The Action Center is a hub for all system notifications, such as incoming emails, security and maintenance, tips from Microsoft, and more. Microsoft also alerts you when a Wi-Fi network is near your location.
You can find the Action Center icon on the Taskbar, next to your clock.
- Click the Action Center icon.
If you're using a touchscreen, you can also open the Action Center by sliding your finger in from the right side of your screen.
Press
+ A to open the Action Center. - Click anywhere outside the Action Center to close it.
You can also click the Action Center icon to close it. Or, if you're using a touchscreen device, tap anywhere outside the Action Center to close it.
The Action Center icon will light up when you have a new notification. You'll also see a number indicating how many notifications are available for review.
- Click the Action Center icon.
- Click any notification to open and view it.
The app that triggered the notification opens.
For some types, clicking the notification dismisses it.
If you're not interested in opening a notification, you can dismiss it without opening and viewing it.
- Click the Action Center icon.
- Hover your mouse over a notification.
- Click the X to close it.
The notification is gone.
- Click Clear all notifications to remove all your notifications at once.
At the bottom of the Action Center, there is a grid full of buttons, called Quick Actions, or Actions. These quick toggles let you do a lot with just a few clicks. Some actions open a settings screen; others will simply toggle a function on or off.
Actions in use appear highlighted. Unavailable actions appear grayed out. For example, when your computer is plugged in, Battery Saver will be grayed out.
- Click the Action Center icon on the Taskbar.
- Click Expand (if necessary) to view all available actions.
You can also click Collapse to collapse the actions.
- Click the action you want to use.
The associated app opens.
This table lists common actions that appear in the Action Center. Your Action Center may contain different actions based on your computer's configuration.
ActionDescription
Ideally, you'll want the available actions to be those that you use often. Through your computer's settings, you can determine which actions appear in the Action Center.
- Click the Action Center icon.
- Choose All settings.
- Click System.
Display, notifications, app, and power settings appear.
- Choose Notifications & actions.
Quick action and notification settings appear.
- Click Add or remove quick actions.
- Toggle an app on or off.
When you toggle an app off, it doesn't appear in the Action Center.
The four actions in the top row under the Quick actions heading are the four that will appear on the first row of your Action Center. Through your computer's settings, you can decide which actions appear on the top row of your Action Center. Remember, the top row of actions appears even when actions are collapsed.
- Click the Action Center icon.
- Choose All settings.
- Click System.
- Choose Notifications & actions.
Quick action and notification settings appear.
- Click and drag an action to rearrange it under Quick actions.
You can customize your notification preferences even further by adjusting how many notifications are visible in your Action Center at any time for an installed app.