KeyRoutines
Windows and layoutsWorks on Free

How to keep any window always on top with a hotkey

Create a KeyRoutines routine with a Hotkey trigger and a Get window info step for the window in front. An If with Compare values checks its isTopmost output, and Window state either sets the window to keep on top or takes it off the top.

Steps

  1. 1

    Add a Hotkey trigger

    Pick a chord such as Ctrl+Alt+T.

  2. 2

    Read the front window

    Add Get window info with Use the window in front turned on.

  3. 3

    Check if it's pinned

    Add an If with Compare values that checks the step's isTopmost output is true.

  4. 4

    Toggle on top

    In the If branch, add Window state set to not on top; in the Else branch, set it to keep on top. Point both at the window from Get window info.

Tips

  • KeyRoutines never changes the windows of protected games, so this won't pin a game window.
  • PowerToys also has an always-on-top shortcut; this routine is handy if you want it to do more, such as moving the window to a corner at the same time.

Questions

Does it work on every app?
It works on normal desktop windows. Some apps that run as administrator can only be changed when KeyRoutines' admin features are on.
Can I pin a specific app instead of the front window?
Yes. Skip Get window info and pick the app in Window state's window field.

Blocks this routine uses

Trigger · HotkeysFree

Hotkey

Hotkey starts a routine when you press a keyboard shortcut or mouse button. It's the most common way to run a routine, from a single app launcher key to a whole streaming setup on one combination.

Step · WindowsFree

Get window info

Get window info reads details about a window, or simply the one in front, and hands them to later steps. Nothing moves or comes forward; it only looks.

Condition · Flow and routinesFree

Compare values

Compare values is the everyday yes-or-no check in KeyRoutines. You put a value on the left, pick a test, and put a value on the right, so an If can branch on things like a battery level, a window title or a number an earlier step worked out.

Step · WindowsFree

Window state

Window state changes a window's state: restore, minimize, maximize, hide, close it, or keep it on top of other windows. It's the Swiss army knife for tidying windows from a routine.

More how-to guides

Build this routine in KeyRoutines

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