Manage Outlook Notifications for Documents and Edits

Outlook document notifications are pop-up alerts that tell you when someone comments on, edits, or mentions you in a shared file such as a Word document or Excel spreadsheet. They run separately from your regular email messages, so you can follow team projects without digging through your inbox.

You can turn these alerts off, or leave them on and control which ones you get. Either way, you cut down on interruptions and still see the updates that matter.

Turn on or off notifications for document comments and mentions in Outlook

You can turn document notifications for comments, edits, and mentions on or off in the notification settings of the Outlook app. Doing so keeps unwanted alerts out of your way while you still hear about files you share with coworkers. The steps below use the new Outlook app for Windows, which has a Settings gear and a General section. Classic Outlook lays out its options differently, so you will not see the same screens there.

The whole process takes only a few steps.

1. Open the Outlook app from the Start menu or the taskbar 🖥️ search box 🔍. Wait for your mailbox to load.

2. Click the Settings gear icon in the top-right corner of the menu bar. The Settings ⚙️ window opens.

3. Click General in the sidebar, then select Notifications. The notification options appear on the right.

4. Find the section labeled Notifications in Outlook. A dropdown caret in this area controls the audio cues for incoming alerts. Open it if you want to change or silence the sound.
5. Check the main Notifications in Outlook switch. Every toggle below it depends on this switch being on. If it is off, the options under it will not work, even if they look enabled.

If alerts are not showing up at all, check these things in order:

1. Make sure Outlook is allowed to send alerts in Windows Notification settings.
2. Make sure Windows Focus settings and Battery Saver are both turned off. Either one can quietly block alerts, and the cause is easy to miss.

6. Verify that Notification in Outlook is active before you change the Calendar alert preferences.
7. Select the Documents tile. Its options open.
8. Move the toggle switch to the Off position to silence comment, edit, and mention alerts.

To bring those alerts back later, return to the same tile and move the toggle back to On. Nothing is lost by turning it off, so you can switch it back whenever you like.

9. Click the Save button at the bottom to apply your changes.

If the setting seems not to have taken effect, reopen Notifications and confirm the toggle still shows your choice. Checking your preferences now and then helps you stay informed without being buried in alerts.

• Setting up notifications for document comments, edits, and mentions lets you see updates in the way you prefer.
• Fewer alerts means fewer distractions while you work.
• Review your notification preferences from time to time, especially when your projects or team change.
• Customizing the alerts to match how you work makes Outlook less noisy and easier to use.