Last Updated on May 11, 2026
When you use your Microsoft Windows based computer, you most likely have several programs running at the same time and are constantly switching back and forth between your open windows. You may also use one program more than the others or always want to have it in the foreground for quick access.
When you click on an open program in the taskbar to maximize it, you will notice that it covers your other open windows and puts them in the background. So, if you have an app that you use all the time, you will find yourself always having to bring it to the front of the other open apps. In this article, we will be showing you how to make any open window stay on top of others with the click of a mouse.
1. Download and Install the PinWin Application
In order to make this useful feature happen, we will be using a highly effective, completely free third-party app called PinWin – Pin On Top. Once you download the small installation file and install the program on your hard drive, it will automatically launch in the background. You will quickly find it running quietly in your Windows system tray, which is clearly indicated by a small white thumbtack icon near your clock.
2. Unpin the System Tray Overflow Area
When you initially launch the program, you might notice some quirky default behavior right out of the gate. If you were to click on the white thumbtack icon, it may show that the app has automatically pinned the System tray overflow area, meaning that popup box always stays visibly stuck on the screen. You most likely don’t want this annoying box permanently pinned over your active workspace, so you can simply click to uncheck this specific item from the list.
3. Select an Open Window to Pin
To successfully pin a specific window so it permanently stays on top of your other background windows, you can simply click on the PinWin thumbtack icon in your taskbar. From the menu that securely pops up, carefully click on the exact program or app you want to have stay on top of the other open applications. If you open or close any programs while working, they will be dynamically added or removed from this active list in case you want to easily pin something else later.
4. Pin Multiple Programs Simultaneously
You are not strictly limited to pinning just a single application to the foreground of your desktop layout. If you were to intentionally choose another program from the dropdown list, it would also persistently stay on top of other background apps as well as the other previously selected apps. The PinWin program is cleverly designed to pin the overlapping windows based entirely on the chronological order you choose them from the list.
5. Unpin Windows When Finished
When you are finally done with your current task, reversing this action is incredibly straightforward. To easily unpin a window, simply open the menu and uncheck it from the list, and your desktop layout will instantly go back to normal. Additionally, when you fully close an app, it will reset and will not be automatically pinned the next time you open it. You can also quickly choose the “Unpin All Windows” option to conveniently put all your program windows back to normal at once.
6. Use the Screen Selection Feature
Inside the menu, there is an alternative choice called “Select Window From Screen” which gives you a visual targeting tool. This feature will theoretically let you carefully choose an open window to be put on top of others by physically clicking directly on it, but be aware that this feature doesn’t seem to work reliably all the time. There is also a dedicated keyboard shortcut key you can use to trigger pins, but this specific method is historically not perfectly reliable either depending on your system configuration.
7. Manage Shortcut Keys and Application Exit
If you want to experiment with the keyboard shortcuts anyway, you can easily find this shortcut key menu by clicking on Options, but keep in mind the default key combination is strictly set to Ctrl-Alt-V. You can also actively click on Exit from the main menu to completely close the PinWin app, but there is a distinct catch. Your currently pinned windows will stubbornly stay on top until you either open the app again and manually unpin them, or completely close the actual program that is pinned.
8. Configure PinWin to Run at Startup
To make this incredibly useful tool a seamless part of your daily desktop workflow, PinWin should definitely be set to automatically start with your computer. By enabling this startup setting, you will not need to manually search for and run the executable file each and every time you boot up your machine. It will always conveniently be waiting for you right there in the Windows system tray whenever you need to keep a window in strict focus.
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