Getting hit by that “Give Us a Minute” message out of nowhere while working in Windows 11? Yeah, it’s annoying, especially when you’re deep in a task and don’t want digital interruptions. Sometimes it’s just Windows trying to be helpful—offering tips, nudging about updates, or highlighting new features—but other times, it’s a glitch, a stuck app, or a pending update that’s making it stubborn. The good news is, there are ways to quiet these things down, or even kill them off completely, if you know where to look. This guide packs some practical steps to identify what’s causing it and how to shut it up, so your system stays more chill and distraction-free.
How to Fix the “Give Us a Minute” Message in Windows 11
Understanding why this message appears
Before jumping into fixes, it’s worth understanding what’s behind it. Usually, “Give Us a Minute” pops up because Windows is trying to give you a heads-up about something – maybe a system update waiting on a restart, a new feature alert, or tips from Microsoft’s default notifications. Sometimes, it’s just a background app running amok, or a misfiring component triggering the message repeatedly. Luckily, most of the time, it’s fixable without pulling your hair out.
Method 1: Turn off Windows Tips, Suggestions, and Welcome Tips
This is one of the first places to check. Windows loves to show tips and suggestions, especially after updates or first-time setup. Disabling these can reduce that “Give Us a Minute” bombardment.
Steps:
- Open Settings: Windows key + I to launch Settings fast.
- Go to Notifications: In Settings, click System > Notifications.
- Find Additional settings: Scroll down to the bottom and click Additional settings (sometimes called “Notification settings for Windows”).
- Disable tips and suggestions: Toggle off options like:
- “Show me the Windows welcome experience after updates and when signed in to highlight what’s new”
- “Suggest ways to get the most out of Windows”
- “Get tips and suggestions when using Windows”
Done. This stops many of those repetitive prompts, especially around features or tips. On some setups, these tips pop up all the time, so turning them off might help a lot.
Method 2: Address Pending Windows Updates
Having unresolved updates is often the culprit for persistent “Give Us a Minute” messages. Windows waits around for a restart to complete some updates, and until that’s done, it keeps pestering you.
Steps:
- Check for updates: Settings > Windows Update. If you see “Restart to finish installing updates” or similar, that’s your sign.
- Restart your PC: Save your work, close apps, and hit Restart. Windows sometimes acts weird if updates are pending, so doing the restart often clears it up.
- Verify: After reboot, see if the message still appears. Usually, completing the update process clears the pop-up.
Tip: In some cases, you might want to defer updates—just be aware this can leave your system vulnerable or out of sync. Use that cautiously.
Method 3: Reset or Re-register Problematic Apps
Sometimes, the message is tied to specific built-in apps like Photos, Calendar, or the Tips app itself. If one of these is gummed up—maybe an update didn’t install right or it’s stuck—resetting it can help.
Steps:
- Go to Installed Apps: Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Find the app (like Tips or Photos): Click on it, then hit Advanced options (the three dots).
- Reset: Find the Reset button, click it, confirm. This clears app data and resets settings—essentially giving it a fresh start.
If resetting doesn’t help, a more brute-force approach is to re-register all built-in Windows apps:
Re-register All Built-in Windows Apps:
- Open PowerShell as Admin: Right-click the Start button and choose Windows Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
- Run the Command: Paste and execute:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_. InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"} - Let it chug along. It can take a few minutes. Some errors might appear but don’t stress—these are sometimes harmless and just part of the process.
Method 4: Tweak Microsoft Edge Notifications
Because Windows 11’s default browser often throws its own reminders and suggestions, this is worth checking. Edge can recommend features or keep background tabs running, which may inadvertently cause pop-ups.
Steps:
- Open Edge: Settings > Settings > System and performance.
- Adjust Options: Turn off “Continue running background apps when Microsoft Edge is closed” and disable “Show feature recommendations.”
- Optional: Explore Privacy, Search, and services settings for further suggestions you can toggle off.
Note — a lot of these recommendation flags in edge://flags have been removed in recent versions, so stick to the main menu options.
Method 5: Turn off Device Usage Insights
Windows 11 personalizes your experience via “Device usage, ” which can trigger notifications if it thinks you might want tips based on your activity. Turning off this feature can reduce such prompts.
Steps:
- Open Settings: Windows + I > Personalization > Device usage.
- Disable all toggles: Turn off every setting under “Device usage” categories. This prevents Windows from profiling how you use your PC for suggestions or tips.
Method 6: Manage Notifications from the Action Center
If all else fails, and the popup keeps coming back, use the Action Center—your quick toggle panel—to silence future alerts from the source directly.
Steps:
- Open Action Center: Windows key + N. When the notifications list pops up, find the offending “Give Us a Minute” alert.
- Block it: Hover over that notification, click the three-dot icon, then select “Turn off all notifications for this app” or a similar option.
Wrap-up
That “Give Us a Minute” message isn’t just a minor annoyance—it can throw off your workflow and cause real frustration. But honestly, working through these steps, especially patching updates and disabling tips, usually does the trick. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of finding the culprit and giving it a good reset or tweak.
In my experience, restarting after updates often finally silences it, and disabling those unnecessary tips keeps it from sneaking back. Of course, sometimes you need to dig a little deeper or even re-register apps, but it’s usually manageable. Fingers crossed this helps save some time and sanity. Good luck, and hope your workflow stays smooth from now on.