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Power Automate Desktop – Form input not working in Picture-in-Picture

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Posted on by CU11030054-0 2
I am using Power Automate for Desktop and running flows in Picture-in-Picture (Child session mode).
However, suddenly I am no longer able to input text into form fields in the window.
 
I tried several things to fix the issue:
・Changing the browser from Microsoft Edge to Google Chrome
・Adding a “Focus window” action in the flow
・Switching the action to Web form input
 
But all of them result in an error saying “Element not found.”
If I run the same flow on the desktop instead of Picture-in-Picture, it works correctly without any problems.
Could you please let me know what might be causing this issue and how to resolve it?
Categories:
Power Automate Desktop
Building flows
I have the same question (0)
  • Suggested answer
    Robu1 Profile Picture
    Robu1 1,703 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at
    Hi  ,
     
    Thank you for choosing Microsoft Community.
     
    Try running the flow outside Picture‑in‑Picture (full desktop session).

    If you must use PiP: Use image‑based automation (Click image, Find image) + Send Keys instead of selector‑based actions.

    I hope this helps resolve the issue! If you need more specific guidance, feel free to ask.
     
    🏷️ Please tag me @Robu1 if you still have any queries related to the solution or issue persists.
     
     
    ✅ Please click Accept as solution if my post helped you solve your issue and help others who will face the similar issue in future. ❤️ Please consider giving it a Like, If the approach was useful in other ways.
     
    Happy to help
    Robu 1👩‍💻
     
  • Suggested answer
    Inogic Profile Picture
    Inogic 1,291 Moderator on at
    Hi,
     
    This issue is typically related to how Picture-in-Picture (Child session mode) works in Power Automate for Desktop.
    In child session mode, the flow runs in a separate, isolated session (similar to a locked or virtual desktop). Because of this isolation:
    • UI elements (like form fields in browsers) may not be accessible
    • Browser instances in Picture-in-Picture are treated differently than normal desktop sessions
    • Element selectors captured in the main session may not match elements in the child session
    That’s why the same flow is working fine on the Desktop, But fails with “Element not found” in Picture-in-Picture mode.
    Recommended Solution:
    1. Re-capture UI elements inside Picture-in-Picture session
    • Open Picture-in-Picture mode
    • Re-record the selectors for the input fields
    • This ensures selectors match the child session environment
    2. Avoid Web/UI automation where possible
    • Use API, database, or direct actions instead of UI automation
    • UI automation is less reliable in Picture-in-Picture mode
    3. Use “Populate text field on web page” carefully
    • Ensure the browser instance is launched within the same Picture-in-Picture session
    • Do not reuse browser instances from the main session
    4. Check browser extension setup
    • Make sure the Power Automate extension is installed and enabled inside the Picture-in-Picture session browser
    This is not a bug in your flow — it’s a limitation of child session mode. Re-capturing elements within Picture in Picture or avoiding UI-based actions is the most reliable fix.
     
    Hope this helps.
     
    Thanks!
    Inogic
     

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