How to Turn On or Off the Notifications Bell Icon in Windows 11

What is the Notifications Bell Icon?

The notifications bell icon appears on the taskbar 🖥️ (bottom of your screen) when fresh messages or reminders arrive. Unread alerts trigger a solid symbol, while an empty bell indicates a clean slate alongside your system clock.

How to Enable or Disable the Notifications Bell Icon (Easy Way)

A free command-line utility called ViVeTool handles this toggle without requiring deep dives into hidden menus. This method lets you manage alerts by adding or removing the bell icon directly from your taskbar 🖥️.

1. Go to this page and download ViVeTool.
2. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator:

   • Click the Start button ⊞, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator. ⚠️ Admin privileges required
3. In the Command Prompt, type this command and press Enter:
   
   vivetool /enable /id:49082522
4. Restart your 🔄 computer to apply the change.
5. Now, open Settings ⚙️ by pressing Win+I.
6. Click Personalization on the left, then choose Taskbar on the right.
7. Click Taskbar behaviors to open more options.
8. Check or uncheck the box for Show notifications bell icon to turn it on or off.
9. Close Settings when done.

How to Show or Hide Notifications Bell Using Windows Registry (Advanced Users)

For those comfortable with advanced utilities, editing the Windows Registry provides another path to show or hide the icon. System tweaks demand precision here, as registry modifications carry inherent risks.

1. Open the Registry Editor:

   • Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter. ⚠️ Admin privileges required
   • If asked for permission, click Yes.
2. Go to this folder (key): Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
3. Look for a setting named ShowNotificationIcon in the right pane.
4. If it exists, double-click it and set its value to:

   • 1 to show the notifications bell
   • 0 to hide the notifications bell
5. If it doesn't exist:

   • Right-click on a blank spot in the right pane.
   • Choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
   • Name it ShowNotificationIcon.
   • Double-click it and set the value to 1 or 0 as above.
6. Close the Registry Editor and restart your PC to see the changes.

Summary

Taskbar alerts remain visible at a glance once configured properly. Keeping this feature active ensures important notices never slip past unnoticed, though the clock display shortens slightly to accommodate the extra icon.

What happens after you make the change? Once enabled, the bell will show your notifications and a shorter clock on the taskbar.

• You can turn the notifications bell icon on or off on your Windows 11 taskbar.
• The easiest way is by using the free ViVeTool app and then adjusting Taskbar settings.
• If you're comfortable with advanced tools, you can also enable or disable it using the Windows Registry Editor.
• That's all! Enjoy customizing your Windows 11 experience.