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Install Power Automate on your device

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  • 7 minutes to read

The installer contains all the components you need to record, edit, and test your automations, as well as connect to the cloud.

Install Power Automate

Follow these steps to install Power Automate for desktop:

  1. Download the Power Automate installer.

  2. Open the Setup.Microsoft.PowerAutomate.exe file.

    This file is likely in your Downloads folder after you downloaded it in the previous step.

  3. Follow the instructions in the Power Automate for desktop setup installer to complete the installation.

  4. Make your selections for each feature for the installation to complete.

The installer allows you to install two different apps on your device:

  • Power Automate for desktop is the app to build your desktop flows. With it you can create, edit and run your automations. Learn more about the desktop flows designer.

  • Power Automate machine runtime app allows you to connect your machine to the Power Automate cloud. It allows you to harness the full power of your robotic process automation (RPA). Learn more about machine management.

By default, both are installed on your device.

Important

The installer installs the Webdriver component. You need it to run desktop flows created with Selenium IDE. It will also install the Power Automate app and third-party components.

Screenshot of the installation details.

Important

In order to register your machine, you need to have an Organization premium account.

Note

Power Automate for desktop by default honors the proxy settings specified in Windows. To override this configuration, refer to Power Automate for desktop using a proxy server.

Set data collection options

During installation, you can change the default settings if you don't want to send usage data to Microsoft. To do so, uncheck Allow Microsoft to collect usage data to improve Power Automate.

Important

Sharing usage data to Microsoft, will help the support department to solve a Power Automate issue.

Install the Power Automate browser extension

After the installation completes, you will need to install and enable the browser extension for Power Automate. This extension will allow you to record and run web actions in your desktop flows.

Screenshot of the Installation success dialog.

Select one of the links displayed in the installer. For example, if you want to record your browser automations on Microsoft Edge, select the Microsoft Edge link.

The store for your browser opens directly to the public page for the extension.

Important

If you have already installed the Power Automate extension in the past, you don't need to reinstall it

Microsoft Edge:

  • Install Edge extension: select Get, and then select Add extension when prompted.
  • If you see the message: This extension has been turned off in Microsoft Edge, at the top of the page, select Turn on extension.

Google Chrome:

  • Install Chrome extension: select Add to Chrome, and then select Enable extension when prompted.
  • If you see the message: This item has been disabled in Chrome on top of the page, select Enable this item.

Mozilla Firefox:

Tip

If you are not able to activate the extension(s) in your browser, you must use Microsoft Edge (version 80 or later) or Google Chrome or Firefox. Other browsers are not supported.

Install Power Automate for desktop silently

Follow these steps if you want to silently install Power Automate.

Note

The same installer is used for both manual and silent installation of Power Automate for desktop.

Install Power Automate for desktop using the command line

  1. Download Power Automate for desktop.

  2. Open Start.

  3. Search for command prompt, and then run it as the administrator.

    A screenshot that displays the command prompt on the start menu.

  4. Change the directory to Downloads (or to the directory into which you downloaded Power Automate):

    For example, enter:

     cd C:\Users\Nvarga\Downloads\

  5. Enter:

    Setup.Microsoft.PowerAutomate.exe -Silent -Install -ACCEPTEULA

    The installer runs and completes the setup of Power Automate.

    Important

    You must provide the -ACCEPTEULA argument to indicate that you accept the terms and conditions for Power Automate.

