Every time I install Windows 11, I turn off the same handful of features before I do anything else. They’re not necessarily bad features, but I don’t need widgets, recommendations, badges, and constant notifications competing for my attention while I’m working.
Over the years, I’ve found that making a few small changes creates a desktop that feels cleaner, quieter, and easier to focus on. I prefer Windows 11 to stay in the background and only get my attention when something truly matters. If you feel the same way, you’re not alone.
In this how-to guide, I’ll show you the Windows 11 features I always disable and explain why I think each change is worth making.
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None of these features are inherently bad, and I know many people enjoy using them. The problem, at least for me, is that they all compete for the same thing, which is my attention. One widget or notification isn’t a big deal. However, once you combine recommendations, badges, alerts, and promotional content across the operating system, Windows 11 starts to feel busier than it needs to be. That’s why these are the first settings I change.
I like my Lock screen only to let me know it’s time to sign in, and nothing more. I don’t need sports scores, market updates, or suggested content before I’ve even reached the desktop. It’s one more thing competing for my attention before I start working.
I also switch from Windows Spotlight to a static image because I don’t want tips or promotional overlays appearing before I’ve even signed in.
For these reasons, I always try to disable the desktop widgets and use a static image, and here’s how:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Personalization.
- Click the Lock screen page on the right side.
- Turn off the Widgets toggle switch.
- Turn off the “Suggest widgets for your lock screen” toggle switch.
- Select the Picture (or Slideshow) option in the “Personalize your lock screen” setting.
- Choose the image you want to show on the Lock screen.
Once you complete the steps, the Lock screen becomes a simple place to check the time and sign in instead of another surface competing for your attention.
I don’t mind having quick access to Widgets, but I don’t need live updates constantly trying to pull my attention away from whatever I’m doing. Removing the Taskbar button keeps the interface quieter while still letting me open Widgets with the keyboard shortcut whenever I actually want it.
If you don’t want the unnecessary distraction, you can hide the icon from the Taskbar. Here’s how:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Personalization.
- Click the Taskbar page on the right side.
- Turn off the Widgets toggle switch under the “Taskbar items” section.
After you complete the steps, the Taskbar stays free from live updates while still letting you open Widgets anytime with the “Windows key + W” keyboard shortcut if you need it.
3. Do not disturb to stop toast notifications
Another feature I always turn on is “Do Not Disturb” to prevent distractions from toast notifications.
If you want to, you can also turn off notifications altogether, but I do this because I can still access the notifications from Notification Center.
To enable Do Not Disturb on Windows 11, use these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Click on System.
- Click the Notifications page on the right side.
- Turn off the “Do Not Disturb” toggle switch.
- (Optional) Turn off the Notifications toggle switch.
Once you complete the steps, Windows 11 stops interrupting your workflow, but your notifications are still waiting in Notification Center whenever you’re ready to review them.
If you decide to turn off the notification feature, the system and services won’t be able to show or collect notifications.
The Start menu has become much cleaner over the years, but I still don’t like seeing recent files, app suggestions, and recommendations every time I open it. I prefer using the space for the apps I’ve pinned instead of content the system thinks I might want.
I personally like to have the “Pinned” and “All” sections in the Start menu, and I always turn off the “Recommended” section, but these steps aren’t obvious to everyone.
To disable the Recommended section, use these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Personalization.
- Click the Start page on the right side.
- Turn off the “Show recently added apps” toggle switch.
- Turn off the “Show recommended files in Start, recent files in File Explorer, and items in Jump Lists” toggle switch.
- Turn off the “Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more” toggle switch.
- (Optional) Turn off the “Show account-related notifications” toggle switch to prevent alerts from the Account Control menu in the Start menu.
After completing the steps, the Start menu feels cleaner and focuses on the apps you’ve chosen to pin instead of recent files and recommendations.
5. Search highlights from the web
When you open the Windows Search home from the Taskbar, the first thing you’ll notice is web highlights with daily quizzes, image of the day, trending searches, games, news, and more, when the search experience should be about finding local and cloud files, settings, and applications installed on your computer.
Search is one of the features I use dozens of times a day, so I want it to open directly into search, not news stories, trending topics, or games. The less visual clutter between me and what I’m looking for, the better. Fortunately, you can turn off the web highlights for a simpler experience using Windows Search, and here’s how:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Privacy & security.
- Click the Search page on the right side.
- Turn off the “Show search highlights” toggle switch.
Once you complete the steps, Windows Search opens with fewer distractions, making it easier to get straight to finding your apps, files, and settings.
6. Taskbar app badges for unseen content
Taskbar badges are another feature I disable on every new installation. These are the small counters or dots that appear on app icons to let you know something needs your attention. While they can be useful, I find they encourage me to check apps that aren’t important at the moment.
I prefer opening apps when I decide to, not because a badge is telling me to. If I want to check for updates or unread messages, I’ll do it on my own schedule.
To turn off Taskbar badges on Windows 11, use these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Personalization.
- Click the Taskbar page on the right side.
- Click the Taskbar behaviors section.
- Clear the “Show badges on taskbar apps” option.
After you complete the steps, app icons will no longer display unread message counters, helping keep the Taskbar cleaner and reducing another small source of distraction throughout the day.
7. Desktop icons and files
Like pretty much everyone else, I usually place shortcuts and files on the desktop, but I don’t like a crowded desktop either, so one thing I usually do is to hide the desktop icons.
You can easily do this by right-clicking the desktop, selecting “View,” and clicking on the “Show desktop icons” option to clear the setting and hide everything on the desktop for a clear view of the background image.
If I want to access the content of the folder, I usually just open the “Desktop” folder within File Explorer.
I know this one isn’t for everyone, but hiding my desktop icons makes the entire workspace feel less cluttered. Everything is still there when I need it, but I don’t have to look at it every time I minimize a window.
Windows Central’s Take
I’ve been customizing this operating system for years, and this is still one of the first things I do on a new installation. Windows 11 includes plenty of features that many people enjoy, but I don’t need constant reminders, recommendations, or badges pulling my attention away from my work. Spending a few minutes changing these settings makes the desktop feel much calmer without taking away the features I actually use.
Out of everything on this list, Do Not Disturb is the setting I’d tell most people to try first. I don’t want notifications interrupting me throughout the day, but I also don’t want to miss them completely. It gives me the best of both worlds.
Microsoft has been adding more customization options recently, but I still think the default Windows 11 experience tries a little too hard to keep people engaged. Fortunately, almost everything I mentioned here can be changed in just a few minutes, making the system feel much more personal without removing features you might want later.
Which Windows 11 feature do you turn off first to create a calmer desktop experience? Let me know in the comments below.
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