---
title: Make it easier to focus on tasks – Microsoft Support
description: "[Windows 10](javascript:) Windows offers lots of ways to minimize distractions so it's easier to focus on tasks. You can declutter your taskbar and simplify the Start menu, use **Focus assist **to manage your notifications, and use the **Immersive Reader** to minimize visual distractions when reading a…"
url: "https://cleversupport.ca/docs/windows-10/make-it-easier-to-focus-on-tasks-microsoft-support-2/"
updated: "2024-06-17"
category: Windows / Windows 10
---

# Make it easier to focus on tasks – Microsoft Support

[Windows 10](javascript:)

Windows offers lots of ways to minimize distractions so it's easier to focus on tasks. You can declutter your taskbar and simplify the Start menu, use **Focus assist **to manage your notifications, and use the **Immersive Reader** to minimize visual distractions when reading a web page in Microsoft Edge.

## Don't be so animated

Minimize visual distractions by turning off animations, background images, and more.

1. Select **Start **, then select **Settings ** > **Ease of Access ** > **Display **.
2. Choose from the different options under **Simplify and personalize Windows**.

## Clean up taskbar clutter

Choose which icons appear on the taskbar and reduce the number of items in view.

1. Select **Start **, then select **Settings ** > **Personalization ** > **Taskbar **.
2. Under **Notification area**, choose **Select which icons appear on the taskbar**.

System icons, like the clock and battery indicator, can also be turned on or off.

1. Select **Start **, then select **Settings ** > **Personalization **.
2. Under **Notification area**, choose **Turn system icons on or off**.

## Simplify the Start menu

Many apps use Live Tiles to show updates on what's happening in your world, like new email, your next appointment, or the weekend weather. If these animations are distracting, you can turn them off.

Press and hold (or right-click) a tile, and then select **More **> **Turn Live Tile off**.

## Quiet down those notifications

Focus assist (also called quiet hours in earlier versions of Windows 10) allows you to avoid distracting notifications when you need to stay focused. It's set by default to activate automatically under certain conditions.

Here's how to turn focus assist on or off:

1. Select the **Action Center **** **icon on the taskbar.
2. Select **Focus assist** to cycle through the available settings: either **Priority only**, **Alarms only**, or **Off**. (If you don't see the **Focus assist** tile, you may need to select **Expand **first.)![](https://support.content.office.net/en-us/media/cabc21c5-b1f9-42bb-8d19-c9e5f37505a7.png)
3. Focus assist settings can be edited by selecting **Start ** > **Settings ** > **System **> **Focus assist**. Or you can type **Focus assist** into the search box  on the taskbar, and then select **Focus assist settings** from the list of results.
4. In the Focus assist settings, you can limit late-night notifications using the **Automatic rules** section. To do that, select **During these times** and turn on the toggle. Then, select **Start time**or **End time**, pick a time, and select the check mark  to save your changes. You can also choose what days you want to apply the rule, and what types of notifications you'd still like to receive during the times you set.

[Open focus assist settings](quiethours)

If notifications are distracting when they appear on your screen, adjust which apps display notifications and fine-tune how they appear. To change notification settings, select **Start **, then select **Settings ** > **System ** > **Notifications & actions **. You can then choose which types of notifications you want to see.

## Read with fewer distractions

For a clean and simple layout, use **Reading view ** in the Microsoft Edge browser address bar to bring whatever you're reading front and center. After you open an article, you'll see a book icon  on the right side of your browser. When you select it, you'll be in reading view.