Toast Notifications - Enable or Disable in Windows 8

How to Enable or Disable App Toast Notifications in Windows 8 and 8.1


information   Information
Toast notifications in Windows 8 are balloon type notifications that appear as a themed bar in the upper right corner of your main display to allow a Metro app to communicate with the user whether the user is in another app, on the Start screen, on the desktop, or on the lock screen.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable app toast notifications for applications for all or specified users in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

Note   Note

  • If you disable toast notifications in Windows 8 or Windows RT, the Notifications option will be removed from PC settings.
  • If you enable toast notifications, toast notifications can be turned on or off by the administrator or user.
  • This policy does not affect taskbar notification balloons.
  • Windows system features are not affected by this policy. You must enable/disable system features individually to stop their ability to display toast notifications.


EXAMPLE: "PC Settings" with Toast Notifcations Enabled and Disabled
App_Notifications.jpg
App_Notifications_Disabled.jpg






OPTION ONE

Enable or Disable "Toast Notifications" using a REG File Download



Note   Note
The .reg files below are for the registry key and value below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PushNotifications

NoToastApplicationNotification DWORD

0 = Enable toast notificaitons
1 = Disable toast notificaitons


1. Do step 2 or 3 below for what you would like to do.​
2. To Enable "Toast Notifications" for Only Current User
NOTE: This is the default setting.​
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.​
Enable_Toast_Notifications.reg
download
B) Go to step 4 below.​
3. To Disable "Toast Notifications" for Only Current User
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.​
Disable_Toast_Notifications.reg
download
B) Go to step 4 below.​
4. Save the .reg file to the desktop.​
5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to Merge it.​
6. If prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK.​
7. Restart Explorer, log off and on, or restart the computer to apply.​
8. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.​







OPTION TWO

Enable or Disable "Toast Notifications" in Group Policy


1. Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied.​
2. In the left pane, click/tap on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Start Menu and Taskbar, and open Notifications. (see screenshot below)​
GPEDIT-A.jpg
3. In the right pane of Notifications, double click/tap on Turn off toast notifications. (see screenshot above)​
4. Do step 5 or 6 below for what you would like to do.​
5. To Enable "Toast Notifications"
A) Select (dot) Disabled or Not Configured, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 6A)​
NOTE: Not Configured is the default setting.​
6. To Disable "Toast Notifications"
A) Select (dot) Enabled, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)​
GPEDIT-B.jpg
7. You can now close the Local Group Policy Editor window if you like.​

That's it,
Shawn


 

Attachments

  • Enable_Toast_Notifications.reg
    676 bytes · Views: 2,777
  • Disable_Toast_Notifications.reg
    702 bytes · Views: 1,726
  • Notification_Area_Icons.png
    Notification_Area_Icons.png
    3.4 KB · Views: 276
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