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How to keep a window always on top on a Mac

By Mohammed Chaara · Updated October 22, 2026 · 4 min read · Checked on macOS 26 Tahoe. How these guides are made

macOS has no always on top setting for windows. A few things can float on their own: a Stickies note with Window › Float on Top, and a Safari video in Picture in Picture. To keep any other window on top of the others, Pin Window on Top in MrFixable pins it when you press ⌃⌥P.

On Windows, many apps have an "Always on top" option, and there are small tools that add it to any window. People coming to the Mac look for the same thing to keep a video, a chat, a calculator or their notes in view while they work in another app. Here's what macOS can do, and how to pin any window.

Why can't you keep a window on top on a Mac?

macOS only lets each app float its own windows. There's no menu item or setting that keeps another app's window in front, and the app you click always comes forward. So the built-in options are limited to the few apps that offer floating themselves, such as Stickies and Picture in Picture video.

Float a note with Stickies

Stickies comes with every Mac and is the one built-in app with a Float on Top command:

  1. Open Stickies. Press ⌘Space, type Stickies and press Return.
  2. Click the note you want to keep in view, or press ⌘N for a new one.
  3. Choose Window › Float on Top. The note now stays in front of other apps' windows.
  4. Optionally choose Window › Translucent so you can see what's behind it.

Choose Window › Float on Top again to turn it off.

Float a video with Picture in Picture

  1. Start playing the video in Safari.
  2. Click the Page menu button in the Smart Search field (the address field), then choose Enter Picture in Picture. Some sites also have a Picture in Picture button in the video's own controls.
  3. The video plays in a small window that stays on top of other windows. Drag it to any corner of the screen.
  4. Click its Close button when you're done.

The video window stays in place when you switch desktops. This works for video only, not for a whole app.

Or keep both windows visible side by side

If you only need to see two things at once, put them next to each other. On macOS 15 Sequoia or later, press Fn⌃← in one window and Fn⌃→ in the other. More in how to snap windows side by side.

Pin any window on top with MrFixable

Pin Window on Top works with any app's window: a video player, a chat, a document, a calculator, a meeting.

  1. Turn on Pin Window on Top. Allow Accessibility and Screen Recording when MrFixable asks.
  2. Click the window you want to keep in view and press ⌃⌥P. A sign says Pinned on top.
  3. Switch to other apps and keep working. The pinned window stays visible above them, playing live, with a small orange pin in its corner.
  4. Click it whenever you want to use it.
  5. To unpin, press ⌃⌥P again in that window, or click Unpin in the MrFixable menu.

How it works, honestly: because macOS doesn't let one app raise another app's window above everything, MrFixable shows a live picture of the pinned window on top whenever something covers it. That's why it needs Screen Recording. The picture updates as the window changes, and clicking it takes you straight to the real window.

Things to know:

  • You can pin more than one window. Each one is listed in the MrFixable menu with its own Unpin button.
  • Pins end when the window closes or when you quit MrFixable.
  • The shortcut can be changed in the fix's settings if ⌃⌥P is taken.

Questions

How do I pin a window to the front on a Mac?

Click the window and press ⌃⌥P with Pin Window on Top in MrFixable turned on. The window stays visible in front of other apps until you press the shortcut again. Without an app, only Stickies notes (Window › Float on Top) and Picture in Picture videos can stay in front.

Is there an always on top option on a Mac?

No, not for most windows. macOS has no setting or shortcut that keeps any window on top. Stickies has Window › Float on Top for notes, and videos in Picture in Picture float above other windows. For any other app's window you need a separate app, such as Pin Window on Top.

Can I keep a video on top of other windows on a Mac?

Yes. In Safari, click the Page menu button in the address field and choose Enter Picture in Picture. The video moves to a small window that stays on top while you work. For a video app's whole window, with its controls, pin it with Pin Window on Top instead.

Why does an always on top app for Mac need Screen Recording?

macOS doesn't let one app lift another app's window above everything. So Pin Window on Top shows a live picture of the window on top whenever it's covered, and taking that picture needs Screen Recording permission. Clicking the picture takes you to the real window, so you can use it normally.

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