Effective workplace management is essential in today’s society, as multitasking is becoming more and more common. With its streamlined design and enhanced capabilities, Windows 11 provides a number of features that boost user efficiency. Keeping one window on top of another is one such functionality that customers want. No matter which program is open, this feature enables certain windows or applications to stay visible. Having a window stay on top can greatly improve your workflow, whether you’re composing documents while referring to a webpage, watching a video call, or keeping an eye on your music player while playing a game. with this post, we’ll look at a number of ways to accomplish this with Windows 11, including both third-party and built-in options.
Understanding the Concept
Knowing what it means to maintain a window on top is crucial before following the “how-to” instructions. A window stays visible above all other open windows on your desktop when you configure it to always stay on top. Although it isn’t a system-wide setting in Windows 11, this functionality is very helpful when multitasking. Therefore, we will investigate both built-in and third-party tools that can support this feature.
Native Options in Windows 11
Although it is not natively supported by Windows 11, several apps or built-in utilities make it possible to keep a window at the top of all windows.
Using Snap Layouts
Snap Layouts, which were introduced in Windows 11, are intended to help you efficiently arrange the windows on your screen. You can arrange numerous windows with Snap Layouts, which facilitates multi-application interaction.
Launch the Windows of your choice: Start by starting the programs you must utilize. For example, open your note-taking software alongside your main application if you want to keep it on top.
Hover Over the Maximize Button: Locate the window’s title bar that you wish to keep open. Move your mouse pointer over the maximize button, which is the square icon located in the window’s upper-right corner.
Choose a Layout: Snap Layouts will be displayed for you to select in Windows 11. This allows you to snap your note-taking app to one area of the screen and your primary app to another.
Snap Layouts are useful for efficiently managing windows, however they don’t always keep a window at the top. You might wish to look into third-party software if you want continuous visibility.
Open Settings for Advanced Options
Verify the settings of particular apps, such as video players or teamwork tools, to determine if they include a “Always on top” function. For instance, certain chat programs and media players include built-in features that can be activated through the options menu.
Investigating the settings of each application will have varied outcomes, despite the fact that these options are few and largely rely on the application itself.
Third-Party Applications to Make Windows Stay on Top
Third-party apps are accessible to users seeking reliable solutions outside of built-in capabilities. These are a few of the most widely used settings to activate the “always on top” feature.
1. DeskPins
DeskPins is a little program that lets you use a pinning technique to maintain any window on top of another.
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Download and Install DeskPins
: You can find DeskPins on its official website or trusted software repositories. -
Run Program
: Once installed, open DeskPins. You ll see a pin icon in your system tray. -
Pinning a Window
: Activate DeskPins, then click the pin icon and move your mouse over the window you want to keep on top. A pin will appear; simply click to pin that window. -
Unpinning
: To release the window, click the pin again.
2. Always On Top
The always-on-top utility, which is frequently just a single executable file that handles the heavy lifting for you, is another easy fix.
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Download Always On Top
: Look for this tool online and download it from a trusted source. It comes as a portable application, meaning you don t need to install it; just run the executable file. -
Usage
: Open a window you want to pin. Then launch the Always On Top executable. You ll be able to toggle the on-top functionality by simply clicking within the window or using a keyboard shortcut, often Ctrl + Space.
3. WindowTop
This is a more feature-rich program that lets you keep a window open while also providing other features like resizing and transparency.
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Installation
: Download WindowTop from its official website. It s available for free with specific features requiring a premium license. -
Pinning a Window
: Open the application. Use the menu options to select the window you want to pin. You may then set the required attributes:-
Always on Top
: Check the relevant box to keep the window on top. -
Transparency
: Adjust the opacity if you want to keep the window visible yet slightly transparent.
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Always on Top
: Check the relevant box to keep the window on top. -
Transparency
: Adjust the opacity if you want to keep the window visible yet slightly transparent.
4. OnTopReplica
What makes OnTopReplica special is that it lets you make a copy of an existing window that remains at the top. Applications like watching movies or keeping track of discussions, where content monitoring is crucial, may find this very helpful.
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Install OnTopReplica
: Find OnTopReplica on GitHub or other reliable software repositories and download it. -
Launch Application
: After installation, open it and select the window you would like to monitor. -
Open View
: You get an option to choose how it displays, and the replica will always stay on top, enabling you to resize or position it as needed.
Using Built-in Shortcuts for Task Management
Using built-in shortcuts can be a useful method of workflow management if you want to reduce the inconvenience of navigating between apps.
Virtual Desktops
Because Windows 11 allows virtual desktops, you can set up many workplaces. Although it’s not a “always on top” function, it can aid in effectively dividing up work.
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Create a Virtual Desktop
: Press
Windows + Ctrl + D
to add a new desktop. You can then move specific applications to these desktops for better organization. -
Switch Between Desktops
: Use
Windows + Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow
to switch between created desktops. This way, you can have a clean space for tasks without something obscurely taking focus.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Every user has different requirements when it comes to window management. A few keyboard shortcuts that are useful for often used tasks are as follows:
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Alt + Tab
: This allows you to toggle between open applications. Use it frequently to switch attention as needed without losing your place. -
Windows + D
: This shortcut minimizes all windows, making it easy to focus on the task at hand quickly.
Although using these shortcuts won’t guarantee that one window stays open at all times, they can increase your productivity when handling several windows.
Conclusion
Using Windows 11 to efficiently manage your workspace can greatly increase productivity and multitasking. By knowing how to keep a window at the top, users can watch content or refer to information without constantly switching between apps. Although Windows 11 doesn’t have a built-in function for being “always on top,” there are a number of third-party apps that can readily fill the void.
These tools, which range from DeskPins and OnTopReplica to Always On Top, provide versatility and choices to meet a range of requirements. Using these tools can improve your working experience whether you’re a professional managing several projects, a gamer, or just someone who wants a more organized desktop. To get the most out of Windows 11, keep your apps organized, make good use of virtual desktops, and investigate the built-in features of each application. Maintaining a window on top of your multitasking activities becomes effortless with the correct configuration.