How to Keep Any Window Always on Top on Mac

Keeping important windows always visible on your Mac can dramatically improve your productivity. Whether you're following a tutorial while coding, taking notes during a video call, or monitoring logs while working, TopWindow makes it effortless to pin any window to the front.

What You'll Need

• A Mac running macOS 12 (Monterey) or newer
• TopWindow app (free 7-day trial)
• 5 minutes to set up

Step 1: Download TopWindow

Visit topwindow.app/download to get the latest version of TopWindow. The download is a DMG file that's compatible with both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.

Step 2: Install TopWindow

1. Double-click the downloaded DMG file
2. Drag the TopWindow icon to the Applications folder
3. Wait for the copy to complete
4. Eject the DMG and launch TopWindow from Applications

Step 3: Grant Accessibility Permissions

macOS requires Accessibility permissions for apps that control other windows. When you first launch TopWindow, you'll be prompted to grant this permission:

1. Click "Open System Preferences" when prompted
2. Navigate to Privacy & Security → Accessibility
3. Click the lock icon and enter your password
4. Click the "+" button and select TopWindow from Applications
5. Ensure the checkbox next to TopWindow is checked

Note: If you don't see the prompt automatically, you can manually add TopWindow to Accessibility permissions in System Settings.

Step 4: Pin Your First Window

Now for the fun part! Pinning a window to stay always on top is incredibly simple:

1. Click on any window you want to pin
2. Press Option + Command + P
3. Or click the TopWindow icon in your menu bar and select "Pin Window"

That's it! Your window will now stay on top of all other windows.

Step 5: Unpin When Done

To unpin a window and return to normal behavior:

1. Click on the pinned window
2. Press Option + Command + U
3. Or use the menu bar icon and select "Unpin Window"

Pro Tips for Power Users

• Multiple windows: You can pin multiple windows at once - they'll all stay on top
• Per-space pinning: TopWindow respects macOS Spaces - pinned windows only stay on top within their space
• Keyboard shortcut: Customize the shortcut in Preferences to something that fits your muscle memory
• Menu bar quick access: Click the TopWindow icon anytime to see all your pinned windows

Troubleshooting

Window won't pin? Make sure you've granted Accessibility permissions and that the window isn't in full-screen mode.

Shortcut not working? Check if the shortcut conflicts with another app in System Settings → Keyboard → Shortcuts → App Shortcuts.

Window disappeared? Pinned windows might be hidden behind others. Look for windows with a subtle "pinned" indicator in the title bar.