Windows 11 always on top

TiredSoul-0538 asked Dec 13, '21 | StephenCotton-8607 commented 3 days ago

I cant seem to access my taskbar when it is hidden by auto-hide, and when I use the shortcuts, then switch to my tabs, it immediately disappears instead of going down. Every article I've read are for older windows versions, and use taskbar properties, but I don't know how to access taskbar properties on Windows 11, as right clicking it doesn't have all the options it used to.

windows-11

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Did you find it difficult to switch between windows always? Then you might have wanted to pin a window on top of all other windows in your computer. Although you can pin windows on top in Linux, there was no such option for Windows users. If you wanted to pin a specific window on top on Windows 10, or 11 we have the best possible solutions to do that.

Let’s begin.

Linux users will be familiar with the feature, while most Windows users probably haven’t even felt the need for it. Essentially, always on top windows just stay on top of everything. You can maximize another window, move another window around, whatever you do, a window pinned to the top will always remain on top. This is similar to the Picture-in-Picture mode for videos.

PowerToys is an app by Microsoft, meant to bring advanced features for power users to Windows. This is similar to Samsung’s approach with its OneUI on Android, where Samsung offers GoodLuck. PowerToys is, similarly, a free app that you can download from the Microsoft Store (Windows 11 only) or GitHub.

  1. Download and install PowerToys.
    • On Windows 11, click here and then click Install on the Microsoft Store.
      Windows 11 always on top
    • On Windows 10, click here, then scroll down to Assets and download PowerToysSetup. Double-click on the setup file to install.
      Windows 11 always on top
  2. Once installed, search for PowerToys in the Start Menu.
    Windows 11 always on top
  3. Click Run as administrator.
  4. In the General section of PowerToys, turn on the toggle that says Always run as administrator.
    Windows 11 always on top
  5. Next, select Always On Top from the left column.
    Windows 11 always on top
  6. On the right, turn on Enable Always On Top.

Pin Windows to Top on Windows 11 And Windows 10

Windows 11 always on top

Now that you’ve installed PowerToys and enabled Always On Top, you’ll need to use the keyboard shortcut to keep a window on top. Unlike Linux, the option is not available in a right-click context menu yet. By default, the keyboard shortcut to pin always on top windows is Windows + Ctrl + T. So you can simply press the correct key combo while the Window is active. Pinned Windows have a visible border, but this can be turned off or customized in PowerToys settings.

Related: How to Cast Android to Windows 11 PC

When Is Always On Top Windows Useful?

If you’re wondering why is this such a useful feature, imagine this scenario. You’re working with two or more windows, for instance, copying from one and pasting into another, several times. But splitting the screen between the windows is not always the optimal solution. For example, one of the windows might be the command prompt, or the terminal, which really does not need all the height of your screen.

Windows 11 always on top

Related: How to Automatically Switch Windows 11 Dark Mode Like macOS

Furthermore, let’s say you’re on a webpage where the space on the sides is not useful to you at the moment. You can use it to place your other smaller Window. The problem is, every time you click on your larger, maximized window, it will hide the smaller window and come on top. This can be avoided by keeping the smaller window always on top.

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Windows 11 always on top
Windows 11 always on top

Windows users have been waiting for the Always on Top feature for years now. But sadly, neither Windows 10 nor Windows 11 let users pin any Window on the operating system. Always on top, or window pinning, is a feature that lets you pin a Window that stays at the top of your computer screen all the time.

The feature is beneficial to those with hundreds of Windows open on their desktop. With the Always on Top feature, users can pin specific windows to stay top of everything. The feature is supposed to make workflow easier.

The new operating system from Microsoft – Windows 11 doesn’t ship with the Always on top feature. Hence, users need to rely on third-party apps to get the handy feature on their operating system.

2 Best Ways to Keep a Window Always-on-Top in Windows 11

So, in this article, we will share two best methods to keep a Windows Always-on-Top in Windows 11. Let’s check out.

Necessary: We have used Windows 11 to demonstrate the process. These two third-party apps work even on Windows 10. So, you can use these apps to keep a Window always on top, even on Windows 10.

1) Using DeskPins

DeskPins is a third-party utility that allows users to pin specific Windows on top of other Windows. DeskPins is free to download & use, and it’s pretty lightweight. Here’s how to use DeskPins on Windows 11.

1. First, visit this webpage and download DeskPins on your Windows 11 PC.

Windows 11 always on top

2. Once downloaded, install the program. The program icon will be added to the system tray. Click on the System Tray icon to launch the app.

Windows 11 always on top

3. Upon clicking on the DeskPins icon on the system tray, your mouse cursor will turn into a Pin.

4. You need to click on the window you want to pin to the top. This will pin the Window on top of every other Window.

Windows 11 always on top

5. To unpin the window, hover your mouse cursor over the pin and click on the cross button that appears.

6. Alternatively, you can even press the CTRL + F11 key to pin a Window on top. To remove the pin, press the CTRL + F12 key.

Windows 11 always on top

That’s it! You are done. This is how you can use DeskPins to keep a Window always on top in Windows 11.

2) Using PowerToys

PowerToys is a set of utilities designed for Windows power users. The utilities of PowerToys can be used to maximize productivity or add more customization options to the operating system. Here’s how to use PowerToys.

1. First of all, download & install PowerToys on your Windows 11 via Microsoft Store.

Windows 11 always on top

2. Once installed, open PowerToys from the Start Menu.

Windows 11 always on top

3. On the left pane, click on the Always On Top option as shown below.

Windows 11 always on top

4. On the right pane, enable the toggle button for Enable Always on Top.

Windows 11 always on top

5. To use the Always On Top feature, open a Window and press the Windows + CTRL + T key. This will pin the Window on top.

Windows 11 always on top

6. To disable Always on Top for a Window, press the Windows + CTRL + T key again.

That’s it! You are done. This is how you can use PowerToys to keep Window always on top in Windows 11.

Always-on-Top is a great feature, but it’s missing even on Windows 11. You can rely on these two apps to get the same feature on your PC. I hope this article helped you! Please share it with your friends also.