Published by the team that makes StopBurnout. Product behavior checked against the current app settings and source. Windows instructions and linked product documentation reviewed October 4, 2026.
1. Check that the reminder app is actually running
A downloaded ZIP is not a running reminder. For StopBurnout, extract the archive, launch the executable and complete setup. Look for its tray icon. Closing the dashboard and quitting the tray app are different actions. Open the dashboard to see the current state before troubleshooting Windows notifications.
After signing back into Windows, check that the app has launched again. If startup is enabled, confirm the entry is allowed in Windows Settings or Task Manager's Startup apps. Managed computers may restrict startup applications. Do not disable workplace security controls to make a timer work.
2. Check notifications and Do not disturb
Open Settings → System → Notifications and check notification permissions for Clock or the app you use. Check both the general switch and the individual app's settings. Then inspect Do not disturb and its automatic rules. Windows Focus sessions turn on Do not disturb by default, according to Microsoft's Focus documentation.
These checks apply to Windows notification alerts. They do not turn a third-party full-screen overlay into a toast or vice versa. If an app draws its own reminder window, also inspect its sound, schedule and mode controls.
3. Test with the PC awake
A sleeping PC cannot show an on-screen reminder. Keep it awake for one test interval and separate that result from sleep and wake behavior. An ordinary Clock timer and an activity-based break timer may respond differently after a long period away.
You do not need to stop the computer from sleeping all day. The useful question is whether the reminder appears during normal awake use. If you want instructions for the built-in options, follow the Windows 11 Clock and Focus setup guide.
4. Check whether the timer counts active work
A 60-minute active-work limit is different from an alarm that rings 60 minutes after launch. StopBurnout counts keyboard and mouse activity, with time beyond its idle threshold credited as recovery. Pausing to read, leaving the desk or listening to a call can change when the break arrives.
Its defaults are a 60-minute work limit, a 10-minute break and a 120-second idle threshold. Check the dashboard during normal input activity. For a shorter test, save your work and temporarily use the supported minimum work limit of 15 minutes. Restore your usual settings afterwards. A settings password may be required in locked modes.
Read the timer behavior guide and the meeting-day guide if passive screen use explains the delay.
5. Check the protection level
Notification mode does not block the desktop. If you expect a full-screen break but selected a gentle mode, the difference is intentional. Password-locked and No way out modes provide the full-screen behavior in StopBurnout.
Choose the mode before the test, with enough advance warning to save your work. A running locked break cannot be reconfigured away through Settings. Check the mode limits before choosing stricter protection.
6. Check every connected monitor
A laptop display and an external monitor count as two screens. If the break appears on one and you can still work on the other, test the app's multi-monitor support. Recheck after changing docking stations, connecting a screen or switching between duplicated and extended displays.
StopBurnout is designed to show its locked overlays on every connected display. Test your actual setup and report a missing overlay rather than assuming another monitor is meant to stay usable. The multi-monitor page provides a practical checklist.
7. Verify the version and collect a useful report
Use the official release page to check the current download and its checksum. Do not delete local app data or license files as a first troubleshooting step. A useful report includes the app version, Windows version, selected mode, work/break/idle settings, monitor count and the steps that reproduced the issue.
For StopBurnout, contact hello@stopburnout.app. Describe whether the warning appeared, whether the dashboard reached the work limit and whether the problem occurred after sleep, a restart or a display change. Do not send your license key or personal work content.
If the reminder fires but you keep dismissing it, it is a different problem from a missing alert. Compare free break apps or try a stronger protection level that fits your work.
Try the routine on your Windows PC
StopBurnout counts keyboard and mouse activity, warns before a break and offers notification or full-screen modes. Try all modes for 14 days.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my break timer not ring after an hour?
An activity-based timer counts keyboard and mouse use rather than an hour on the wall clock. Idle periods can delay the next break. Check the current timer state, work limit and idle threshold before assuming the reminder failed.
Why do Windows break notifications disappear during Focus?
Windows Focus turns on Do not disturb by default. Check Settings, System, Notifications and the notification settings for your chosen app. Apps that draw their own reminder windows may use separate controls.
Why is StopBurnout not blocking my screen?
Check the selected mode. Notification mode leaves the desktop usable. Password-locked and No way out modes show full-screen breaks when the active-work limit is reached. Also check that the app is running and test every connected monitor.