When always on top stops working, the cause is almost always one of six things: the pin never switched on, another window is also topmost, the app runs as administrator, the tool is skipping the window on purpose, the shortcut never reaches the tool, or a full-screen app owns the display. Below are the checks, from the quickest to the least likely.
Start with the quick checks
Three checks take under a minute and solve a surprising share of cases.
- Make sure the tool is running. If you use PowerToys, open its Settings and check that the Always On Top module is turned on. A tray utility has to be running as well.
- Pin a small window such as Notepad. If that works, the tool is fine and the problem is specific to the other window.
- Look for the pin. PowerToys can draw a coloured border around a pinned window and play a sound when you pin. If neither appears, the shortcut probably did not reach the tool (see below).
If you have not chosen a tool yet, our always-on-top guide compares the options.
Another topmost window is in the way
A pinned window is a topmost window, and Microsoft's documentation says a topmost window overlaps all non-topmost windows. Two topmost windows are a different case. The same page says the system puts the active window at the top of the z-order for windows of the same type, so whichever topmost window you used last tends to win.
PowerToys is open about this. Its documentation says Always On Top "can't guarantee that the window will be above other topmost windows", and it lists Citrix, Remote Desktop and VMware windows as examples. AutoHotkey's page for WinSetAlwaysOnTop says the same in other words: the window stays on top of all other windows "except other always-on-top windows".
What to try: close or minimise the other topmost window, or click your pinned window so that it becomes the active one. Some apps can keep their own windows on top without telling you, so look at what else is open.
The app runs as administrator
If pinning works for every window except one, check whether that app was started as administrator. Windows has a mechanism called User Interface Privilege Isolation. Microsoft describes it as preventing "lower-privilege applications from sending messages or installing hooks in higher-privilege processes" (Microsoft Learn, checked in October 2026).
That page is about messages and hooks. Our reading is that a tool running as a normal user is likewise often unable to change an elevated window. Treat it as the most likely cause, not as a documented guarantee.
What to try: start the app without administrator rights if it does not need them. If it does need them, a pinning tool started as administrator may be able to reach it, but run only tools you trust that way. Pin Windows does not raise its own privileges, so it tells you the window is out of reach instead.
PowerToys settings that skip a window
PowerToys has two settings that stop a pin on purpose. One is "Do not activate when Game Mode is on", which prevents the shortcut from working while you are playing a game. The other is the list of excluded apps. Microsoft's documentation notes that entries are matched partly, so an entry such as Notepad also excludes Notepad++. If a window never pins, read that list.
The shortcut does nothing
The default PowerToys shortcut is Win+Ctrl+T, and you can change it. Programs register a global shortcut with a Windows function named RegisterHotKey, and Microsoft's documentation says it "typically" fails if the keystrokes are already registered for another hot key. It also says shortcuts that involve the Windows key are reserved for the operating system. In short: if another program already holds the same keys, only one of them gets the press.
What to try: choose a different combination in the tool's settings, and check other utilities that use global shortcuts, such as clipboard managers, screenshot tools and launchers. Our shortcut guide covers choosing and changing the keys.
Full-screen games and video
A game or video that has taken over the display may not let other windows appear above it, however they are pinned. We did not find Microsoft documentation that states this for every case, so take it as common experience. Switching the game to windowed or borderless mode, if it offers one, is worth a try.
The app rebuilt its window
The pin belongs to a window, not to an app. Some apps close a window and open a new one, for example after an update, a mode change or a restart. The new window is a different window and is not pinned. Pin it again.
Symptom, cause, next step
| What you see | Likely cause | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing happens when you press the shortcut | The tool is off, or another program holds the keys | Check the tool is running, then change the shortcut |
| The window pins, then another window covers it | Another topmost window | Click the pinned window, close the other topmost window |
| One app never pins, others do | The app runs as administrator, or it is on an exclusion list | Check how the app was started and the exclusion list |
| Pinning stops while you play | Game Mode setting in PowerToys | Turn that setting off |
| The pin is gone after the app updated | The app made a new window | Pin it again |
If nothing helps
Try a second tool as a test. If a different pinning tool works on the same window, the first tool is the problem. If both fail, the window itself is the cause, and the usual suspects are another topmost window, administrator rights or a full-screen app. Pin Windows is one more option with a window picker. It is being prepared for Microsoft Store and is not available there yet.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a pinned window go behind another window?
The most common reason is that the other window is also topmost. Windows puts the most recently active topmost window in front, so click the pinned window or close the other one.
Why does always on top not work on one app only?
Check whether that app runs as administrator. A tool running as a normal user is often unable to change such a window. Also check the exclusion list if you use PowerToys.
Why does the Win+Ctrl+T shortcut do nothing?
The tool may not be running, or another program may hold the same keys. A global shortcut usually fails to register when it is already taken. Choose another combination.
Can a window stay on top of a full-screen game?
Often not. A game that has taken over the display may not let other windows appear above it. Windowed or borderless mode may help.
Does always on top survive a restart?
No. The setting belongs to the open window and ends when it closes, so pin the window again.