How to Enable Focus Assist in Windows 10
With the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, there is a new feature called Focus Assist, this new feature is design to help you stay in the zone.
Focus Assist helps you get more done by easily blocking notifications, sounds, and alerts to create distraction-free work times. This is helpful if you’re giving a presentation or trying to focus on a paper, you can use Focus Assist to block interruptions or distractions.
Focus assist isn't a new feature with the Windows 10 April 2018 update (version 1803), and it was previously known as Quiet hours. However, with a new name, you're now getting new options to customize the experience, including the ability to automatically pick those times when you don't want to be bothered with automatic rules.
How to Enable Focus Assist
You can enable or disable focus assist in at least two different ways.
You can control Focus Assist from the Action Center. Here's how:
1. Click the
Action Center button in the notification area.
2. Click on Focus assist icon, to turn on Focus assist with Priority only option, to switch on Alarms only option click on Focus assist icon, and click on Focus assist icon to turn off Focus assist.
Alternatively, you can control focus assist using the Action Center context menu. Here's how:
1. Right-click the Action Center button in the notification area.
2. Select Focus assist.
Choose from one of the available options:
How to set up Focus assist options
You can configure a priority list of Focus assist that lets you decide which notifications from apps, calls, texts, and people are allowed to bypass the feature to prevent missing out on an important event.
To configure your priority list do the following:
1. Press Windows + I keys to open Settings app.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Focus assist.
4. Under "Focus assist," click the Customize your priority list link.
5. At the "Calls, texts, and reminders" section, allows Cortana to show notifications for missed calls, texts, and messages from apps. Options available, include:
6. At the "People" section, you can select the contacts that are allowed to show notifications while focus assist is enabled. To allow a particular contact to show notifications, simply click the Add contacts button, and select the person you want.
7. At the "Apps" section, you can select the apps that are permitted to break through your quiet hours. To allow apps to show notifications, simply click the Add an app button, and select the app from the list. (You can only add Microsoft Store apps to your list.)
After these steps completed, when enabling Focus assist using your priority list, only the calls, apps, and people you have configured will break through and show notifications.
How to manage Focus assist automatic rules
You can use automatic rules to select the times and activities during which you don't want to be bothered.
To manage automatic rules, do the following:
1. Press Windows + I keys to open Settings app.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Focus assist.
4. Under "Automatic rules," turn on the toggle switch for the rule you want to use.
6. After enabling the rules you want, click the rule to customize it.
Finally, you'll see an option at the bottom of the settings page to show a summary of the notifications you may have missed while focus assist was enabled.
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Focus Assist helps you get more done by easily blocking notifications, sounds, and alerts to create distraction-free work times. This is helpful if you’re giving a presentation or trying to focus on a paper, you can use Focus Assist to block interruptions or distractions.
Focus assist isn't a new feature with the Windows 10 April 2018 update (version 1803), and it was previously known as Quiet hours. However, with a new name, you're now getting new options to customize the experience, including the ability to automatically pick those times when you don't want to be bothered with automatic rules.
How to Enable Focus Assist
You can enable or disable focus assist in at least two different ways.
You can control Focus Assist from the Action Center. Here's how:
1. Click the
Action Center button in the notification area.2. Click on Focus assist icon, to turn on Focus assist with Priority only option, to switch on Alarms only option click on Focus assist icon, and click on Focus assist icon to turn off Focus assist.
Alternatively, you can control focus assist using the Action Center context menu. Here's how:
1. Right-click the
Action Center button in the notification area.2. Select Focus assist.
Choose from one of the available options:
- Off.
- Priority only.
- Alarms only.
How to set up Focus assist options
You can configure a priority list of Focus assist that lets you decide which notifications from apps, calls, texts, and people are allowed to bypass the feature to prevent missing out on an important event.
To configure your priority list do the following:
1. Press Windows + I keys to open Settings app.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Focus assist.
4. Under "Focus assist," click the Customize your priority list link.
5. At the "Calls, texts, and reminders" section, allows Cortana to show notifications for missed calls, texts, and messages from apps. Options available, include:
6. At the "People" section, you can select the contacts that are allowed to show notifications while focus assist is enabled. To allow a particular contact to show notifications, simply click the Add contacts button, and select the person you want.
7. At the "Apps" section, you can select the apps that are permitted to break through your quiet hours. To allow apps to show notifications, simply click the Add an app button, and select the app from the list. (You can only add Microsoft Store apps to your list.)
After these steps completed, when enabling Focus assist using your priority list, only the calls, apps, and people you have configured will break through and show notifications.
How to manage Focus assist automatic rules
You can use automatic rules to select the times and activities during which you don't want to be bothered.
To manage automatic rules, do the following:
1. Press Windows + I keys to open Settings app.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Focus assist.
4. Under "Automatic rules," turn on the toggle switch for the rule you want to use.
6. After enabling the rules you want, click the rule to customize it.
Finally, you'll see an option at the bottom of the settings page to show a summary of the notifications you may have missed while focus assist was enabled.
Did you find this tutorial helpful? Don’t forget to share your views with us.