How to stop taskbar icons from flashing in Windows 11
Windows 11 flashes taskbar icons when an app needs your attention. You can turn this off with one toggle in Settings. It stops the animation but keeps a highlight so you still see that a notification arrived.
Disable taskbar icon flashing
- Right-click an empty space on the taskbar.
- Click Taskbar settings.
- Click Taskbar behaviors to expand the menu.
-
Uncheck the box labeled Show flashing on taskbar apps.
Apps will no longer flash when they need your attention. The icon will still light up or show a badge so you know a notification arrived, but the flashing animation is gone.
Temporarily stop flashing with a Focus session
If you only want to stop flashing during a work block, start a Focus session. Click the clock and date in the bottom-right corner of the taskbar, use the + and − buttons to set how long you want to focus, then click Focus. Flashing stops for the time you set and returns when the session ends.
First time only: Go to Settings (Win + I) > System > Focus. Confirm Hide flashing on taskbar apps is checked and set your session duration. After that, you just need the clock.
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