Answered

Power Automate Desktop + mobile phone

(0) Share

Report

Posted on by Riku

Hello!

I need to solve a real painful two-factor authentication process where a web app prompts a mobile app for approval of a certain transaction.

I have tried to use a physical phone / emulator which have worked fine in attended mode. However, I would need this solution to work unattended on a virtual machine. Is there someone with experience in using something on a VM that works fine with PAD? If so, I would appreciate some hints 😀

Categories:

Power Automate Desktop

I have the same question (0)

All responses (6)

Answers (1)

Sort by

lbendlin 8,716 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

Like (0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

So you want us to help you circumvent the security measures that were put in place mainly to prevent automated tools from skirting the authentication?

Use an actual physical phone with a software that auto approves the challenge.

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Riku 37 on at

Like (0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

@lbendlin thanks for the input. These "security measures" were not put there to prevent automation tools. This is a different scenario where the system has been designed for humans. Robot usage is not forbidden by the software vendor. They have been trying for 3 years to give RPA a different authentication method, without results 😂

As said, physical phone works well but a physical phone doesn't work in VM. My goal is to move attended processes to virtual machines and run them unattended.

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
VishnuReddy1997 2,666 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

Like (0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

Hi @Riku61 ,

You need ask your website developer or bussiness team to make it single sign in application for your system.
Otherwise it bit difficult or unimpossible to automate two way authentiacation.

(Note:- if you got your solution you can mark as solution and gives kudos)

Thanks & Regards
Vishnu Reddy

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Verified answer

Deenuji_Loganathan_ 6,255 Moderator on at

Like (0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

@Riku61

I don't believe there's a method to manage your scenario in unattended mode. However, you could explore adapting your flow to accommodate the authentication process in attended mode while maintaining the rest of the flow in unattended mode.

Another option is if you're using an iPhone, you can automate certain processes using inbuilt automation capability. For instance, you could set up a rule where if you receive a message from a specific person or any recipients, such as XYZ, it automatically forwards that message to an email address. Then, you can utilize your bot to read the OTP from the forwarded message and proceed with the authentication process.

Thanks,
Deenuji Loganathan 👩‍💻
Automation Evangelist 🤖
Follow me on LinkedIn 👥

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If I've helped solve your query, kindly mark my response as the solution ✔ and give it a thumbs up!👍 Your feedback supports future seekers 🚀

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Riku 37 on at

Like (1)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

Thanks, as there is no other solution, I will try to create the authentication process as Attended and the rest as unattended :).

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
pradeepvarma 55 on at

Like (0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

There are tools in the market like twilio where you can take a virtual number and when ever you get an incoming SMS, it sends to a web hook or an email automatically.
Then you may run your flow as unattended on email arrival.

Another alternative if virtual number is not possible - there are apps in playstore (for android) which automatically forwards SMS to an email.

Was this reply helpful? Yes No