How to use Block Input

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Posted on by TN100

Hello

I use some send key actions in the flow.

I want to be disturbed while send key actions.

I want to use "Block Input" action. But Doesn't work.

Please tell me how to use "Block Input" action.

＜Flow＞

1. Block Input

2. Launch Excel

- Break Point -

In this situation I can input on Excel.

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Power Automate Desktop

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Riyaz_riz11 3,876 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Hi @TN100

wat is ur process can u explain once

Thanks
Ahammad Riyaz

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MichaelAnnis 5,727 Moderator on at

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I believe you are asking, "how do I pause the flow for human input into Excel, and then continue the flow?" If this is wrong, disregard the rest.

I simply use the "Display Message" command. So, add the command where you want the break point, "Provide text so your user knows what to do and that they have to click OK upon completion."

The message will appear on top of PAD, but can be moved out of the way to manipulate Excel. When the user is done manipulating Excel, they click OK, and the bot will continue.

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TN100 15 on at

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Hi, thanks for your advices.

I don't want to be input by humans while the flow is moving.
So I thought I'd use "Block Input" action.
Do you have any ideas?

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Community Power Pla... on at

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Well, I took a test scenario and also have questions about how 'Block input' action should work...🤔
Flow:
1) 'Block input' activated
2) 'Launch new Edge' and navigate to www.google.com (sorry Bing)
3) Populate search field with "Power Automate Desktop"
By blocking input, I thought I wouldn't be able to use keyboard to write something in the search field once the Edge instance is launched. However, found no restriction in using mouse and keyboard. In picture below, was able to key all these 'd's before and during step 3:
So, in addition to @TN100 original question, could anyone clarify how (or in which conditions) 'Block input' is supposed to work?

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TN100 15 on at

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Thank You @Anonymous.

That's what I wanted to say.

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Pavel_NaNoi 1,074 on at

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Figured it out, you simply need to run PAD in Administrator mode (and honestly this makes sense as PAD without administrator cannot change anything on the PC) and then it blocks everything completely, careful to not have your flow in an infinite loop when you do this as its actually kinda of scary how it completely takes control... ^^"

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TN100 15 on at

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Thank you for response @Pavel_NaNoi .
I tried it and it worked! (and I restarted my computer…)
Thank you for solving my question!

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Pavel_NaNoi 1,074 on at

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Anytime, and yeah, be careful with it 😂👍

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GhitaFjorback1 69 on at

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So, running as administrator work perfectly fine while using the designer etc, but when running from flow using the "Run desktop flow" (Attended) action it is not working. I figured I needed to set the "PAD.Robot.exe" file to run as administrator as well, but when I do this, the desktop flows cannot run at all.
I really need the block input to work when Desktop flows has been activated automatically from Flow!
@Pavel_NaNoi , did you get this to work when desktop flow is automated?

See below error message from flow.

{
  "error": {
    "code": "GeneralRobinScriptExecutionError",
    "message": "Encountered an unexpected error during Desktop flow script execution: 'System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception (0x80004005): The requested operation requires elevation\r\n   at System.Diagnostics.Process.StartWithCreateProcess(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)\r\n   at System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)\r\n   at Microsoft.Flow.RPA.Desktop.Robin.Runtime.Agent.Agent.LoadRobotImpl(RobotOptions options)\r\n   at Microsoft.Flow.RPA.Desktop.Robin.Runtime.Agent.Agent.<>c__DisplayClass73_0.<LoadRobotAsync>b__0()\r\n--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---\r\n   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()\r\n   at Microsoft.Flow.RPA.Agent.Server.Components.ScriptEngines.RobinEngine.RobinEngine.<Execute>d__19.MoveNext()'."
  }
}

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Pavel_NaNoi 1,074 on at

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Sadly not, I tried after you told me about this but I'm as stuck as you are on this, it might just be a limitation of power automate.

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