Windows has no setting that makes a particular app always open on top. The topmost flag belongs to a window, so it is lost every time the app closes, restarts, or updates. To pin an app automatically on every launch, you need a rule that watches for the app and pins it: PinPoint does this with Intelligent Auto-Pinning, where you pick the app once and it is pinned whenever it starts. Free options are a small AutoHotkey script or the old DeskPins autopin rules.
If you pin the same calculator, notes window, call window, or chart every morning, this is the difference between a habit and a setting.
Pick an app once and PinPoint pins it every time it launches.
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Why does Windows forget always on top?
Microsoft defines the always on top behavior in the SetWindowPos documentation: HWND_TOPMOST “places the window above all non-topmost windows,” and the window “maintains its topmost position even when it is deactivated.” That flag is set on one window handle. When the app closes, that window is gone. When the app opens again, Windows creates a new window that starts as a normal, non-topmost window.
That is why a hotkey tool such as PowerToys Always On Top (Win+Ctrl+T, per Microsoft’s documentation) works perfectly for one session and then needs pressing again tomorrow. The PowerToys docs describe pinning, borders, sounds, and an excluded apps list, but no per-app rule that pins an app when it opens.
What are the ways to auto-pin an app on launch?
| Method | Cost | How you set it up | Survives app restarts | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hotkey each time (PowerToys and others) | Free | Press the shortcut | No | You remember every time |
| AutoHotkey script | Free, GPLv2 | Write and run a small script | Yes, while the script runs | You maintain the script |
| DeskPins autopin rules | Free, open source | Wildcard rules in its options | Yes, while it runs | Last release 2015 |
| PinPoint Intelligent Auto-Pinning | One-time purchase | Pick the app from the running list | Yes, while PinPoint runs | Rules in a settings screen |
How do I auto-pin an app with AutoHotkey?
AutoHotkey describes itself as “a free, open-source scripting language for Windows,” licensed under GNU GPLv2. Two functions from its v2 documentation do the job: WinWait “waits until the specified window exists,” and WinSetAlwaysOnTop “makes the specified window stay on top of all other windows (except other always-on-top windows).”
A minimal script that pins Notepad whenever it opens:
#Requires AutoHotkey v2.0
Loop {
hwnd := WinWait("ahk_exe notepad.exe")
WinSetAlwaysOnTop(1, hwnd)
WinWaitClose(hwnd)
}Steps:
- Install AutoHotkey v2 from its website.
- Find the process name of your app in Task Manager, Details tab, and replace
notepad.exe. - Save the script as a .ahk file and double-click it to run.
- Add it to Startup (put a shortcut in
shell:startup) so it runs after every sign-in.
This is free and flexible. The costs are real, though: you maintain a script per app or a growing list, apps with several windows need extra logic, and there is no visual cue that a window is pinned.
Can DeskPins still auto-pin apps?
DeskPins is a free, open source pinning tool that lists “powerful wildcard-based automatic pin support” among its features. It still works for many people. Know before you rely on it: the latest version listed is v1.32 from 20 February 2015, the download is labeled for Windows 10 and older (Windows 11 is not mentioned), and it requires the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable. If you want a maintained tool on Windows 11, that age matters.
Auto-pin rules, colored borders, and pin profiles, with no script to maintain.
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How do I auto-pin an app with PinPoint?
PinPoint is a native Windows app for Windows 10 and 11 that pins windows with a customizable global hotkey and, for repeat cases, pins them by rule. From its Store listing, Intelligent Auto-Pinning works like this: “Select an app from your active process list. PinPoint automatically locks it to the foreground the precise microsecond it launches.”
A typical setup:
- Open the app you want pinned so it appears in the running process list.
- Open PinPoint’s settings from the tray and add an auto-pin rule for that app.
- Pick a border color for it, so you can see at a glance that it is pinned.
- Close and reopen the app to check the rule. It opens pinned.
- Add more apps or group rules into a Workspace Pin Profile.
When are profiles better than single rules?
If your pinned set changes with the task, rules alone get in the way. PinPoint’s Workspace Pin Profiles save a set of pinned windows for a context. The Store listing gives the examples “Trading,” “Research,” and “Development,” switched with one click. A few practical pairings:
| Profile | Windows you might pin |
|---|---|
| Calls | Meeting mini window, notes |
| Research | PDF or reference browser window, notes |
| Development | API docs, terminal output, a log viewer |
| Trading | A chart, an order ticket |
Two more PinPoint features help in daily use. Application Exclusion Rules stop chosen utility panels or system alerts from interrupting your focus. Timed Countdown Release unpins a window automatically after a set time, so a reference window does not stay on top all afternoon.
What will auto-pinning not fix?
Any auto-pin method still sets the same Windows topmost flag, so the same limits apply:
- Elevated apps. A tool running as a normal user cannot pin a window that runs as administrator. Microsoft’s PowerToys admin mode page documents this for Always On Top.
- Other topmost windows. If another app is also topmost, the two share the top band. AutoHotkey’s own docs note the “except other always-on-top windows” exception.
- Exclusive fullscreen games. Use borderless windowed mode instead.
Our guide on always on top not working on Windows 11 goes through each case.
Which option should I choose?
- You pin something once in a while: use a hotkey tool. PowerToys is free and good.
- You like scripting and have one or two apps: AutoHotkey is free and does exactly what you write.
- You pin the same apps every day, across restarts, and want to see what is pinned: PinPoint’s rules, borders, and profiles are built for that. It is under 14 MB on disk, runs offline, and has no telemetry or account.
For a broader feature comparison, see PinPoint vs PowerToys Always On Top and our DeskPins alternative guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Windows 11 setting to keep one app always on top?
No. Some apps have their own “on top” option (for example compact or mini modes), but Windows itself has no per-app setting.
Does auto-pinning work after a reboot?
Yes, as long as the tool that holds the rule starts with Windows. For AutoHotkey, put the script in Startup. For PinPoint, keep it running in the tray.
Can I auto-pin only one window of an app?
AutoHotkey can match on window title. PinPoint’s rules are per app. If you only want one of several windows pinned, a hotkey pin for that window is simplest.
Does PinPoint work offline?
Yes. It has no cloud dependency, no account, and no telemetry.
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Get PinPoint from the Microsoft Store as a one-time purchase, and see the PinPoint product page for every feature.
Set your pins once and stop pressing the hotkey every morning.
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Microsoft, Windows, and PowerToys are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. AutoHotkey and DeskPins are the property of their respective authors. Other product names are trademarks of their owners. PinPoint is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.
Last updated 17 October 2026. Published by Automata Labs, a software company in Canada.