How to disable Notification and Action Center in Windows 10

The new Notification & Action Center in Windows 10 looks great. The Action Center is split into two major sections - Notifications and Quick Actions and lets you take a look at all the notifications from all different apps, and even the system. But if you wish, you can disable Action Center in Windows 10. Let us see how to do it by tweaking the Windows Registry or the Group Policy Editor. But before that, we will see how to hide its icon only via Settings.

Hide Action Center icon in Taskbar

If you wish to simply hide the Action Center icon which appears on the extreme right side of the Taskbar, open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.

Here, click on the Turn system icons on or off link and then toggle the switch against Action Center to the Off position.

This will hide the Action Center icon right away.

If you wish to open Action Center, you will have to use Win+A keyboard shortcut.

Disable Action Center in Windows 10

Using Registry Editor

First, create a system restore point and then right-click on Start button to open the WinX Menu.

Select Run, and in the space provided, type regedit and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.

Having done that, navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

Now, right-click on the empty space in the right pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit).

Name it DisableNotificationCenter.

Now, double-click on it and give it a value of 1.

Click on OK and exit the Registry Editor.

Using Group Policy Editor

If your version of Windows 10 ships with the Group Policy Editor, Run gpedit.msc and navigate to the following setting:

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Now in the right pane, double-click on Remove notifications and Action Center and select the Enabled option. Click Apply and Exit.

By following these instructions, you will have disabled the Notification and Action Center in Windows 10.

Restart your computer to see the change.

You will find that the Action Center is missing from the taskbar!

To enable Action Center back, simply delete DisableNotificationCenter or change its value to 0 and restart your Windows 10 PC.