# How to Implement Always-On-Top Functionality in Tauri: A Complete Guide

> Learn to implement always-on-top functionality in Tauri. This guide covers custom Rust commands and frontend invocation for seamless window management. Enhance your app today.

- Repository: [lencx/ChatGPT](https://github.com/lencx/ChatGPT)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-03-06

---

**To implement always-on-top functionality in Tauri, create a custom Rust command that calls `set_always_on_top()` on the window manager while persisting the preference to a JSON configuration file, then invoke this command from your frontend using Tauri's IPC system.**

Implementing always-on-top functionality in Tauri requires coordinating your frontend framework with Rust's native window management capabilities. The **lencx/ChatGPT** repository demonstrates a production-ready approach using React for the UI and a custom Tauri command to handle window layering. This guide walks through the exact implementation used to keep the ChatGPT window pinned above all others while saving that preference across sessions.

## Architecture Overview

The implementation follows a four-layer architecture that separates UI concerns from native window management. The **UI layer** in [`src/view/Titlebar.tsx`](https://github.com/lencx/ChatGPT/blob/main/src/view/Titlebar.tsx) handles user interaction, while the **command layer** in [`src-tauri/src/core/cmd.rs`](https://github.com/lencx/ChatGPT/blob/main/src-tauri/src/core/cmd.rs) processes the IPC call. The **configuration layer** in [`src-tauri/src/core/conf.rs`](https://github.com/lencx/ChatGPT/blob/main/src-tauri/src/core/conf.rs) ensures persistence using a JSON file, and the **application entry point** in [`src-tauri/src/main.rs`](https://github.com/lencx/ChatGPT/blob/main/src-tauri/src/main.rs) registers the command with the Tauri runtime.

## Step 1: Creating the Frontend Trigger

The user interface initiates the always-on-top toggle through Tauri's `invoke` function. In the ChatGPT application, the titlebar contains a pin button that updates local React state and dispatches the command to the Rust backend.

```tsx
// src/view/Titlebar.tsx
const handlePin = (isPin: boolean) => {
  setPin(isPin);                     // UI state
  invoke('window_pin', { pin: isPin }); // Tauri command
};

// UI rendering (simplified)
{isPin
  ? <PinIcon action onClick={() => handlePin(false)} />
  : <UnPinIcon action onClick={() => handlePin(true)} />}

```

This code resides at [lines 84‑87 of Titlebar.tsx](https://github.com/lencx/ChatGPT/blob/v2-dev/src/view/Titlebar.tsx#L84-L87), where the `handlePin` function bridges user interaction with the native API.

## Step 2: Building the Tauri Command

The core logic executes in [`src-tauri/src/core/cmd.rs`](https://github.com/lencx/ChatGPT/blob/main/src-tauri/src/core/cmd.rs), where the `window_pin` command receives the frontend request, persists the preference, and immediately applies the window flag.

```rust
// src-tauri/src/core/cmd.rs
#[command]
pub fn window_pin(app: AppHandle, pin: bool) {
    // Persist the preference
    let conf = AppConf::load(&app).unwrap();
    conf.amend(serde_json::json!({ "stay_on_top": pin }))
        .unwrap()
        .save(&app)
        .unwrap();

    // Apply the flag immediately
    app.get_window("core")
        .unwrap()
        .set_always_on_top(pin)
        .unwrap();
}

```

Located at [lines 48‑60](https://github.com/lencx/ChatGPT/blob/v2-dev/src-tauri/src/core/cmd.rs#L48-L60), this function demonstrates the critical pattern of combining state persistence with immediate window manipulation. The `set_always_on_top()` method is a **Tauri Window API** function that controls the window's layering behavior at the OS level.

## Step 3: Persisting Window State

To maintain the always-on-top state across application restarts, the implementation uses an `AppConf` struct defined in [`src-tauri/src/core/conf.rs`](https://github.com/lencx/ChatGPT/blob/main/src-tauri/src/core/conf.rs).

```rust
// src-tauri/src/core/conf.rs
#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
pub struct AppConf {
    pub theme: String,
    pub stay_on_top: bool,   // ← persisted flag
    pub ask_mode: bool,
    pub mac_titlebar_hidden: bool,
}

```

This structure appears at [lines 12‑18 of conf.rs](https://github.com/lencx/ChatGPT/blob/v2-dev/src-tauri/src/core/conf.rs#L12-L18). The `amend()` and `save()` methods handle atomic updates to the JSON configuration file, ensuring the `stay_on_top` boolean survives application restarts.

## Step 4: Registering the Command

Finally, expose the functionality to the frontend by registering the command in the Tauri builder within [`src-tauri/src/main.rs`](https://github.com/lencx/ChatGPT/blob/main/src-tauri/src/main.rs).

```rust
// src-tauri/src/main.rs
.invoke_handler(tauri::generate_handler![
    // … other commands …
    cmd::window_pin,
    // … 
])

```

This registration at [line 19 of main.rs](https://github.com/lencx/ChatGPT/blob/v2-dev/src-tauri/src/main.rs#L19) makes the `window_pin` command available to the frontend via the `'window_pin'` identifier used in the React `invoke` call.

## Summary

- **Frontend Integration**: Use `invoke('window_pin', { pin: boolean })` from your frontend framework to trigger the native behavior.
- **Rust Implementation**: Create a `#[command]` function that calls `app.get_window("core").set_always_on_top(pin)` to manipulate the window layer.
- **State Persistence**: Store the `stay_on_top` preference in a serializable configuration struct using Tauri's app data directory.
- **Command Registration**: Include your command in the `generate_handler!` macro within [`main.rs`](https://github.com/lencx/ChatGPT/blob/main/main.rs) to expose it to the IPC layer.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How do I toggle always-on-top programmatically in Tauri?

Invoke the `window_pin` command (or your equivalent) with a boolean payload using Tauri's `invoke` API from JavaScript or TypeScript. The Rust backend then calls `set_always_on_top()` on the specific window instance to immediately change the window's layering behavior at the operating system level.

### Where should I store window state preferences in Tauri applications?

Store window preferences like `stay_on_top` in a JSON configuration file within Tauri's app data directory, managed through a serializable struct (such as `AppConf` in the ChatGPT implementation). This approach ensures preferences persist across application restarts while remaining accessible to both the Rust backend and frontend via Tauri's filesystem APIs.

### Can I implement always-on-top without persisting to a config file?

Yes, you can call `set_always_on_top()` directly without persistence, but the state will reset when the application restarts. For a complete user experience, persist the preference using Tauri's configuration management or a local JSON file, then reapply the setting during application initialization.

### What window methods does Tauri provide for stay-on-top behavior?

Tauri provides the `set_always_on_top()` method on the `Window` struct, which accepts a boolean parameter. When set to `true`, the window remains above all other non-topmost windows; when `false`, it returns to normal window layering. This method maps directly to native platform APIs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.