Page 169 - Windows 10 May 2019 Update The Missing Manual: The Book That Should Have Been in the Box

alarms. Microsoft figures that if you set an alarm, you probably

want it to go off to prevent an oversleeping disaster.

Automatic rules

You’re welcome to turn on Focus Assist manually whenever you need some
peace and quiet. But often, it’s more convenient to let Windows turn it on

automatically. If you open → → System → Focus Assist, you’ll see
your options:

During these times. Focus Assist can kick in during your sleeping
hours, for example, using this switch. Click the displayed time
interval to open the “During these hours” screen, where you can set

up a start and stop time, specify Weekends, Weekdays, or Daily,
and indicate which Focus Assist level (Priority or Alarms) you

want.

When I’m duplicating my display. This phrase is code for “When

I’m giving an important presentation on a projector in front of 500
people and would rather not be humiliated by a text from my
middle-schooler asking if I’ve seen her retainer.”

When I’m playing a game. Lord knows you wouldn’t want to be
distracted when you’re neck-deep in Halo, would you?

When I’m using an app in full-screen mode—which might mean
you’re trying to concentrate.

When I’m at home. If you’ve told Cortana where you live, and
your PC detects that you’re at that address, it can stifle
notifications with the understanding that you’re no longer on the
job and just want to be left alone.

Each of these headings offers a second line of light-gray text that opens a

fine-tuning screen, where you can, for example, choose a mode for this…
mode (Priority or Alarms only). That screen also offers a “Show a
notification in action center when focus assist is turned on automatically”

checkbox. That’s handy; it produces a “toast” message on your screen