How to stop Flow from downloading every time?

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Posted on by AndyWoolford

Hi,

I am new to Power Automate so forgive me for asking what must be a very basic question, but I am stumped.

I initially clicked on Power Automate in my search bar and it seems to have downloaded an App from the App Store rather than running an installer MSI. I tried downloading the installer MSI but it just says I am good to go, although under Programs and Features, there is no program called Power Automate.

The issue I am facing is that I have created a very very simple flow in this App (with only one or two keystrokes) with the intention of saving time opening a highlighted file from the context menu (Open With) with a keyboard shortcut. The flow works fine, but when I call it using the keyboard shortcut, there is a 5 or 6 second delay while a notification box pops up to say "Power Automate Flow Downloading", before it runs. This looks like I have created something in the cloud and I really don't want that because the delay is longer than it would take me to right click on the file manually.

How do I remove the cloud-based offering and install something on my laptop that will run straight away without downloading? I cannot find any uninstall options for the Power Automate App, either in the Microsoft App store or in Programs and Features.

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Using flows

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Srini007 3,467 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Hi @AndyWoolford

You can install Power Automate Desktop from the below link

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/desktop-flows/install#install-power-automate-using-the-msi-installer

Even if you are downloading the msi and install it locally, remember that the flows will not store locally, but they store in your onedrive.

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Cheers,

Srini

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AndyWoolford 6 on at

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Thanks for the prompt response. That is the same link I followed to download the MSI installer, but running it just produces a message "You're all set", which isn't very helpful. Checking under Control Panel > Programs and Features, there is no program called Power Automate installed or Microsoft Automation or anything similar. I guess this means that the desktop app will not install so long as the Microsoft Store App is detected on the system and it just keeps defaulting to that.

I would happily remove the app if I could but I can find no uninstall option.

As for the save location of the Flow, I do not use OneDrive except for work and Power Automate is signed in using my personal email, not my work email. (For some reason THIS forum is signed in with my work email - it didn't give a choice, but I would rather not have forum messages sent to my work email address).

I did look in the work OneDrive folder but could not find any .pad files there either.

Do you have any other suggestions please? Very grateful for your help.

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Srini007 3,467 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Hi @AndyWoolford

May be you can try signing out from the Windows store and check, Which operating system you are on? Also, can you share a screenshot of the programs & feature with a search of Power Automate?

some screenshot of the start menu showing the power automate also helps well in understanding your issues better

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Cheers,

Srini

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CU25021428-1 2 on at

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This program is utter carbage. It is super slow and there is no way to change it from saving and downloading from the cloud every time I edit and save or run small flow.
Secondly it is supposed run arrow keys such as left and right and shift and so on to mark some text. Instead if deletes some of the letters. There is no delete or backspace in the script!!! Cmon.

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VGKolar 51 on at

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The delay happens because you installed Power Automate from the Microsoft Store, which runs flows in a cloud‑dependent way and shows “Flow Downloading” each time. The solution is to uninstall the Store app and install Power Automate Desktop via the MSI installer from Microsoft’s official site. That version runs locally on your PC, removes the download message, and executes flows immediately.

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