Windows 11 does not ship a keyboard shortcut that keeps any window always on top. The shortcut most people find is Win+Ctrl+T, and it belongs to Microsoft PowerToys, a free add-on you install separately. You can also build your own hotkey with a one-line AutoHotkey script. If you want a hotkey plus rules that pin chosen apps automatically every time they open, PinPoint from Automata Labs does both, with a customizable global hotkey, colored borders and per-app auto-pinning.
This guide covers what each shortcut does, what it does not do, and how to choose.
Pin any window with your own hotkey, or let PinPoint pin your reference apps the moment they launch.
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Does Windows 11 have a built-in always on top shortcut?
No. Windows can keep a window above others, and apps use that ability all the time for things like notification toasts and small overlays. What Windows does not give you is a general command to turn it on for any window you choose. There is no Settings toggle, no title bar option, and no default key combination for it.
Some individual apps offer their own keep-on-top option in their menus, so check the app you care about first. For everything else you need a helper tool. The three common choices are:
- PowerToys Always On Top, with the default shortcut Win+Ctrl+T.
- An AutoHotkey script, with any key combination you like.
- A dedicated pinning app such as PinPoint, with a customizable hotkey and automatic rules.
What does Win+Ctrl+T do?
Win+Ctrl+T is the default activation shortcut for the Always On Top utility in PowerToys. Microsoft’s documentation says it “pins the active window above all other windows,” and the pinned window “stays on top, even when you select other windows.” Press the same shortcut again, or close the window, to unpin it.
If Win+Ctrl+T does nothing on your PC, PowerToys is either not installed, not running, or has Always On Top switched off. The shortcut is not part of Windows itself.
PowerToys lets you change a few things about it:
- The shortcut itself. The activation shortcut is customizable.
- A border. A colored border can mark the pinned window, with your own color, opacity and thickness.
- A sound when you pin or unpin.
- A title bar menu entry, so you can pin from the window’s right-click menu.
- Excluded apps, so certain programs can never be pinned.
- A Game Mode switch, so the shortcut does not fire while you play.
Microsoft is also clear about one limit. Always On Top “can’t guarantee that the window will be above other topmost windows.” The documentation lists Citrix, Remote Desktop and VMware windows as examples that may already be topmost, so your pinned window can appear behind them. That limit applies to every tool in this article, because they all use the same Windows topmost mechanism. Our guide to always on top not working on Windows 11 covers those cases in more detail.
How do I make my own always on top hotkey with AutoHotkey?
AutoHotkey is a free scripting tool for Windows. Its WinSetAlwaysOnTop function “makes the specified window stay on top of all other windows (except other always-on-top windows).” Passing -1 toggles the setting, so a single line gives you a toggle hotkey. This example uses Ctrl+Space and targets the active window, which AutoHotkey writes as "A":
^Space::WinSetAlwaysOnTop -1, "A"Save that line in a .ahk file, run it with AutoHotkey v2, and Ctrl+Space now pins and unpins whatever window is in front. Put the script in your Startup folder if you want the hotkey after every sign-in.
What you give up compared with a finished app:
- No visual cue. Nothing shows which window is pinned unless you add more code.
- No memory. The pin is gone when the app closes. Next time you open it, you press the hotkey again.
- Maintenance is on you. If the script stops running, the hotkey silently stops working.
For people who already script their desktop, that trade is fine. For everyone else, it is a small project that never quite ends.
What does PinPoint add beyond a shortcut?
PinPoint is a Windows app from Automata Labs built around the idea that you should not have to press a shortcut for the same window every day. Its Microsoft Store listing describes these features:
- A customizable global hotkey to pin any application window always on top.
- Intelligent auto-pinning. Pick an app from your running processes and PinPoint locks it to the foreground when it launches.
- Workspace pin profiles. Save sets of pinned windows for contexts such as research or development and switch between them.
- Visual borders with adjustable colors and thickness, so you can see what is pinned across several monitors.
- Audio feedback for pin and unpin actions.
- Exclusion rules, so certain utility panels or alerts are never pinned by accident.
- Timed countdown release, which unpins a window automatically after a set duration.
- Multi-window support, so you can pin as many windows as you need at once.
It runs fully offline with no account and no telemetry, and it is a one-time purchase in the Microsoft Store.
Set your pins up once and stop pressing the same shortcut every morning.
