In Windows 10, “quiet hours” is now called Focus assist. To change when it activates, open Start > Settings > System > Focus assist, then edit the entries under Automatic rules. The During these times rule controls a schedule, repeat days and which notifications can still appear. Other rules can activate Focus assist when you duplicate your display, play a game or use an app in full-screen mode.
What Windows 10 calls quiet hours now
Quiet hours was the earlier name for Windows 10’s notification-suppression feature. Microsoft now labels the feature Focus assist. Its purpose is to reduce distracting notifications while you work, play or present. The setting is still available through Windows 10’s System settings, but the wording you see depends on the Windows 10 release and whether a rule is enabled.
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Focus assist has three suppression levels:
| State | What it does | When it is useful |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Focus assist is not suppressing notifications. | Use it when you want normal notification behavior. |
| Priority only | Only notifications on your customizable allowed-notification list can get through. | Use it when you need selected people or apps to remain visible. |
| Alarms only | Everything is hidden except alarms. | Use it for the strictest interruption-free period. |
The state and the trigger are separate decisions. A rule can determine when Focus assist starts, while the rule’s notification level determines what is allowed during that period.
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Open the Automatic rules page
- Select the Start button.
- Open Settings.
- Select System.
- Select Focus assist in the System navigation pane.
- Scroll to Automatic rules.
Each condition in this section has its own switch. Turn a switch off to prevent that condition from activating Focus assist. Select the condition itself to edit its schedule, suppression level or other available options.
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Before changing anything, scan the entire Automatic rules list. A schedule may not be the reason Focus assist is activating: display duplication, a game or a full-screen app can also be responsible.
Change scheduled quiet hours with “During these times”
The During these times rule is the Windows 10 schedule for quiet hours. It lets you define a start time, an end time, the days on which the schedule repeats and the notification types that remain allowed.
- On the Focus assist page, locate During these times under Automatic rules.
- Select During these times to open its options.
- Turn the rule on if you want a recurring schedule, or turn it off if you want to stop scheduled activation.
- Set the Start time.
- Set the End time.
- Choose the days on which the schedule should repeat.
- Choose the notification level or notification types that are allowed while the schedule is active.
- Select the check mark to save the time changes.
The schedule applies only on the repeat days you select. If a day is not selected, the time range does not activate the rule on that day. For an overnight period, set the beginning of the quiet period as the start time and the following morning as the end time, then verify the selected days so the recurrence matches your routine.
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Select Priority only when you need a filtered set of alerts rather than complete silence. Priority only uses a customizable allowed-notification list. Select Alarms only when no ordinary notification should appear during the scheduled period. Select Off if you want the rule listed but inactive.
Save and verify the time range
Windows 10’s time editor uses a check mark to save changes. Select it after changing the start or end time, then return to the Automatic rules list and confirm that During these times remains enabled. If the rule is enabled but notifications are not being suppressed, check the selected notification level and the repeat-day choices before changing other settings.
Review every automatic trigger
Automatic rules can activate Focus assist for situations that have nothing to do with a clock schedule. The following table shows what each trigger means and what to inspect.
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| Automatic rule | Trigger | Settings to review |
|---|---|---|
| During these times | The selected time range on selected repeat days. | On/off switch, start time, end time, repeat days and allowed notification types or level. |
| When I’m duplicating my display | Windows detects that your display is being duplicated. | Whether the condition activates Focus assist and the notification level available for that condition. |
| When I’m playing a game | Windows detects a game session. | Whether gaming activates Focus assist and the notification level available for the rule. |
| When I’m using an app in full-screen mode | An app is running in full-screen mode. | Whether full-screen use activates Focus assist and the notification level available for the condition. |
Display duplication
Select When I’m duplicating my display if presenting or mirroring a screen causes unexpected notification suppression. Turn its switch off when you want notifications to remain visible while duplicating. If you keep it enabled, inspect the notification level offered by that rule so a presentation does not hide alerts you still need.
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Gaming
Select When I’m playing a game to control the gaming trigger. Turn it off if Focus assist should not start during games. Leave it on when the purpose is to prevent interruptions during a game, and choose the available notification level for that condition.
Full-screen applications
Select When I’m using an app in full-screen mode to control behavior for full-screen software. This can affect a video player, a document viewer or another app even when no game is running. Disable the condition if full-screen use should not change notification behavior.
Stop Focus assist from turning on by itself
Unexpected activation usually means an Automatic rule is enabled. Use this check rather than changing unrelated notification settings:
- Open Start > Settings > System > Focus assist.
- Look at the switch for During these times. If the current time and day fall inside its schedule, turn the rule off or adjust the time and repeat days.
- Check When I’m duplicating my display if a monitor, projector or other display is being mirrored.
- Check When I’m playing a game if activation coincides with launching a game.
