How to Enable or Disable Mobile Device Notification Previews on Hover in Start Menu on Windows 11
Mobile device notification previews in the Windows 11 Start menu let you see alerts from your phone directly on your PC. These previews appear when you hover your mouse over your phone’s icon in the Start menu, showing things like battery status or new messages.
This handy feature uses the Phone Link app, which connects your phone to your Windows computer. Microsoft continues to update Phone Link, adding these convenient previews to help you stay informed without switching devices.
You can turn mobile device notification previews on or off. If notification previews are not showing up for your connected phone, or if you prefer to hide them, this guide explains how to manage notification preview settings.
Open the Phone Link app, click the settings gear icon, select “Start menu personalization,” and toggle “Notification previews” on or off under the “Notifications” section to control what you see in the Start menu.
Control Notification Previews in the Start Menu
Now that your phone is linked, let’s manage the notification previews on your Start menu. Here you decide if you want to see the full content of your phone’s alerts or just a quick summary.
Step 1Go to Phone Link Settings
With your phone linked and visible in the Phone Link app, locate the settings icon. It usually looks like a small gear or cogwheel. Clicking this opens the Phone Link app’s settings menu, allowing you to adjust how your phone interacts with your PC.
Step 2Find Start Menu Settings
In the Phone Link settings, look for an option related to how your phone displays or is managed on the Windows Start menu. Click on “Start menu personalization.” This section lets you control how your phone appears and what information it shows on your Start menu.
Step 3Change Notification Preview Settings
In the Start menu personalization settings for your phone, find the Notifications section. Here, you can control how much of your phone’s notifications show when they appear in the Windows 11 Start menu. Look for the ‘Notification previews’ option to decide if you want to see the full message or just a summary.
- Turn On Notification Previews: If you want to see the full content of your phone’s notifications when you hover over your phone’s icon in the Start menu, make sure this option is turned ON. This is usually the default.
- Turn Off Notification Previews: If you don’t want to see the full details of your notifications on the Start menu, turn this option OFF. You’ll still get notifications, but you’ll need to open the Phone Link app or check your phone to see the full message.
Step 4Save Your Changes
After adjusting the “Notification previews” setting, your changes are typically saved automatically. There’s no need to click a separate “Save” button. You can now test it out!
Summary
Your Windows 11 Start menu can show notifications from your connected phone using the Phone Link app. You can choose to see the full notification content when you hover over your phone’s icon by turning on ‘Notification previews’ in the app’s settings. Turning this off keeps your notifications private and less distracting.
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Richard
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Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.
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