Show notification bell icon
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Description
This policy setting allows you to show the notification bell icon in the system tray. If you enable this policy setting, the notification icon will always be shown. Otherwise, the notification icon will only be shown when there's a special status (for example, Do Not Disturb is turned on). A reboot is required for this policy setting to take effect.
Registry
HKCU
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer Value name: AlwaysShowNotificationIcon
Enabled: AlwaysShowNotificationIcon = 1
Disabled: AlwaysShowNotificationIcon = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/AlwaysShowNotificationIcon Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
CSP values
-
0 (Default)- Auto-hide notification bell icon. -
1- Show notification bell icon.
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Show notification bell icon
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"AlwaysShowNotificationIcon"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Show notification bell icon
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AlwaysShowNotificationIcon' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/AlwaysShowNotificationIcon
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Show notification bell icon
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' -Name 'AlwaysShowNotificationIcon' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Show notification bell icon
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AlwaysShowNotificationIcon' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Show notification bell icon
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Show notification bell icon
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' -Name 'AlwaysShowNotificationIcon' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Show notification bell icon
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 11 Version 22H2
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AlwaysShowNotificationIcon' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.