Open Aplications in Front

Question

I want to open new applications in front of existing applications on my screen.

Answer 1

Welcome William Archer,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum. I am happy to assist you.  

Regarding your case, I can see that QA Assist has already provided some helpful troubleshooting steps.  Besides, you might also consider the following options:  

Option 1: Check Focus Assist settings 

• Go to Settings > System > Focus  
• Make sure Focus assist is turned off or not restricting app behavior 

Option 2: Verify PowerToys is up to date 

• Open Microsoft PowerToys from the Start menu 
• Check for updates and install the latest version 
• Restart PowerToys after updating 

Option 3: Review PowerToys Always On Top settings 

• Open PowerToys 
• Go to Always On Top 
• Confirm the feature is enabled and the shortcut is correctly assigned 

Option 4: Restart Windows Explorer 

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager 
• Find Windows Explorer 
• Select it and choose Restart 

Option 5: Check Taskbar behavior 

• Right‑click the taskbar and open Taskbar settings 
• Review taskbar and window behavior options to ensure nothing is set to minimize or hide new windows 

I really hope that the information I gave above was helpful to you. Please feel free to reply below and let me know if you have further concern on this matter.  

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Answer 2

To open new applications in front of existing applications on your screen, you can use the PowerToys Always On Top utility. This system-wide Windows utility allows you to pin windows above other windows, ensuring that important applications stay visible while you work with other applications.

To activate this feature, you can use the default shortcut Win + Ctrl + T. Once activated, the currently active window will stay on top of all other windows, even when you select other applications. You can unpin a window by using the shortcut again or by closing the window.

For more customization, you can adjust settings such as the activation shortcut, border color, and opacity of the pinned window.

This utility is part of the Microsoft PowerToys, which provides various tools to enhance your Windows experience.

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References:

• Always On Top utility