Windows 10 and 11 do not include a switch that keeps any window above the others. You can get one in four ways: use the app's own "always on top" option if it has one, use PowerToys Always On Top (Win+Ctrl+T by default), use a tray utility such as Pin Windows, or run a one-line AutoHotkey script. Below is what each does, what it cannot do, and how to choose.
What "always on top" means
Windows keeps open windows in one stack, and the window you click moves to the front. A topmost window is the exception. Microsoft's documentation says it "overlaps all other non-topmost windows, regardless of whether it is the active or foreground window". A pinned window therefore stays visible while you work in another app, until you unpin it or close it.
Two limits come with that. First, "always" means above ordinary windows only. When two windows are both topmost, the system puts the active one at the top of the z-order for windows of the same type, so a pinned window can still end up behind another topmost window that you used more recently. Second, the setting belongs to the window, not to the app. Close the window and the setting is gone.
Option 1: check the app itself
Some apps have their own switch, usually called "Always on top", "Keep on top" or "Mini view". Look in the View or Window menu, in the title bar menu (right-click the title bar) and in the app's settings. If the app has one, use it: the app handles its own window correctly.
It only covers that one app, and you have to find the setting again in every app you use.
Option 2: PowerToys Always On Top
PowerToys is a set of utilities from Microsoft, and Always On Top is one of them. According to its documentation (checked in October 2026), you press Win+Ctrl+T to pin the active window, and press it again or close the window to unpin it. You can change the shortcut.
The settings page offers a coloured border around the pinned window, a sound when you pin, a title bar menu entry, a switch that stops pinning while Game Mode is on, and a list of excluded apps. The opacity setting applies to the border, not to the pinned window.
Microsoft states the limit plainly: Always On Top "can't guarantee that the window will be above other topmost windows". Its compatibility table lists Citrix, Remote Desktop and VMware windows, which may be topmost themselves.
Choose it when you want the pin and nothing more, from a source you already use.
Option 3: Pin Windows
Pin Windows is a small tray utility that does the same basic job and adds a few things around it. You pick a window by clicking it or from a list, so you do not have to activate it first. Each pinned window has its own transparency, from 100% down to 30%. Click-through is available as an optional mode. A Restore all command, in the tray and on a shortcut, undoes everything the app changed.
It restores a window to how it found it: a window that was already on top stays on top after you restore it. It does not move, resize or activate the window you pin, and it runs without administrator rights.
It has the same limits as PowerToys. It cannot promise to stay above other topmost windows, and from a normal session it cannot control windows of apps that run as administrator. It works on Windows 10 and 11, offline, and collects no data. Pin Windows is being prepared for Microsoft Store and is not available there yet.
Choose it when you also want transparency, a window picker or a one-step way back.
Option 4: a small AutoHotkey script
If you already use AutoHotkey v2, one line toggles the active window:
^!t::WinSetAlwaysOnTop -1, "A"The line binds Ctrl+Alt+T (^ is Ctrl, ! is Alt). The value -1 toggles the setting, and "A" means the active window. AutoHotkey's page for WinSetAlwaysOnTop says the function makes a window "stay on top of all other windows (except other always-on-top windows)". The script is flexible, but you maintain it yourself, and nothing keeps a list of the windows you pinned.
Which one should you pick?
| Option | Best for | Choosing the window | Window transparency | Undo everything at once |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The app's own setting | One app you use all the time | Not applicable | Only if the app offers it | Not applicable |
| PowerToys Always On Top | A quick pin on a shortcut | Pins the active window | Not offered (the opacity setting is for the border) | No |
| Pin Windows | Pinning plus transparency and a safe way back | Click it or choose from a list | 30 to 100% per window | Yes, with Restore all |
| AutoHotkey script | People who already script Windows | Pins the active window | Not in this one-liner | No |
Check that it worked
Pin a small window such as Notepad, open a second window, click inside it and drag it over the first. The pinned window should stay in front. If it drops behind, another topmost window is probably in the way.
When a window will not stay on top
- Another window is also topmost. Microsoft lists Citrix, Remote Desktop and VMware windows as examples, and a pinned window cannot beat them.
- The app runs as administrator. A tool that runs as a normal user is often not allowed to change such a window. If pinning never works for one app, check whether it was started as administrator.
- A full-screen game or video has taken over the display, and other windows may not be able to appear above it.
- The app rebuilt its window, for example after a restart or a mode change. The setting belongs to the old window, so pin the new one.
Frequently asked questions
Does Windows have a built-in always on top setting for any window?
Not as a general switch in Windows 10 and 11. Individual apps may offer their own option, and a utility such as PowerToys Always On Top or Pin Windows covers the windows that do not.
Will a pinned window stay on top after I restart the PC?
No. The setting belongs to the open window, so it ends when the window closes. Pin Windows does not re-pin anything after a restart either.
Does pinning a window change its size or position?
It should not, because pinning only changes the stacking order. Pin Windows pins without moving, resizing or activating the window.
Can I keep a window 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.
Is PowerToys or Pin Windows the better choice?
It depends on what you need. PowerToys Always On Top pins the active window with one shortcut. Pin Windows adds a window picker, per-window transparency, optional click-through and a restore-everything command, and it is a paid app with a 7-day trial.