- Check When I’m using an app in full-screen mode if activation occurs when an app expands to full screen.
- Open each enabled condition and confirm its notification level. A rule may be active even when the visible effect is limited to certain notification types.
Microsoft documents an option to hide the Action Center message that Focus assist turned on automatically. If that message is distracting, use the corresponding option on the Focus assist page; hiding the message does not disable the rule itself.
Control the notification recap after quiet hours
Focus assist can show a recap when it ends. On the Focus assist page, select or clear Show me a summary of what I missed while focus assist was on. Clear the option when you do not want a post-focus summary. Leave it selected when reviewing missed notifications after a scheduled period is useful.
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This recap setting controls the summary, not the automatic triggers. To stop Focus assist from activating, change the relevant Automatic rule switch or its condition.
Focus assist rules versus ordinary notification settings
Focus assist controls notification suppression for specific situations. Windows 10 also has a separate page for changing how notifications work in general: Start > Settings > System > Notifications & actions.
Use Notifications & actions when the problem is an app’s normal notification behavior rather than an automatic Focus assist trigger. The page provides global notification controls and per-app settings, including whether an app can:
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- Show notification banners.
- Appear in Action Center.
- Play a notification sound.
For example, if one application continues to display banners whenever Focus assist is off, adjust that application under Notifications & actions. If notifications disappear only during a schedule, game, full-screen session or display duplication, adjust Focus assist instead.
Use a rule combination that matches your routine
There is no single best configuration; the useful combination depends on the trigger, recurrence and level of suppression you need. These examples show how to reason about the settings without changing more than necessary.
Nightly quiet hours
Enable During these times, set the evening start and morning end, select the days you follow that routine and choose Alarms only if alarms are the only interruption you want. If selected people or apps must remain visible, use Priority only and configure the allowed list instead.
Presentation or screen mirroring
Enable When I’m duplicating my display when mirroring should suppress interruptions. If you sometimes need notifications while duplicating, turn that rule off and rely on a schedule or another trigger only when appropriate.
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Gaming sessions
Enable When I’m playing a game when gaming should automatically reduce interruptions. Choose the available notification level for that condition and leave the schedule independent so the two rules do not alter each other’s timing.
Full-screen work or media
Enable When I’m using an app in full-screen mode when any full-screen session should reduce notifications. If a full-screen application is the source of unwanted suppression, disable this condition rather than changing every app’s notification permissions.
Selective interruption control
Use Priority only for any trigger when you need a curated set of alerts. Use Alarms only when the condition should hide all ordinary notifications. Use Off on a condition that should never activate Focus assist.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot a schedule that does not behave as expected
The schedule never starts
- Confirm the During these times switch is on.
- Check that the current day is one of the selected repeat days.
- Recheck the start and end times, then select the check mark to save them.
- Open the rule and verify that its notification level is not set to Off.
Focus assist activates outside the schedule
- Review display duplication, gaming and full-screen rules; any enabled condition can activate Focus assist independently.
- Turn off the condition that matches the moment activation occurs, or edit its notification level.
- Check whether an app has entered full-screen mode even though you did not intend to start a focus session.
Some notifications still appear
- Check whether the active rule uses Priority only, which intentionally permits notifications on the allowed list.
- If you want ordinary notifications hidden, change that rule to Alarms only.
- If the issue occurs while Focus assist is off, use Notifications & actions for the app’s banner, Action Center and sound settings.
The Action Center message is unwanted
Use the Focus assist option that hides the message explaining that Focus assist turned on automatically. This changes the message, not the underlying rule, so disable or edit the rule separately when activation itself is the problem.
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Search for Focus assist in Settings. Microsoft changed the feature’s name from quiet hours, but the Automatic rules page is where the schedule and situation-based conditions are edited.
Windows 10 support status
Microsoft says Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. After that date, Microsoft no longer provides free software updates through Windows Update, technical assistance or security fixes for Windows 10. The Focus assist instructions above describe the Windows 10 interface and terminology; the support status does not change where the existing settings are located.
If you continue using Windows 10 after that date, treat the end-of-support status as a security consideration separate from notification preferences. Changing a Focus assist rule controls interruptions; it does not restore operating-system updates or support.
Quick Recap
Quick reference checklist
- Open Start > Settings > System > Focus assist.
- Under Automatic rules, turn each condition on or off deliberately.
- For a schedule, edit During these times.
- Set start time, end time, repeat days and allowed notification types or level.
- Select the check mark to save changed times.
- Review display duplication, gaming and full-screen triggers if activation seems automatic.
- Choose Off, Priority only or Alarms only for the required suppression level.
- Set or clear Show me a summary of what I missed while focus assist was on.
- Use Notifications & actions for global or per-app banner, Action Center and sound controls.
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