How to Completely Disable ‘Push Notifications’ (WNS) via Group Policy in Windows 11

The Windows Push Notification Service (WNS) is the cloud-based infrastructure that Windows 11 uses to deliver real-time notifications to universal apps (UWP) and system components. This allows apps like Mail, Calendar, or third-party messaging clients to display toast notifications in the Action Center even when the application is not actively running in the foreground. While vital for real-time communication on personal devices, maintaining a constant, persistent outbound connection to Microsoft’s notification servers is often undesirable in highly secure, air-gapped, or strictly regulated corporate environments where outbound network traffic must be minimized, and desktop distractions are strictly prohibited.

This guide explains how to completely disable Push Notifications (WNS network usage) system-wide using the Group Policy Editor in Windows 11, severing the connection to the cloud notification backend.

Disable Push Notifications via Group Policy

To enforce a strict block that prevents the operating system from connecting to the WNS infrastructure, we must deploy an administrative template. Note that this requires Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions.

1. Log into Windows 11 with an Administrator account.
2. Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialogue box.
3. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter to launch the Local Group Policy Editor.
4. In the left-hand navigation pane, strictly follow this exact path:

   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar > Notifications

5. In the right-hand pane, locate the policy named Turn off notifications network usage.
6. Double-click the policy to open its configuration window.
7. Select the radio button next to Enabled. (Note: You must enable this policy to turn off the network usage).
8. Click Apply, then click OK.

Verify the Configuration Lockdown

To enforce the change immediately across the system without requiring a full reboot, open an elevated Command Prompt and execute gpupdate /force. You will likely need to restart the computer for the existing WNS connection to be fully terminated by the kernel.

To verify the restriction is active, the system will no longer receive any toast notifications that rely on the cloud. Applications that use local, scheduled notifications (like a simple local alarm clock) may still function, but any application relying on a cloud server to wake it up and push a message (like the default Mail app receiving a new email while closed) will remain entirely silent. The workstation is now disconnected from the Microsoft Push Notification network, ensuring a quieter, more secure environment.