How to keep a window always visible in Windows 10

No operating system is all-featured, but one essential feature is missing from Windows 10: the ability to lock windows on the “top layer” of your desktop, which are displayed above everything else.

This feature is useful in many ways, from manually copying information between windows to keeping content open when you need it on your screen or keeping your video chat open while you work on a project. You can watch a movie in the background on your computer while you work on other projects, or you can keep your file explorer on top of your web browser or word processor so you always have access to its content.

No matter how you want to work, keeping your windows up is essential to increasing productivity. Unfortunately, Windows 10 excludes that feature, but you can easily add it to your PC using third-party software. For Mac users, see how to keep a window on top in MacOS.

How do I force a window to always be visible in Windows 10?

If you like a simple and ready-to-use application, desktop pins is your best option. However, AutoHotKey It is the optimal way to keep some windows always visible for advanced users who prefer to use scripts.

If you’ve been researching this topic, you may have come across articles that mention an app called “Always on Top.” He was here at some point too. This app also had scripting features, but the “Always on Top” app is from 2016. The website has a download URL, but it doesn’t appear on the website, which is questionable. This is only mentioned because numerous websites link to it and tell you to use it, but it has potential security risks. Some of those links are also not secure.

These are the best ways to pin a window on top of Windows 10.

Option #1: Use DeskPins

If you’re looking for something that comes pre-written, it’s best to stick with a free app called DeskPins, which effectively pins windows so they’re always on top until you close or unpin them. Some more technically inclined Windows users may prefer the custom scripting options available with AutoHotkey, which you’ll find in the next section.

DeskPins has been around for years since the days of Windows XP, and is still used today to put window pins on your PC because it’s simple, easy, and free. As a free or open source software (FOSS) program, you can easily use DeskPins on any Windows computer.

Here’s how to use DekskPins.

1. Download and install desks using the specific Windows 10 installer.
   
2. Double click or right click and select Open in desktoppins.exe to run the program on your computer.
   
3. Click the icon on the taskbar and the mouse icon will turn into a small red pin.
   
4. Pin your window or program by clicking at the top of the window. A little, red pin icon appears in the title bar of the pinned window to show its status.
   
5. To unpin the window, click the pin icon to disable the option, or you can close the window.

DeskPins is as easy to use as you can imagine, but there are a few things you should keep in mind when using it:

First, the program may not work on computers under administrative control, such as work or school PCs. Talk to your employer’s or school’s help desk or IT department for help on this matter, as they may have policies about what is allowed and whether or not they install it or allow you to manage it.

Second: You can still minimize and maximize the window whenever you want without losing the “always on top” state of the window.

Option #2: Use AutoHotKey with custom scripts

AutoHotkeyis a free open source program (GNU GPLv2) that allows you to write custom scripts or use other people’s add-on scripts to help you create macros on your computer.

The app is widely used and highly recommended, and its uses range from gaming to changing the direction of mouse scrolling.

If you’re looking to pin windows to your desktop, you can easily do so with AutoHotkey, although it’s worth noting that you’ll have to create the script by typing the code manually.

Note: AutoHotkey has been updated from version 1.0 to 2.0, which changes the functionality of the script. This article provides updated steps for working with version 2.0.

Here are the steps on how to get started with AutoHotkey v2.0:

1. Download and install AutoHotkey v2.0 if you don’t have it yet.
   
2. Start AutoHotKey.
3. In it Installation mode: section, choose All users either Current user, then click Install.
4. Right click on Desk and create a new folder (“AutoHotKey Scripts” in this example) to store your scripts.
   
5. Return to AutoHotKey and select New script.
6. In the top box, give your new script a name (“AlwaysOnTop” in this example).
7. Click on the file icon next to the top box, then set the correct folder location (Desktop\AutoHotKey Scripts in this example). You should see “C:\Users\[username here]\Desktop\AutoHotKey Scripts” in the location box.
8. Choose Minimum for v2.
9. Click Create.
10. If the file appears in Explorer, right-click and choose Edit script.
11. Choose the editor as Pad if prompted, click OK.
12. Below the existing text, paste the following script:
    ^space:: WinSetAlwaysOnTop "-1","A"
Return
13. Select File -> Save and exit Notepad.
    
14. Double click the file or right click and select Run script.
    
15. If you have problems running the script, try running it as Administrator, but you shouldn’t have any problems.
16. To place a window on top of other windows, select it and press the hotkey combination Ctrl + Space.
17. To undo a window at the top, select it and press Ctrl + Space one more time.

You can place more than one window on top, but the last selected one will remain on top until you undo its top state. Then the second window that is configured will stay on top until you change it. This process may continue depending on how many windows you have selected to be on top.

Plus, you can still minimize or close any windows that remain on top.

He “^The “character represents the Ctrl key and “SPACE” means the space bar, creating a “Ctrl + [Space]”hot key. You can also use “#” to represent the Windows key if you prefer.

Auto Hotkey provides more customization than you would otherwise get with Always On Top, but it also requires more work to use on your PC.

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Finally, desktop pins and AutoHotKey represent the best methods to help productivity and efficiency when pinning a window to the foreground in Windows 10.

Whether you’re looking to keep a video playing in the background, pin a calculator or notepad app while working on spreadsheets, or need to watch a file transfer while editing a photo in Photoshop, it’s easy to do with DeskPins and AutoHotKey. . Do you have any experience with pinning windows to the top in Windows 10? Let us know in the comments section below.

_{Note: This article is not a promotion for any particular app.}