CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#.netwindowswinforms
d4nt
d4nt

Reputation: 15809

How do I get the title of the current active window using c#?

I'd like to know how to grab the Window title of the current active window (i.e. the one that has focus) using C#.

Upvotes: 127

Views: 159613

Answers (7)

Mohammad Dayyan
Mohammad Dayyan

Reputation: 22458

Based on GetForegroundWindow function | Microsoft Docs:

[DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)]
static extern IntPtr GetForegroundWindow();

[DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)]
static extern int GetWindowText(IntPtr hWnd, StringBuilder text, int count);

[DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)]
static extern int GetWindowTextLength(IntPtr hWnd);

private string GetCaptionOfActiveWindow()
{
    var strTitle = string.Empty;
    var handle = GetForegroundWindow();
    // Obtain the length of the text   
    var intLength = GetWindowTextLength(handle) + 1;
    var stringBuilder = new StringBuilder(intLength);
    if (GetWindowText(handle, stringBuilder, intLength) > 0)
    {
        strTitle = stringBuilder.ToString();
    }
    return strTitle;
}

It supports UTF8 characters.

Upvotes: 12

ine
ine

Reputation: 14084

Use the Windows API. Call GetForegroundWindow().

GetForegroundWindow() will give you a handle (named hWnd) to the active window.

Documentation: GetForegroundWindow function | Microsoft Docs

Upvotes: 3

Azher
Azher

Reputation:

Loop over Application.Current.Windows[] and find the one with IsActive == true.

Upvotes: 5

Arthur Zennig
Arthur Zennig

Reputation: 2194

If it happens that you need the Current Active Form from your MDI application: (MDI- Multi Document Interface).

Form activForm;
activForm = Form.ActiveForm.ActiveMdiChild;

Upvotes: 0

Beshoy Nabeih
Beshoy Nabeih

Reputation: 22

you can use process class it's very easy. use this namespace 

using System.Diagnostics;

if you want to make a button to get active window.

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {            
       Process currentp = Process.GetCurrentProcess();
       TextBox1.Text = currentp.MainWindowTitle;  //this textbox will be filled with active window.
    }

Upvotes: -4

Jorge Ferreira
Jorge Ferreira

Reputation: 97997

See example on how you can do this with full source code here:

http://www.csharphelp.com/2006/08/get-current-window-handle-and-caption-with-windows-api-in-c/

[DllImport("user32.dll")]
static extern IntPtr GetForegroundWindow();

[DllImport("user32.dll")]
static extern int GetWindowText(IntPtr hWnd, StringBuilder text, int count);

private string GetActiveWindowTitle()
{
    const int nChars = 256;
    StringBuilder Buff = new StringBuilder(nChars);
    IntPtr handle = GetForegroundWindow();

    if (GetWindowText(handle, Buff, nChars) > 0)
    {
        return Buff.ToString();
    }
    return null;
}

Edited with @Doug McClean comments for better correctness.

Upvotes: 190

Skvettn
Skvettn

Reputation: 199

If you were talking about WPF then use:

 Application.Current.Windows.OfType<Window>().SingleOrDefault(w => w.IsActive);

Upvotes: 18

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