A computing device is described that displays a set of graphical elements in a status bar of a graphical user interface. Each graphical element corresponds to a different pending notification. While expanding a notification shade from the status bar, the device displays the graphical elements within an area of the notification shade that is adjacent to a leading edge of the notification shade. Responsive to determining that a particular notification message is newly visible, the device removes, a particular graphical element that corresponds to the particular notification message, and displays the particular graphical element within the particular notification message. In this manner, interaction with the notification area may be more efficient, as during a process of expanding or contracting this area, the user may be informed the underlying state of the set of pending notifications as a whole.