY WITH ABILITY TO ADD STAND ALONE FIREWALL, WHICH ALSO ALLOWS MY VPN. NOW I WILL CHANGE MY COMPUTERS AND OPERATING SYSTEM - FOR ALL FINANCIAL, OR SENSITIVE COMMUNICATIONS, AND WORK, I WILL USE LINUX, OR A VERSION OF LINUX (BASED ON BUSINESS OR INTEREST YOU ARE IN OR PREFERENCE), LIKE UBUNTU FOR BUSINESSES IS PROBABLY THE BEST VERSION OF LINUX, BUT I HAVE CURRENTLY POPOS, ALSO A VERSION OF LINUX. BUT I PLAN TO CREATE DOZENS OF VIRTUAL MACHINES, TO HANDLE ALL MY WORKLOADS, APPLICATIONS, AND SEPERATE LEVELS, OR CATEGORIES OF MY TASKS/ WORKLOAD… THIS IS GREAT FOR SECURITY, SPEED, EFFICIENCY, COST, AND BEST OF ALL CUSTOMIZABLE SOFTWARE WITH THE BEST PRIVACY PROTECTION AVAILABLE!
April Wales 20 Reputation points

2025-07-23T21:55:27.91+00:00

I finally bit the bullet and upgraded to windows 11 and boy am I SORRY! What the heck is this stupid notification box above my useful calendar. Who the hell wants to be told every second that someone emailed them??? Just check your damn email! I want to get rid of this box completely and have my calendar the way it used to be. Can someone please answer this question???
Steve T 0 Reputation points

2026-03-10T01:31:03.29+00:00

I would also like to remove the notification tab & focus timer as I have no need of them, and when I open the calendar it often pops up minimised like this

As though I clicked the calendar button to see anything other than the calendar? This feels like a solution to a problem or need that didn't exist. Just let me see what day it is, please.

Answer 1

tori a 5

I found this on reddit and used it successfully:

use windhawk
install "Windows 11 Notification Center Styler" mod
go to mod setting
add this to target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#NotificationCenterGrid
add this to its styles: Visibility=Collapsed

https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows11/comments/1e4ihiq/remove_unnecessary_notification_box/

0 comments

Answer 2

The Focus/Notifications area cannot be removed through the normal Windows 11 Settings options. Turning off Focus Assist only changes how notifications are handled; it does not remove the UI container that appears when clicking the date/time.

If your goal is to keep the calendar/date and time but hide the Notifications/Focus section, you can customize the Windows 11 shell using Windhawk:

Install Windhawk.

Open Windhawk and install the Windows 11 Notification Center Styler mod.

Open the mod's settings.

Add the following element to the Target:

Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#NotificationCenterGrid

Under Styles, add:

Visibility=Collapsed

Apply the changes and reopen the date/time flyout.

This hides the Notification Center container while leaving the calendar/date and time interface available.

Important: Windhawk is a third-party customization tool, so this is not an official Windows-supported configuration. Windows updates can also potentially change the relevant UI elements and require the customization to be adjusted.

If Microsoft adds a native setting to display only the calendar/time flyout in a future Windows 11 update, that would be preferable to a third-party shell modification.The Focus/Notifications area cannot be removed through the normal Windows 11 Settings options. Turning off Focus Assist only changes how notifications are handled; it does not remove the UI container that appears when clicking the date/time.

If your goal is to keep the calendar/date and time but hide the Notifications/Focus section, you can customize the Windows 11 shell using Windhawk:

Install Windhawk.

Open Windhawk and install the Windows 11 Notification Center Styler mod.

Open the mod's settings.

Add the following element to the Target:

Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#NotificationCenterGrid

Under Styles, add:

Visibility=Collapsed

Apply the changes and reopen the date/time flyout.

This hides the Notification Center container while leaving the calendar/date and time interface available.

Important: Windhawk is a third-party customization tool, so this is not an official Windows-supported configuration. Windows updates can also potentially change the relevant UI elements and require the customization to be adjusted.

If Microsoft adds a native setting to display only the calendar/time flyout in a future Windows 11 update, that would be preferable to a third-party shell modification.

Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
JuliaMarvin 22,005 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-03T11:30:43.67+00:00

@Muhammad Bilal Khan
Please refrain from resurrecting old threads. See: [Article] Community Tip: Get the most out of active questions
Also please read https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/support/ai-usage-policy as well as https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/support/code-of-conduct

Answer 3

Limitless Technology 45,246

Hello there,

You can the focus assist .

Use the search feature to open the Settings application, go into System and then click on Focus assist. You then have three options, to either disable or enable the feature:

Off: Show all notifications.

Priority only: Hide all notifications, except from apps in your priority list, which you can customize.

Alarms only: Hide all notifications, except for alarms.

--If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept it as an answer--

Pooja Sharma 40 Reputation points

2023-05-27T08:16:21.06+00:00

There is no such option as Focus assist under system. There is a focus, under which there is no option to disable
Pooja Sharma 40 Reputation points

2023-05-27T08:16:49.5866667+00:00

Focus.jpg
Chris Annal 35 Reputation points

2023-10-24T03:54:57.21+00:00

Wrong. In Windows 11, in the Settings->System->Focus dialog, the only option available to me is "Start Focus session". Lovely.
Ef 20 Reputation points

2024-10-06T08:42:01.65+00:00

Hi thanks
I disable also as you showed in the picture, but the focus still appears when opening the calendar. Further more, where is the clock that was bigger in the calendrer menu.
Very not user friendly this 11 in my opinion
Corvas RavensClaw 15 Reputation points

2025-08-13T22:05:13.51+00:00

My company just forced us to move to Win11, and instantly lost HUNDREDS of hours of work, as everyone has to undo the annoying and pointless changes.

I turned off all notifications through Windows. If I want to be notified of something, the app that I'm using does it just fine. I don't need double the notifications.

Now, how do I make that annoying and always empty box go away? In Win10 it was in a different spot from the calendar, and I could just ignore that other little icon. Now when I want to check the date next month, I'm forced to suffer with an empty notifications box in the way.
MicroBev 10 Reputation points

2025-10-21T00:53:55.84+00:00

Nothing above tells how to eliminate the darn Notifications box or eliminate FOCUS.

The DNA in those who create Microsoft Windows 11 is the same as the DNA in the ancient men who eliminated 90% of the other males on the planet; so they could be in control.

Answer 4

Deleted

This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.

Comments have been turned off. Learn more

Answer 5

Deleted

This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.

Comments have been turned off. Learn more