How to Turn On or off Always on Top for Windows Terminal in Windows 11

What is Windows Terminal?

Windows Terminal puts command-line tools such as Command Prompt and PowerShell into a single window with tabs. Open the one app, then pick the shell you want for each tab. On recent Windows 11 builds it is the default terminal app, so you probably already have it.

The official Windows Terminal documentation covers every feature and setting in detail, including the always-on-top option. It is worth a look if you want to customize the app further.

What does “Always On Top” mean?

With Always on top turned on, the Windows Terminal window stays visible above your other windows, even when you click into another app. That helps when you want to watch a long-running command, a build log or a ping test while you work in a browser or an editor.

The setting is global. It applies to every Windows Terminal window you open, not just the one where you changed it.

The downside is that the terminal can cover things you need to see. If that gets annoying, move the window to a second monitor or turn the setting off again with the steps below.

How to Enable or Disable Always On Top

1. Open Windows Terminal. Click the Start menu, type Windows Terminal and press Enter. The terminal window opens with a tab for your default shell.
2. Click the down arrow next to the tabs at the top of the window, then click Settings. Pressing Ctrl + , (Ctrl plus comma) opens Settings directly. A new Settings tab opens inside the terminal window.

3. In the list on the left side of the Settings⚙️ tab, click Appearance. The appearance options appear on the right.
4. Find the Always on top option. Set the switch to On if you want Windows Terminal to stay above other windows. Set it to Off if you want it to behave like a normal window again.
5. Click the Save button at the bottom right of the Settings⚙️ tab. The change takes effect straight away, and the terminal does not need a restart. Click another app to test it: the terminal should stay in front when the setting is on.
6. Close the Settings tab and keep using Windows Terminal as usual.

That’s it. Windows Terminal now follows the Always on top choice you made, and it will keep that behavior every time you open the app.

Windows Terminal also has a faster way to switch the option without opening Settings. Use the command palette, a searchable list of terminal actions:

1. Click inside the Windows Terminal window to make sure it is the active window.
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+P. The command palette opens with a search box🔍 at the top.
3. Type always on top. The matching action appears in the list.
4. Press Enter to run it. The window switches between staying on top and behaving normally.

You should now be able to switch Always on top from the keyboard. If you do this often, bind a key to the toggleAlwaysOnTop action in the terminal’s key bindings, so one shortcut flips the setting.

To turn Always on top on or off in Windows Terminal from Settings, do the following:

1. Open Windows Terminal.
2. Click the down arrow next to the tabs and choose Settings, or press Ctrl + ,.
3. Select Appearance.
4. Switch Always on top to On or Off, then click Save.

That’s it. Your choice is saved and applies to all Windows Terminal windows.

Summary

Keeping Windows Terminal on top means your command window stays in view while you work in other apps, which is useful for watching output or running quick commands. You can switch the setting on or off at any time in the Appearance settings, or through the command palette.

Small changes like this make the terminal fit the way you work. Check for Windows Terminal updates now and then through the Microsoft Store, because updates bring new features and fixes.

For more detailed information, visit the official Windows Terminal Documentation.