Keep a window always on top in Mac OS X

Question

In Linux I can right click on any window, and there is an option I can select to keep the window on top of other Windows. Does Mac OS X have this kind of functionality? If not, then is there some kind of program for Mac OS X that will enable this?

Solution 1

Yes and no: Yes, Mac OS X does have this ability for a window to always be on top (aka floating windows) but no, it's not built in to allow you to do that to any window as the user. However programs such as Afloat can help do exactly what you want to do.

Solution 2

In response to the comments on the answer, Install guide is here. Apparently it still works with yosemite.

(I do not have enough rep points to comment, so....)

Comments

[Admin]

will it come keep the dictionary app floating as well?

[Andrew Warner]

I love Afloat, but it's not working for many apps in Lion. Chrome, for example, doesn't respond to Afloat any more.

[finnw]

The latest version of Afloat claims to be compatible with Snow Leopard but it is not (it requires Lion or higher.)

[Aaron Gibralter]

Afloat no longer seems to be supported. Has anyone found any alternatives out there? I miss this functionality!

[Dorian]

Last activity: "July 05, 2011", the project is dead, too bad.

[phil]

try this one: github.com/rwu823/afloat