Please stop bugging me in the notification center that there is an update for Powertoys, thank you

[pixelwash]

Description of the new feature / enhancement

Add the option to turn of notifications when there is an update available for Powertoys, in addition to the current to turn off automatic updates.

Scenario when this would be used?

Always

Supporting information

No response

[Jay-o-Way]

You can disable notifications for PowerToys in Windows Settings

[crutkas]

this workflow would be tracked via /dup #2701

[ghost]

Hi! We've identified this issue as a duplicate of another one that already exists on this Issue Tracker. This specific instance is being closed in favor of tracking the concern over on the referenced thread. Thanks for your report!

[pixelwash]

Jay-o-way responded: "You can disable notifications for PowerToys in Windows Settings" This is true, sort of, as far as I can see, the only way though to do this is to turn off notifications in "Windows Settings" for ALL programs loaded via the Microsoft Store, but I want to be notified of updates to Quicklook, a plugin I use daily, and that is infrequently updated, but NOT Powertoys.

The only way as far as I can see to do that is the Powertoys developers add that ability to turn off update notifications within their application, as I've requested here (again), but maybe Microsoft's API doesn't give them that ability, as you don't appear to be able to do it within Windows itself. I'm guessing that maybe that's why the ability is not within the app anyway, maybe another great testament to Microsoft's dedication to the user experience using their software, lol.

I'm glad you guys noticed it is a duplicated request at least, it is good somebody or something is reading these, but clearly you think being bugged every time you push out an update is a situation you are happy with.

I'm reminded of a satirical piece I read on someone's blog about a sys admin notifying his company in a bulk email about Google Chrome updates, saying the IT department has decided to introduce morning and afternoon Chrome updates company wide, and that participation in the program was mandatory.

[Jay-o-Way]

I still don't understand something. Can you go to Windows Settings > Notifications? Should look like this

[pixelwash]

Jay-o-way The option screen you've screengrabbed is for notifications to the user from the app when it is in use or has done something, ie Powertoys can send notifications to the OS when it is running, for any reason, generally background operations, or things done when the app's UI is not currently being displayed onscreen, and I'm not even sure if that includes update notifications, that is not clear.

Update notifications are handled separately by Windows, in another settings option, and are storewide as far as I can see.

Turning off that notification option in your screengrab turns off ALL interapp notifications from Powertoys, I'm not even convinced that it will turn off update availability warnings, but even if it did, I want Powertoys to still be able to send me in-system notifications about things it is doing in the background if it wants to, I just don't want be notified whenever an update is available.....

Hence my continued suggestion to add the option to turn off notifications of update availability within the Powertoys UI...

[Jay-o-Way]

Ahh, I realise we are on different wavelengths here. I don't use the MS Store version, but the exe installer. Also I have disabled all notifications (even the actual checking for updates) for MS Store. So I haven't encountered your situation.
@crutkas does that change the resolution?

[pixelwash]

I would have thought you would be affected by the frequent update availability warnings too, unless the update warnings I'm seeing on my systems are not coming from PowerToys, but from Microsoft store .

THAT makes sense to me, and explains why the PowerToys developers don't seem to think this is an important issue, because maybe most of their current users don't use the Microsoft store version.

This increasingly seems like it is another "Microsoft Store" problem, that PowerToys developers should address, as Microsoft is a bit like Russia versus its small neighbors, size eventually prevails, no matter how stupid it is, and more people will be installing PowerToys via the MS store as time goes by.

[Jay-o-Way]

unless the update warnings I'm seeing on my systems are not coming from PowerToys, but from Microsoft store .

That's what I'm thinking. Isn't that visible from the icon in the "toast"?

Importing detail we haven't called out yet: how often do you actually get these notifications? PowerToys updates every month.

[pixelwash]

Sounds about right, Whereas Quicklook gets updated every six months, lol. I'm an CG artist and writer (and sometime coder) by trade, and don't like to be interrupted when I'm concentrating by (almost) ANYBODY, including my computers, and I keep a tight reign on them all.

Anybody who spends any time interacting online soon learns that controlling how many times you are interrupted by "notifications" becomes a way of life, as we are constantly being bombarded with attempts to "notify us" by every second online entity we seem to interact with.

I do it by using multiple email addresses of varying urgency, and not answering my phone unless I recognize the caller.

Powertoys via the MS store has succeeded in breaking through my controlled information flow parading the availability of an update across the screen of my computers every month.

I can tell you what I was concentrating on when it interrupted my train of thought, if that helps you. Writing to deadline unwelcome prose is hard enough without interruptions.

[crutkas]

What i do suggest is turning on "Do not disturb" mode in Settings. "System->Notifications". You shouldn't see any notifications at that point unless you pull up notification center. You want focus, that feature lets you.

End of day, #2701 is the work item this feature would be added in to.

How installer / notifications stuff works, it is PowerToys main runner exe asking you to update, not the Store. The Store installer is the same installer exe on GitHub. Once installed, the PowerToys exe queries GitHub for new versions (as it is the same everything). If a newer version is detected, we put up the notification which you can snooze or just fully dismiss as well.

[pixelwash]

Please stop suggesting various blanket "turn off notifications" as a "solution" to this problem. To me that is akin to saying if you turn off your computer, you also won't get notified. I am on my computer to be notified of stuff that I WANT, which includes what PowerToys is doing in the background, along with lots of other stuff.....

[crutkas]

You mentioned "concentrating so i don't want to be interrupted", i gave you a built in OS solution to prevent interruptions. Other option would be just to turn off notifications for PowerToys. Just trying to be helpful and provide some options as #2701 is the issue for this work,

[pixelwash]

My goodness, this has become such an amazing drama. What is the problem with you PowerToys people? I get it you are trying to defend the status quo, and you love PowerToys, but practically every other app I have installed on any OS gives me an option of turning off update notifications, why was that simple functionality not in the app from day one, let alone NOW?

[crutkas]

would be bucketed in with /dup #2701

[ghost]

Hi! We've identified this issue as a duplicate of another one that already exists on this Issue Tracker. This specific instance is being closed in favor of tracking the concern over on the referenced thread. Thanks for your report!