Desktop gadgets always 'on top' after Windows Update

I haven't installed any Windows updates for the last three years, after the horrors of 2016 (forced install of Windows 10, nagging, telemetry, etc)


Anyway, a few days ago I heard about two critical security updates released over the past few years, and thought I had better install them:


kb4012212 - to fix the EternalBlue threat

kb4499175 - to fix the BlueKeep threat


However, since I did this, my desktop gadgets are now appearing 'on top' of some of my applications.


Can anyone help?

In the notification area of the system tray, right click on the Windows Sidebar icon and select properties. Is "the sidebar is always on top...." checkbox checked?

wither 2 said:

In the notification area of the system tray, right click on the Windows Sidebar icon and select properties. Is "the sidebar is always on top...." checkbox checked?

Hmmm, I don't see a sidebar icon in the system tray?

My apologies. They did away with that in Win 7. Right click on a gadget. Is the Always on Top option checkmarked?

Hey, that was definitely very helpful!

When I first looked, there was no checkmark next to "Always on top". I clicked it and nothing happened. Clicked it a second time and a checkmark DID appear, so I clicked it a third time and the checkmark disappeared.

Since then, the gadgets don't seem to be appearing on top quite as much. (I think.) Although it still seems to happen if I…

1. Click on the "show desktop" button in the bottom right
2. Then maximize (or open) certain applications

Trying to trouble shoot problems on a system which doesn't have all the updates is, oftentimes, an exercise in futility. There are so many dependencies between updates.

If you right click on a gadget when you run one of the apps you mention, is always on top checkmarked?

wither 2 said:

Trying to trouble shoot problems on a system which doesn't have all the updates is, oftentimes, an exercise in futility. There are so many dependencies between updates.

Yes, I'm sure that's true.

wither 2 said:

If you right click on a gadget when you run one of the apps you mention, is always on top checkmarked?

No, it's not checkmarked.

I really appreciate you trying to help Wither

wither 2 said:

I did find this- Gadgets always stay on top

Thanks for that. Neither solution worked, involving disabling then re-enabling Gadgets.

wither 2 said:

Would you tell me which app (s) do this?

I've tried various different Gadgets, including standard Windows ones, and they all do this.

wither 2 said:

Also, do you have Deskcape installed?

No, never even heard of that.

wither 2 said:

Are you running those maximized? Where on your desktop do you have the gadgets?

The gadget I use is an image which sits on my desktop (the image contains my notes on various things I need to regularly remember). I have it quite large so it kind of fills quarter of the screen.

What I wanted to know is what software you are running when the gadgets appear.

Are you saying the gadget, such as the image, is not a Windows gadget?