How to Enable Focus Assist in Windows 10

Focus Assist (formerly Quiet Hours) is a useful feature of Windows 10. When enabled, notifications are suppressed. If you are doing something important like giving a presentation or something urgent where you don't want to be distracted, you can enable Focus Assist. In this article, we will review different methods of how it can be done.

The Focus Assist Quiet Hours feature is useful at certain times when you don’t want to be interrupted by notifications from Windows app and need to stay focused on what you’re doing.

Microsoft describes this feature as follows:

• Quiet Hours will automatically turn on when you are duplicating your display. Never get interrupted during presentations again!
• Quiet Hours will turn on automatically when you are playing a full screen exclusive DirectX game.
• You can set the schedule that works for you so that Quiet Hours are always on when you want them. Go to Settings > Quiet Hours to configure your schedule.
• Customize your own priority list so that your important people and apps always breakthrough when Quiet Hours are on. People pinned to your task bar with always break through!
• See a summary of what you missed while you were in Quiet Hours.
• If you’re using Cortana, you can also have Quiet Hours turn on while you’re at home.

To enable Focus Assist in Windows 10, do the following.

1. Right-click the Action Center icon on the taskbar.
2. In the context menu, go to the command Focus Assist.
3. In the submenu, select either Priority list or Alarms only.
4. To disable this feature, select the Off command.

The context menu of the Action Center taskbar icon is the fastest way to enable or disable the Focus Assist feature.

Alternatively, you can enable Focus Assist Quiet Hours in the Settings app. Here is how it can be done.

Enable Focus Assist Quiet Hours in the Settings app

Step 1: Open the Settings app.

Step 2: Navigate to System - Focus Assist.

Step 3: On the right, enable one of the options Priority list or Alarms only to enable Focus Assist.

Step 4: The option Off will disable the feature.

Tip: To configure extra features of Focus Assist, please refer to the following articles.

• Change Focus Assist Priority List in Windows 10
• Change Focus Assist Automatic Rules in Windows 10

That's it.

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