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Power Automate
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Run a flow on Startup

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Posted on by 3

Hello Microsoft community,

I hope you're all doing well. I've recently created a Flow that I would like to execute upon system startup. However, my search for up-to-date guides on this topic has proven challenging, as most relevant information I've come across is at least two years old.

 

Could someone kindly advise if there is a current method for running a Flow at startup? If this is not possible, I'd greatly appreciate suggestions for alternative approaches or any workarounds that might achieve a similar outcome.

 

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

I have the same question (0)
  • Deenuji_Loganathan_ Profile Picture
    6,250 Moderator on at

    @EntchenEric 

    You can achieve that by following the suggested steps.

    1. Create a desktop shortcut to your flow like below screenshot,

    (After that you can see your flow shortcut in your machine desktop)

    Deenuji_0-1708864581669.png

    2. Then drop your flow shortcut into your startup menu as like below

     C:\Users\[USERID]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

    Deenuji_1-1708864769550.png

     Now it will automatically trigger your flow upon system startup.

     

    3. Also Please disable the option to "Display confirmation dialog when invoking flows externally" else you may get interrupt with some popup like "An external source invoked flow "your flow name", Continue?"

    Deenuji_3-1708865036315.png

    Uncheck the below highlighted checkbox.

    Deenuji_2-1708864941700.png

     

    For more details on the topic, Pls refer:

    Run desktop flows via URL or desktop shortcuts - Power Automate | Microsoft Learn

     

    Thanks,

    Deenu

    _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

     

    If I've resolved your query, please consider accepting it as the solution and giving it a thumbs up to help others find answers faster.

  • EntchenEric Profile Picture
    3 on at

    I don't have the option to create a Desktop Shortcut. Do I have to enable anything? or did I download a wrong Version of Power Automate?
    Currently, I have the version 11.2402.223.0 (the latest from the Microsoft Store).

    I only have these options when I click on a Flow:

    EntchenEric_1-1708884501235.png

     

  • Deenuji_Loganathan_ Profile Picture
    6,250 Moderator on at

    @EntchenEric 

     

    As mentioned in the MS documentation it would require below prerequisite to create a shortcut for your flow:

    • Power Automate for desktop needs to be installed on the machine.
    • The user must be signed in.
    • The user needs a premium license or trial or paid organization subscription or a pay-as-you-go environment.

     

    Please refer these below URL’s for more details:

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/desktop-flows/run-desktop-flows-url-shortcuts?WT.mc_id=M365-MVP-4029057#prerequisites


    Premium feature-https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform-release-plan/2022wave1/power-automate/run-desktop-flows-through-desktop-shortcut

     

    Thanks,

    Deenu

    _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

     

    If I've resolved your query, please consider accepting it as the solution and giving it a thumbs up to help others find answers faster.

  • Agnius Bartninkas Profile Picture
    Most Valuable Professional on at

    This requires a Premium license. If you do not have one, an unofficial workaround includes giving your flow a keyboard shortcut to start and then making your Task Scheduler task call a PowerShell script that sends those keys to trigger the flow. But it's clunky and unreliable. Also, I'm pretty sure it kind of goes against the PAD EULA for the free version.

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