Your Windows 11 taskbar just got a major, long-requested feature – what’s new

Lance Whitney / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• A new Windows 11 update benefits users with multiple monitors.
• You can now access notifications on any secondary monitor.
• Select the date and time on any monitor to view your notifications.

If you run a multi-monitor setup in Windows 11, you’re getting a new perk that users have long been requesting. A Windows update launched in late September will let you tap into the notification center on any monitor, not just your primary one.

Fixes an age-old problem 

Microsoft recently revealed the news on a support page for KB5065789, as spotted by Windows Central. Installing that update finally fixes an age-old problem that prevented you from accessing notifications on a secondary monitor.

Also: Microsoft just blocked a popular way to set up a local account in Windows 11 – here’s what still works

“The Notification Center functionality is now available on secondary monitors,” Microsoft said on the support page. “To open it, select the date and time in the system tray on the taskbar. With the August 2025 non-security update (KB5064081), you can also show a larger clock with seconds above the calendar.”

In the past, Windows 11 users who tried to click the date and time entry on the system tray of a secondary monitor would get nothing in response. No error, just no response. With multi-monitor setups popular among many Windows users, that was certainly frustrating.

Also: Microsoft’s ultra compact Windows 11 25H2 update is here – get it in a single restart

Now, clicking the date and time on any monitor displays your notifications at the top and your calendar below, just as it would on your primary monitor. Right-clicking the same spot shows options for adjusting your date and time and tweaking your notification settings.

Other features

Beyond the notification fix for multi-monitor setups, the KB5065789 update enhances other features in Windows 11. You’ll find new improvements for File Explorer, the desktop, passkeys, Click to Do, Settings, Narrator, and more.

Also: How to clear your Windows 11 PC cache (and why it makes such a big difference)

To install this update, open Settings and select Windows Update. Click the button to check for updates. You should then see KB5065789 listed. If so, allow it to download and install.

Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.