This guide will help you easily add or remove the little notification bell icon that appears near the clock on your Windows 11 taskbar.

The notification bell shows up in the system tray (bottom-right corner). When you get new notifications, the bell lights up with your system color. If you don’t have any notifications, the bell looks empty and quiet.

You can choose to show or hide this bell icon anytime you want.

Option 1: Use Settings to Add or Remove the Notification Bell

1. Open Settings: Press Windows key + I on your keyboard.
2. On the left side, click System.
3. On the right side, click Notifications.
4. Or simply click this link to open Notifications settings directly: Open Notifications Settings

5. Click the arrow next to Notifications to expand the options.
6. Check the box for Show notification bell icon to add the bell to your taskbar, or uncheck it to remove the bell.

Once done, you can close the Settings window. Your changes will take effect right away.

Option 2: Add or Remove the Notification Bell Using Registry Files

Note: This method is for more advanced users. It won’t work if your computer has Administrator protection enabled.

To add the notification bell (this is the default setting):

reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v ShowNotificationIcon /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

To remove the notification bell:

reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v ShowNotificationIcon /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Option 3: Manually Change the Setting Using Registry Editor

Important: Editing the registry can cause problems if you make mistakes. Please be careful and consider backing up your registry first.

1. Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to this location in Registry Editor’s left sidebar:
   
   HKEY_USERS\SID\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
3. Note: Replace <SID> with your user account’s SID number.
4. In the right pane, double-click ShowNotificationIcon.
5. Change the value data to:
   • 1 to show the notification bell.
   • 0 to hide the notification bell.
6. Click OK.
7. Close Registry Editor.

That’s it! Now you know how to add or remove the notification bell icon on your Windows 11 taskbar.

Conclusion

In summary, adding or removing the notification bell icon on your Windows 11 taskbar can be done easily through several methods. Here are the key points to remember:

• Settings Method: Access the Settings app to quickly toggle the notification bell on or off.
• Registry Files: Advanced users can use registry files to enable or disable the bell, but ensure you have the appropriate permissions.
• Registry Editor: For a more manual approach, the Registry Editor allows you to adjust the notification bell settings directly, but caution is advised to avoid errors.
• Immediate Changes: Any adjustments made will take effect immediately after you save your changes.
• User Choice: The ability to show or hide the notification bell icon offers flexibility based on your preferences and needs.

With these methods, you can customize your taskbar to fit your workflow!