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To make audio alerts flash visually in Windows 11, open Settings > Accessibility > Audio, expand Flash my screen during audio notifications, and choose whether Windows flashes the active window’s title bar, the active window, or the entire screen.
Set the screen area that flashes
- Open Audio settings. Select Start > Settings > Accessibility > Audio. Or press Windows+U to open Accessibility, then select Audio under Hearing. Microsoft’s audio-accessibility instructions cover this route.
- Expand the flash control. Select Flash my screen during audio notifications.
- Choose a display area. Select the title bar, active window, or entire screen.
Which flash option should you choose?
The choices differ by how much of the display is used for the visual cue. Microsoft documents the three areas; the relative prominence below follows from their scope, not from comparative visibility testing.
| Option | Area affected | When it may suit you |
|---|---|---|
| Active window’s title bar | The title bar only; the narrowest cue. | When you want the alert limited to a small part of the current window. |
| Active window | The current window. | When you want a cue across more of the current window without flashing the whole display. |
| Entire screen | The full display; the broadest cue. | When you prefer the visual alert to use the widest area. |
Microsoft’s guidance lists the available areas but does not report measured visibility or accessibility outcomes for each. Its hearing-accessibility guidance describes the choices.
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Audio flashes are not captions
The flash option provides a visual cue for an audio notification; it does not turn spoken dialogue into text. For captions of speech from audio or video, open Settings > Accessibility > Captions, or press Windows+Ctrl+L to open Live captions, as described in Microsoft’s hearing-accessibility guidance.
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If expected notification activity is missing
The flash choice is separate from notification delivery and Focus controls. If alerts or other on-screen activity are being suppressed, check the relevant Windows settings:
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- For notification banners, per-app notification settings, and Do not disturb, go to Settings > System > Notifications. Microsoft’s notification guidance explains these controls.
- Focus can hide taskbar app flashing and badges. It is a separate feature from the Accessibility audio flash setting. See Microsoft’s Focus guidance.
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