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Windows 7: Notifications - Change How Long to Stay Open


Notifications - Change How Long to Stay Open

How to Change How Long Windows 7 Notifications Stay Open
Published 21 May 2009
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How to Change How Long Windows 7 Notifications Stay Open

information   Information
Notifications are small pop-up windows that are displayed in the notification area of the taskbar. They provide information about a variety of things, including status, progress, and the detection of new devices. Action Center also displays messages about recommended security and maintenance tasks next to its flag icon in the notification area.

This will show you how to change how long notifications or messages in the Windows 7 taskbar notification area are displayed on the screen before they close automatically.
warning   Warning
When you make any changes in the Ease of Access Center, the visual effects settings will get reset back to default settings automatically.

EXAMPLE: Notification dialog box
Notifications - Change How Long to Stay Open-notification.jpg



OPTION ONE
Through Ease of Access Center

Note   Note
This option will let you choose to have the notifications stay open for either 5, 15, 30, 60 (1 minute), or 300 (5 minutes) seconds until they close automatically.

If you wanted to specify the amount of time in seconds you want instead, then see OPTION TWO below.
1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click on the Ease of Access Center icon.

2. Click on either the Use the computer without a display or Make it easier to focus on tasks link. (See screenshot below)
Notifications - Change How Long to Stay Open-step1.jpg
3. Scroll down to where it says How long should Windows notification dialog boxes stay open, then click on the drop down arrow menu. (See screenshots below)
Notifications - Change How Long to Stay Open-step1b.jpgNotifications - Change How Long to Stay Open-step2b.jpg
4. Select how long you would like to have the notifications stay open for until they close automatically, then click on OK. (See screenshots above)
NOTE: The default time is 5 seconds.

5. When done, close the Ease of Access Center window. (See screenshot below step 2)



OPTION TWO
Manually in Registry Editor


Note   Note
This option will let you specify any amount of time in seconds you want to have the notifications stay open for until they close automatically.

Special thanks to Jeff (aka: Orbital Shark) for finding the location in the registry for this and posting it to share.
1. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search line and press enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, click on Yes.

3. In regedit, navigate to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Accessibility


Notifications - Change How Long to Stay Open-reg1.jpg
4. In the right pane, right click on MessageDuration and click on Properties. (See screenshot above)


5. Select (dot) Decimal. (See screenshot below)
Notifications - Change How Long to Stay Open-reg2.jpg
6. Type in how many seconds that you want to have the notifications stay open for until they close automatically, then click on OK. (See screenshots above)
NOTE: The default time is 5 seconds. Entering anything lower will still have a 5 second wait though.

7. Close Regedit. (See screenshot below step 3)

8. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply.
That's it,
Shawn









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21 May 2009   #1
mxosder16

Windows 7 Ultimate x86
 
 

thanks for the tut...
is there any way we could make it shorter than 5 seconds?

My System SpecsSystem Spec

21 May 2009   #2
Martin

7 Ultimate x64 RTM 7600.16385
Yuma, AZ
 
 

same, is it possible to make it 2-3 seconds?
My System SpecsSystem Spec
21 May 2009   #3
Brink

64-bit Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 & Windows 8 Enterprise
Texas
 
 

Hi guys.

I'm looking into it, but if you wanted to disable them, then this will show you how to.

Notification Area Balloon Tips - Enable or Disable - Vista Forums

If I find anything, I'll update the tutorial to add it as another option.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
.


21 May 2009   #4
mxosder16

Windows 7 Ultimate x86
 
 

Quote:
If I find anything, I'll update the tutorial to add it as another option.
thanks for the time, MVP
My System SpecsSystem Spec
21 May 2009   #5
Orbital Shark

Windows 7 Ultimate x64
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
 
 

Hi Shawn, i think i've located the message timer.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Accessibility

When changing the notification time the MessageDuration key changes. (See next 2 images)

Notifications set to 5 seconds
Notifications - Change How Long to Stay Open-message-5-seconds.png
Notifications set to 30 seconds
Notifications - Change How Long to Stay Open-message-30-seconds.png

It looks like it reads a hexidecimal figure (See image 3), as you can see 5 seconds reads as 0x00000005(5) and 30 seconds reads as 0x0000001e(30).
Notifications - Change How Long to Stay Open-hex.png

Hope this helps

Note: I've not had a chance to test this yet so i'm not 100% certain it works

Update: When changing the value if you click 'Decimal' then input a number, it automatically calculates the HEX value. It saves you having to calculate it yourself.

Jeff
My System SpecsSystem Spec
21 May 2009   #6
Brink

64-bit Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 & Windows 8 Enterprise
Texas
 
 

Thank you very much Jeff. It has been added as OPTION TWO. + rep.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
21 May 2009   #7
Orbital Shark

Windows 7 Ultimate x64
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
 
 

No problem Shawn and thanks, i've taken it upon myself to untangle the mysteries of the registry
My System SpecsSystem Spec
22 May 2009   #8
Airbot

Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
 
 

I'd also like to note that any number below 5 seconds appears to have no effect. Seems 5 seconds is as low as it will allow, even with a lower number applied.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
22 May 2009   #9
Brink

64-bit Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 & Windows 8 Enterprise
Texas
 
 

Thank you for confirming this Aaron. I was noticing that to. It has been noted in the tutorial.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
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