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Power Platform Community / Forums / Power Automate / Darn App is Hiding!
Power Automate
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Darn App is Hiding!

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Posted on by Whyman 10

I am trying to automate an app running on Windows 10.  When I attempt to record the app, no actions within the app are recorded.  When I try to send keys to the app, no keys presses are received (and nor PA error thrown). When I try to create a UI element from items in the app, no red box appears on any controls or windows within the app. Attempting to set focus window and get window properties are not successful.

 

Can windows apps hide from Power Desktop? 

 

If so, any workarounds?

If not, what am I messing up?

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

 

Categories:
Power Automate Desktop
  • Community Power Platform Member Profile Picture
    Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

    Hi @Whyman ,

     

    I have few questions before we troubleshoot this issue.

     

    1. How many screens are you using?

    2. If more then 1, are you using the primary screen to pick the elements?

    3. Are you 100% sure you're using Desktop recorder/ UI automation to pick the elements and not the Web recorder/Web Automation

     

    Thanks

  • Whyman Profile Picture
    Whyman 10 on at

    1. Only a single main screen.

     

    3.  100% sure.  When the first failed I actually poked around the web version to see if that could trick it.  No luck.

  • Whyman Profile Picture
    Whyman 10 on at

    Moved over to a different laptop and the same script now works.  Unfortunately I need to run it on my first PC.

    Is there a Windows 10 security setting that could be causing this to happen?

  • Community Power Platform Member Profile Picture
    Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

    @Whyman , that's interesting.

     

    Maybe background process is not running. 
    Could you try restarting the machine

     

  • Whyman Profile Picture
    Whyman 10 on at

    Rebooted.

     

    Uninstalled Power Automate Desktop then Reinstalled.

     

    Uninstalled the app and reinstalled the app.

     

    Still not working.  

  • Whyman Profile Picture
    Whyman 10 on at

    I found a fix.  I need to launch Power Automate Desktop with the [as administer] setting and it works.

  • Community Power Platform Member Profile Picture
    Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

    Glad to hear that.

    I'm scrambling to find what's the issue. At least, I know now.

    Thanks for sharing the solution 🙂

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