How to use Windows 11 Concentration mode

Windows 11 2022 Update , also identified as 22H2, is the first major update to Windows 11 and has the ambitious goal of increasing the productivity of our PCs while improving accessibility and security.

Microsoft has worked particularly on these points, in addition to trying to further standardize the interface, and a particular space is reserved precisely for the possibility of transforming the computer from a source of distractions to a working tool that allows us to better use our time .

This happens thanks to a new function, integrated with the Clock app , and also with Spotify and To Do, which allows a capillary control on our device while we are working. So let’s find out how to use the new concentration mode of Windows 11 in 2022.

What is Concentration Mode

Microsoft has been working on a tool for some time to reduce distractions while working. In Windows 10, in fact, the Automatic Rules of the Notification Assistant appeared , a way to silence notifications and alerts from the taskbar.

The function had been inherited from Windows 11 ( the tricks for taking a screenshot ), but as early as the first months of 2022 , indications of a more radical solution had appeared in the Insider versions of the operating system .

So with the 22H2 update , called Windows 11 2022 Update , Microsoft introduced the Concentration mode , which integrates with several apps, one on all Clock, but also To Do and Spotify , to create routines and even set goals in in order to work more productively.

When you start Concentration mode , what Microsoft calls a ” productive session ” begins, during which by default a miniature clock will be displayed at the top right of the screen. Notifications, badges and app flashes in the taskbar will be hidden for the defined time, but each function can be customized as desired. Let’s see how to use it.

How to use Concentration mode

Windows 11 2022 Update gives you three ways to start Concentration mode :

• Quick settings
• Settings
• Clock app

Let’s see how to use it in the three cases

How to activate Concentration mode from Quick Settings

To start a production session from Quick Settings , do the following.

1. Click the time and date button in the taskbar, or use the shortcut Windows key + N
2. Under the Calendar,select the duration of the session.
3. Click on the Concentration button

How to activate Concentration mode from Settings

Instead, here’s how to activate a productive session from the Settings app.

1. Open the Settings(gear icon in the system tray)
2. Click on
3. Click on the Concentration modepage on the right side
4. Set the duration of the session using the “+” or “-” buttons
5. Click on the Start production session button

How to activate Concentration mode from the Watch app

Finally, let’s see how to start a production session from the Watch app .

1. Click on the Windows key or the Start key and type Clockin the text field
2. Open the Clockapp by clicking on the corresponding icon (shaped like a clock)
3. Click on Concentration Mode Sessions
4. Set the duration of the session.
5. (Optional) Select Ignore Breaks
6. Click on the Start production session button

Whichever method you choose, a Concentration mode session will start , which will disable notifications and alerts from apps. The Clock app will appear on the screen in mini mode and all notifications will turn off.

How to change the Concentration mode settings

As for the activation, also the configuration of the Concentration mode is possible both from Settings and from the Clock app , but with different options. Let’s see how.

How to customize Concentration mode from Settings

In the Settings app, you can disable several notification features (enabled by default) during a productive session to reduce distractions. Here’s how to do it.

1. Open the Settingsby clicking on the gear icon
2. Click on System
3. On the right side, select Concentration
4. Under the button to activate the production session, you will see a series of options:
   • Show timer in Clock app- to get session information in the Clock app
   • Hide badges in taskbar apps- to disable badge notifications in apps pinned to the taskbar
   • Hide blinking in taskbar apps- to hide the flashing alert when an off-the-top app requires your attention.
   • Turn on do not disturb- to disable all system and app notifications and send them directly to the notification center

These settings will apply to each production session

How to customize the Concentration mode from the Clock app

From the Clock app it is possible to customize the duration of the productive sessions, the end of the session and choose whether to keep the sounds and the integration with Spotify and To Do. That’s how:

1. Click on the Windows key or the Start key and type Clockin the text field
2. Open the Clockapp by clicking on the corresponding icon (shaped like a clock)
3. At the bottom left, click on the gear icon ( Settings)
4. Click on Production period
5. From here you can specify the duration of the productive session and when to apply the breaks
6. Enable or disable the button next to End Session Sound, which plays an alert when a session ends. If you click on the down arrow at the bottom of the item, you can change the sound
7. Enable or disable the button next to End of pause sound(wouldn’t it have been better to translate it as End of pause sound ?), Which plays a warning at the end of the pause. If you click on the down arrow at the bottom of the item, you can change the sound

1. Enable or disable the button next to Spotify to enable the integration (as you will see in the next paragraph). If you click on the down arrow at the bottom of the item, you can manage your account settings.
2. Enable or disable the button next to Task List  (To Do), to enable Microsoft integration (as you will see in the next paragraph)

These settings will apply to all production sessions.

How to integrate the Concentration mode with Spotify and To Do

As we saw in the previous paragraph , the Concentration mode allows integration with two apps, Spotify, to ensure that during a production session a music of our choice is played, and To Do , to select the activity on which you want to work. and conveniently control it in one location.

Let’s see how these functions work, which can be activated from the Clock app .

1. Click on the Windows key or the Start key and type Clockin the text field
2. Open the Clockapp by clicking on the corresponding icon (shaped like a clock)
3. From the left panel, click on Productive Sessions(the second icon from the top)
4. Click on the second icon from the bottom, always on the left (in the shape of a little man), which will allow you to access your Microsoft account
5. On the right you will find a box related to Spotify. If the app is not installed, you will find a button with the words Install Spotify, which will send you to the Microsoft Store. There click on the blue install button at the top right.
6. Now in the Clockapp click on the Connect Spotify button , which will open the page to log into your Spotify account

1. Click the Accept button
2. Now in the lower left box dedicated to activities, click on the “+” button to create a new session , to which you will have to give a name

1. From the Spotifysection, select a playlist
2. In the box dedicated to the production session, specify the duration
3. If you want, you can turn off the Ignore Interruptsoption
4. Click on the Start production session button

Now the production session will start with background music . If you want you can select the item Keep on top in the right corner of the timer, from which you can stop and resume the music.

How to use daily progress

In the Clock app, you may have noticed a box on the right called Daily Progress . This feature tracks various productive sessions to help you create a routine and challenge yourself to stay productive .

The function is ready to work with predefined settings, which of course can be customized as desired. Here’s how to do it.

1. Click on the Windows key or the Start key and type Clockin the text field
2. Open the Clockapp by clicking on the corresponding icon (shaped like a clock)
3. From the left panel, select the second icon from the top (Productive Sessions)
4. In the Daily progress box, click on the pencil icon in the upper right
5. Change your daily goal, which is set to 1 hour
6. From here you can also choose ifand when to cancel daily progress and completed activities , and whether to include weekends in the series
7. Click on the Savebutton at the bottom left