5 Best Fixes for Taskbar Notifications Not Working on Windows 10

When an app is open or pinned to the taskbar on your Windows PC, the app icon should have a badge showing the number of real-time notifications. This badge notifies you of new updates, messages and notifications in the app without even opening the app. If you’ve stopped receiving these taskbar notifications or if it didn’t work in the first place, we’ll show you how to restore functionality.

Sometimes the problem is limited to selecting apps. Other times, it’s a system-wide issue affecting all native and third-party applications on your computer. Whichever side of the table you’re on, at least one of the five methods detailed below should fix the problem.

1. Activate notification badges

Verify that your Windows configuration allows applications to display notification badges in the taskbar.

Step 1: Launch the Windows Settings app and select Personalization.

2nd step: Tap the taskbar on the left sidebar and make sure the option that reads “ Show badges on taskbar buttons ” is enabled.

If the option is already enabled, disabling it and then re-enabling it can help restore app notifications to the taskbar.

2. Check the Windows notifications settings

You also want to review your computer’s notification setup for any irregularities. If notifications are disabled system wide or for certain apps, taskbar notifications will also be disabled.

Go to Settings> System> ‘Notifications & Actions’ and make sure System Wide Notifications are turned on.

Also, scroll down the page and make sure that notifications are turned on for apps that won’t display notification badges in the taskbar.

3. Re-pin the application to the taskbar

If the problem persists, try removing the affected apps from the taskbar and adding them again.

Step 1: Right-click on the application in the taskbar and select “Detach from taskbar”.

2nd step: Press the Windows key and find the app you just removed from the taskbar. Select “Pin to taskbar” from the right sidebar.

Continue to the next solution if your apps still don’t display notification badges in the taskbar.

4.Create or modify the taskbar badges registry key

This is a fairly advanced troubleshooting step, but it is very easy to perform. This involves going through your PC’s registry editor to check if the registry / file key that powers taskbar notifications (or taskbar badges) is present and enabled.

Without this registry file, notification badges may not appear on taskbar apps, even if they are enabled in the Windows taskbar settings menu (see method # 1 above ). Follow the steps below to edit or create a new registry key for taskbar badges.

Important: Before continuing, we strongly recommend that you make a backup of your PC registry. If you change or delete a bad registry key by accident, you can easily restore the backup without disrupting other functionality of your computer.

Step 1: Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to launch Windows Run Zone and type regedit in the provided dialog box. Click OK to continue.

This will immediately launch the Windows Registry Editor in a new window. Make sure to grant Registry Editor administrative permission or “User Account Control” access when prompted.

2nd step: Paste the path below into the address bar of the Registry Editor and press Enter on your keyboard.

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced

Look for any file named TaskbarBadges. If you can’t find a file with that name, go to the next step to create one. Otherwise, go to step 5.

Step 3: Right-click on empty space in the windows and select New> DWORD (32-bit).

Step 4: Name the new file DWORD Taskbar Badges and press Enter.

Step 5: Then double click on TaskbarBadges and change the value data from 0 to 1. Click OK to save the change.

You have successfully (re) activated the taskbar badges; The taskbar apps should now carry the number of notifications. If nothing changes, restart your computer.

5. Update and reinstall the affected applications

If the issue is specific to a specific app, bugs in the app may be involved. Check if there is an update available for the app on the Microsoft Store or through the app settings menu.

If the problem persists after updating the app, consider removing and reinstalling the app from your computer. Note that this can cause you to lose important application data, so you should deal with it as a last resort.

Go to Settings> Apps> Apps & Features> Select the app and click the Uninstall button. Restart your PC, reinstall the app and check if the notification badges are restored.

During this time, you should also make sure that the latest version of Windows 10 is installed on your computer. Go to Settings> Update & Security and download all available updates from the Windows Update section.