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How do the three options compare?
| PowerToys Always On Top | AutoHotkey script | PinPoint | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built into Windows | No, separate free install | No, separate free install | No, Microsoft Store app |
| Default shortcut | Win+Ctrl+T | None, you choose | You choose |
| Shortcut can be changed | Yes | Yes, edit the script | Yes |
| Border on the pinned window | Yes, optional | Only if you code it | Yes, color-coded |
| Sound on pin | Optional | Only if you code it | Yes |
| Pin an app automatically at launch | Not listed in the docs | Possible with more scripting | Yes, per-app rules |
| Saved sets of pinned windows | Not listed in the docs | Possible with more scripting | Yes, pin profiles |
| Unpin after a set time | Not listed in the docs | Possible with more scripting | Yes, timed release |
| Exclude apps | Yes | Only if you code it | Yes |
| Price | Free | Free | One-time purchase |
“Not listed in the docs” means the feature is not in Microsoft’s documentation for the utility. It does not mean it can never exist.
Which always on top shortcut should I use?
| Your situation | Best pick |
|---|---|
| You already run PowerToys | Win+Ctrl+T, it costs nothing to switch on |
| You pin something now and then | PowerToys or a one-line AutoHotkey script |
| You already use AutoHotkey for other hotkeys | Add the WinSetAlwaysOnTop line to your script |
| PowerToys is not allowed on your work PC | PinPoint or AutoHotkey, depending on what IT allows |
| You pin the same apps every day | PinPoint, so auto-pinning does it at launch |
| You switch between different setups | PinPoint pin profiles |
| You keep forgetting what is pinned | Any option with a border, ideally color-coded |
A fair summary: if you only want the shortcut, the free options are enough. PinPoint earns its place when the real problem is repetition, such as pinning the same video call, ticket queue or reference PDF every single day. Our guide on how to make an app always open on top walks through that launch-time case in depth.
How do I set up a pin hotkey in PinPoint?
- Install PinPoint from the Microsoft Store.
- Open its settings and choose the global hotkey you want to use for pinning.
- Click the window you want to keep visible and press the hotkey. A border marks it as pinned.
- Press the hotkey again on that window to unpin it.
- For a window you pin every day, add its app as an auto-pin rule so it is pinned when it launches.
Pick a combination that does not collide with shortcuts you already use. If you also run PowerToys, either leave Win+Ctrl+T to PowerToys and choose something else for PinPoint, or turn PowerToys Always On Top off so two tools are not fighting over the same window.
Common mistakes with always on top shortcuts
- Expecting Win+Ctrl+T without PowerToys. It only works while PowerToys is running.
- Running two pinning tools on the same hotkey. One tool pins, the other unpins, and it looks broken.
- Pinning a full-size window. A pinned window covers what is under it. Resize it to a corner first.
- Forgetting what is pinned. Without a border, a pinned window feels like a stuck window. Turn borders on.
- Blaming the tool for Remote Desktop or VM windows. Other topmost windows can sit above any pinned window.
Frequently asked questions
What is the shortcut to keep a window on top in Windows 11?
There is no built-in one. With PowerToys installed, the default is Win+Ctrl+T. AutoHotkey and PinPoint let you choose your own key combination.
Why does Win+Ctrl+T not work?
Usually because PowerToys is not installed or not running, or the Always On Top module is turned off. Check the PowerToys settings, and check that no other app has claimed the same shortcut.
Can I keep more than one window on top?
Yes. PinPoint’s Store listing says you can pin as many windows as you need at the same time, and an AutoHotkey toggle works on each window separately. Pinned windows still overlap each other, so give each one its own corner of the screen.
Can a window stay on top after I close and reopen it?
Not with a simple toggle. Windows forgets the setting when the window closes. PinPoint’s auto-pinning rules reapply it every time the app launches.
Does an always on top window work over full-screen games?
Often not. Exclusive full-screen games and some other topmost windows can cover it. Borderless windowed mode tends to work better. See our always on top window guide for Windows 11 and the PinPoint vs PowerToys comparison for more.
Try PinPoint
Get PinPoint from the Microsoft Store. It is a one-time purchase, and the Store listing shows the current price. If you are coming from an older pinning tool, our DeskPins alternative guide explains how the options line up.
A hotkey when you want it, automatic pins when you do not want to think about it.
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Microsoft, Windows and PowerToys are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. AutoHotkey is a trademark of its owners. PinPoint is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
Last updated 19 October 2026. Published by Automata Labs, a software company in Canada.