Thank you for the screenshot, disable these 4 settings, then restart (not shut down) your PC and check if that resolves the problem.
disturbing bell icon -system tray
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(41.6, 67%, 14%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EPE%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Patrick E
0
Reputation points
I have tried to get rid of the do not disturb bell in my system tray. I have turned off all I can think of. I want the time and date in the system tray, nothing more.
Windows for home | Windows 11 | Desktop, Start, and personalization | Desktop
3 answers
Sort by: Most helpful
-
DaveM121 939.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor2026-10-13T15:26:27.1966667+00:00 -
Patrick E 0 Reputation points
2026-10-13T17:15:15.76+00:00 I did what you said.
It's been more than an hour. So far, so good, the bell is gone.
Question:
In your previous message why did you say to restart, rather than to shutdown?
-
DaveM121 939.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-10-13T17:21:02.0533333+00:00 For many problems with Windows and to apply new settings in Windows it is always best to restart your PC, not shut it down, because that is the only working method to flush out the RAM, because Windows uses a process named Quick Startup that writes the current state of Windows to the drive when you shut the PC down and then reads that back when you start Windows again.
Sign in to comment -
-
DaveM121 939.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-10-13T12:22:03.25+00:00 Open the Settings App.
Go to System - Notifications.
Expand the Notifications section.
In there, disable this setting - 'Show Notification Bell icon'.
Does that not remove the annoying bell icon on your taskbar?
-
Patrick E 0 Reputation points
2026-10-13T13:31:53.4266667+00:00 It does for maybe an hour or so. But there it is again, in the system – notifications, the do not disturb is turned back on.
-
Patrick E 0 Reputation points
2026-10-13T13:42:22.7633333+00:00 Thanks, for taking the time to respond.
-
DaveM121 939.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-10-13T13:45:09.9633333+00:00 Thank you for that information.
Click your Start Button, type regedit and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
Click View and make sure 'Address Bar' is turned on.
Paste this into the Address Bar at the top and hit Enter.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\FocusAssist
Please provide a screenshot of that Registry Editor page.
-
-
DaveM121 939.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-10-13T14:12:51.1666667+00:00 Thank you for the screenshot.
In the registry editor, paste this into the address bar (indicated below) and press Enter, then please provide a screenshot of that window.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\FocusAssist
-
Patrick E 0 Reputation points
2026-10-13T14:43:42.7433333+00:00 Sigh. The regedit appear different than when i opened it at 9:45am.
Now it looks like this:
I typed this in
-
DaveM121 939.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-10-13T14:49:08.6933333+00:00 Did you press Enter on your keyboard after pasting that into the address bar in the registry editor to navigate to that folder.
-
Patrick E 0 Reputation points
2026-10-13T14:51:38.0766667+00:00 yeah, the interface between you and I is buggy.
and this was the result:
-
DaveM121 939.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-10-13T14:59:27.9466667+00:00 Okay, thank you for the screenshot, there is no problem indicated there.This is very strange.
Open the Settings App.
Go to System - Notifications.
Expand the 'Turn on Do Not Disturb Automatically' section.
Please provide a screenshot of that window.
Sign in to comment -