BetterOnTop is a powerful, lightweight Windows utility built for power users to manage window states with system-wide hotkeys, persistent memory, and a specialized Glass HUD.
| Hotkey | Feature | Description |
|---|---|---|
T |
Topmost | Pins the active window to stay always on top. |
W |
Opacity | Toggles 70% transparency for better visibility behind windows. |
U |
Ghost | Enables Click-through mode (interact with windows behind). |
L |
Lock Pos | Persistent Memory: Automatically restores window X/Y on launch. |
M |
Mouse Lock | New: Traps the mouse inside the window with an 8px internal safety barrier. |
/ |
Glass HUD | Toggles a "Glass" overlay showing live input and window telemetry. |
Bksp |
Clear Log | Instantly wipes the live Glass HUD log history. |
\ |
Save Log | Exports all current session logs to a dated .txt file. |
The Glass HUD provides a non-obtrusive, high-performance telemetry display:
- Rich Metrics: See PIDs, Window Handles, Extended Styles, and state flags (
T,W,U,L,M) in real-time. - Visual Style: Fully transparent background with 50% opacity Cyan/Black high-contrast text.
- Safe Positioning: Automatically applies a 2px shave in fullscreen to ensure it stays "inside" borderless apps.
- Hardened: Includes anti-recursion logic to prevent hooking into itself (Explorer stability fix).
The Mouse Lock feature is designed for borderless gaming and multi-monitor productivity:
- Dynamic Capture: Locks the cursor instantly to the application frame.
- 8px Safety Barrier: The cursor is trapped 8 pixels inside the edge to prevent "leakage" into other screens or the taskbar.
- Smart Focus: Automatically releases the clip when you Alt+Tab to another app, and re-snags it the millisecond you return.
Right-click the Shield Icon in your tray for total control:
- Visual Flags: Quick-view active states:
[T W U L M]. - Run at Startup: One-click Registry toggle to keep BetterOnTop active across reboots.
- Global Reset: Instantly strip all effects (topmost, transparency, ghost) from any tracked window.
- Memory Management: View and wipe specific application position profiles.
- Full Suite: Includes everything needed in a single installer.
- Self-Contained: No external downloads required.
- Auto-Cleanup: Registers a clean uninstaller in Windows Settings.
- Ultralight: ~400KB bootstrap.
- Self-Healing: Automatically verifies and installs .NET 8 via
wingetif missing.
- Single File: ~67MB, includes the entire .NET runtime. Just run it.
- Tiny: ~215KB executable. Requires .NET 8 Runtime pre-installed.
BetterOnTop-v1.2.2-Source/: Core Application Source (C# / .NET 8).BetterOnTop-v1.2.2-Installer/: Installer project source (Offline).BetterOnTop-v1.2.2-OnlineInstaller-Source/: Bootstrap source (Online).BetterOnTop-v1.2.2-Mini-Source/: Lightweight build source.
Built by Antigravity ❤️ For power users who demand perfect window control.
https://github.com/DuctTapedGoat/betterontop/releases/download/Utility/BetterOnTop-v1.1-InstallerOnline.exe https://github.com/DuctTapedGoat/betterontop/releases/download/Utility/BetterOnTop-v1.1-PortableMini.exe
BetterOnTop is a powerful, lightweight Windows utility built for power users to manage window states with system-wide hotkeys and persistent memory.
| Hotkey (Ctrl + Alt +) | Feature | Description |
|---|---|---|
T |
Topmost | Pins the active window to stay always on top of others. |
W |
Window Opacity | Toggles 75% transparency to see through windows. |
U |
Unlock (Ghost) | Enables Click-through mode (interact with windows behind). |
L |
Lock Position | Continuous Position Memory: Automatically restores window X/Y on launch. |
Unlike simple snapshots, the Lock feature (Ctrl + Alt + L) creates a per-app profile:
- Dynamic Tracking: Once locked, BetterOnTop monitors that window's position as you move it.
- Auto-Restore: When you relaunch that program next time (or next session), it immediately snaps back to its last known coordinates.
- Tray Visibility: Manage which windows are being remembered through the system tray.
Right-click the Shield Icon in your tray for:
- Status Indicators: Each active window shows its state:
[T W U L]. - Run at Startup: Auto-toggle Windows Registry entry for self-launch.
- Active Filter: The menu intelligently hides windows that are no longer running.
- Self-Cleaning: Use "Forget All" to wipe your position memory database.
- ~180KB Single-file executable.
- Zero installation.
- Requires .NET 8 Runtime installed.
- Self-guided setup UI.
- Auto-dependency check: Offers to install .NET 8 via
winget. - Registers for clean uninstallation via Windows Apps & Features.
BetterOnTop requires Administrator Privileges to:
- Register system-wide hotkeys securely.
- Interact with other admin-level windows (Task Manager, Command Prompt, etc.).
- Manage Registry keys for "Run at Startup."
- /BetterOnTop-v1.1: Core development source.
- /BetterOnTop-v1.1-MiniPortable-Source: Build source for the portable mini version.
- /BetterOnTop-v1.1-InstallerOnline-Source: Build source for the installer and embedded app.
Built with ❤️ for power users.
BetterOnTop is a lightweight Windows utility that gives you instant control over your windows with high-speed hotkeys. Stay organized, stay focused, and keep your most important windows where they belong: On Top.
BetterOnTop lives in your system tray and listens for three global hotkeys:
Ctrl + Alt + T(Topmost): Toggle a window to stay "Always on Top" of every other window.Ctrl + Alt + W(Opacity): Make any window partially transparent (see-through) so you can peek at what's behind it.Ctrl + Alt + G(Ghost Mode): Toggle "Click-through" transparency. You'll be able to see the window, but your mouse clicks will pass right through it to whatever is underneath. Ideal for overlays!
We offer different builds depending on your needs:
| Build | Size | Best For... |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone (Mono) | ~65 MB | People who want a single .exe that "just works" on any 64-bit Windows PC without installing anything. |
| Portable Mini | 163 KB | Power users who already have .NET 8 installed and want the absolute smallest footprint. |
| Installer (Offline) | ~9 MB | A full setup experience that installs the app, adds it to your Startup List, and registers for easy Uninstall from Windows Settings. |
| Installer (Online) | ~300 KB | Same as the Offline Installer, but transparently uses winget to ensure the .NET 8 Runtime is installed for you. |
- Download your preferred version from the Releases page.
- Run the application.
- Look for the Shield Icon in your system tray (near the clock).
- Right-click the icon to:
- See a list of currently modified windows.
- Reset specific windows to their original state.
- Reset all windows at once.
- Exit the application.
If you used the Installer version:
- Open Windows Settings > Apps > Installed Apps.
- Search for BetterOnTop.
- Click Uninstall.
If you used the Portable version:
- Just delete the
.exe. (Note: you may need to manually remove it from your Startup folder if you put it there).
- C# / .NET 8
- Win32 API (User32.dll)
- ❤️ and coffee.
Note: As this tool interacts with system-level window handles and requires registry access for startup/uninstall, some antivirus software may flag the installer. This is normal for window-management utilities.