How to fix Slack not receiving notifications on Windows 10

Slack can display desktop notifications if you have the Slack app installed or if you have enabled browser-based notifications for Slack for the web. The Slack desktop app offers much better control over notifications than its web counterpart, which is browser-limited.

Slack not receiving notifications on Windows 10

Setting up notifications for Slack on Windows 10 is easy; you need to install the app, make sure it has permission to display notifications, and enable the types of notifications you receive.

1. Install Slack and enter your workspace.
2. Open the Windows 10 Settings app with the Win + I keyboard shortcut.
3. Log in to the system.
4. Select Notifications & Actions.
5. Scroll down to Slack.
6. Make sure notifications are turned on.
7. Open Slack and go to its settings.
8. Go to Notifications.
9. Turn on the notifications you want to receive.
10. Restart Slack just in case.

Looks like there might be a problem with your notifications

If you see the following message in your Slack notification settings, you won’t receive any notifications;

Looks like there might be a problem with your notifications

You have turned on “Focus Assist” in your Windows settings, which means that you will not receive notifications from any application. If you disable this feature, you will receive notifications again.

You need to make sure Focus Assist is disabled. Focus Assist is a Windows 10 feature. To turn it off;

1. Open the Settings app with the keyboard shortcut Win + I.
2. Log in to the system.
3. Select Focus Assist.
4. Make sure it’s off.

If you still see the above message even though Focus Assist is disabled, follow these steps.

1. Close Slack (it shouldn’t work in the system tray).
2. Open your default browser.
3. Paste this into the address bar: slack: // setting /? Update = notificationFailoverEnabled: false
4. Tap Enter.
5. Open Slack when prompted in your browser.
6. The message will disappear and you will start receiving notifications again.

Conclusion

Slack can sync notification settings between different running instances. It can also be configured to display notifications differently for individual workspaces and channels. Make sure you don’t sync settings from other devices that have less frequent notifications. As for Focus Assist, it can be quickly turned on and off using the Action Center toggle. You can turn it on when you need it, for example if you are submitting a document, but be sure to turn it off. The whole point of Focus Assist is to eliminate distractions like notifications, so it makes sense that Slack notifications won’t be delivered when it’s on.