  6. You can now launch Power Automate from the Start menu.

Command line argument details

You can also retrieve the details of all the command line arguments from the help menu in the command prompt:

Setup.Microsoft.PowerAutomate.exe -HELP
Command Description
-INSTALLPATH:Value The full path of the installation folder that will be created. Default:
is %PROGRAMFILES(X86)%\Power Automate.
-ALLOWOPTIONALDATACOLLECTION Enable sending optional telemetry data to Microsoft.
-DISABLEPADSHORTCUT Doesn't create a shortcut for Power Automate for desktop.
-DISABLETURNONRDP Doesn't turn on Remote Desktop on the machine
-ACCEPTEULA Accepts the end user license agreement, needed for the installation.
-RESTOREDEFAULTCONFIG Restores to the default installation settings during an upgrade.
-DONOTINSTALLPAD Skips installing Power Automate for desktop.
-DONOTINSTALLMACHINERUNTIME Skips installing Power Automate machine-runtime app

Here's an example of a command line argument that installs Power Automate:

Setup.Microsoft.PowerAutomate.exe -SILENT -Install -ACCEPTEULA -INSTALLPATH: D:\My Programs\foo

Uninstall Power Automate for desktop using the command line

Use the following command to silently uninstall Power Automate:

Setup.Microsoft.PowerAutomate.exe -Silent -Uninstall

Update your version of Power Automate

To update Power Automate for desktop, use the same command line arguments that you use to install it.

Note

All your data and configuration, including telemetry, shortcuts, etc. are retained when you update Power Automate. If you want to enable parameters previously disabled, you will need to first uninstall Power Automate for desktop, and then reinstall it.

Install the gateway with PowerShell Cmdlets

Important

Power Automate for desktop now offers direct connectivity to the cloud without the use of on-premises data gateways. You can find more information in Manage machines.

Apart from direct connectivity, you can establish communication with a machine using on-premises data gateways. To install, configure, and manage a gateway, use PowerShell Cmdlets.

Important

To use PowerShell cmdlets, you will need to run them from PowerShell 7.0.0 or higher in an elevated access.

Setup desktop flows connections and machine credentials

  1. Sign into Power Automate.

  2. Expand Data on the left side of the screen.

  3. Select Connections.

    A screenshot of the connections tab.

  4. Select New connection.

    A screenshot of a connection.

  5. Search for Desktop flow, and then select Desktop flows.

  6. Provide the machine or gateway information and device credentials:

    • To connect to a machine or a machine group, select Directly to machine in the Connect field, and choose the respective machine or machine group in the Machine or machine group field.

      Screenshot of the Directly to machine option in the Connect field.

    • To connect to a gateway, select Using an on-premises data gateway in the Connect field, and choose the respective gateway in the Choose a gateway field.

      Screenshot of the Choose a gateway field.

    • Domain and Username: Provide your device account. You can use a local account by using the name of the user (for example, “MACHINENAME\User” or “local\User”), or an Active Directory account such as “DOMAIN\User”.

    • Password: Your account’s password.

      A screenshot that shows where to enter the credentials for the connection.

  7. Select Create.

Install Windows recorder (v1) extension (optional)

The Windows recorder (v1) is another option to record and playback your desktop automations. We recommend you to use Power Automate for desktop since this is the latest RPA solution.

Follow these steps to install Windows recorder (v1) extension:

  1. Install the extension on Microsoft Edge and/or Google Chrome from the store (Firefox is not supported for Windows recorder (v1))

Microsoft Edge:

Google Chrome:

Install Selenium IDE to automate Web applications with desktop flows (optional)

The Selenium IDE is an open source tool that lets you record and playback human interactions on websites.

With desktop flows, you can run Selenium IDE scripts from Power Automate and keep them stored securely (with appropriate IT governance) in Dataverse.

Follow these steps to install Selenium IDE:

  1. Make sure you already installed and enabled Windows recorder (v1) extension (see previous section)

  2. Download and install the Selenium IDE for Microsoft Edge (version 80 or later) or Google Chrome.

  3. On Microsoft Edge (version 80 or later), select Allow extensions from other stores, and then select Add to Chrome.

Install the on-premises data gateway to run your desktop flows from the cloud

Note

Power Automate for desktop now offers direct connectivity to the cloud without the use of on-premises data gateways. You can find more information in Manage machines.

You will need the gateway to trigger your desktop from an event, schedule, or button flow. on a remote device.

Tip

The gateway isn't required if you only want to create, edit, and test your flows on your device.

Install the on-premises data gateway, if you need it.

Important

You must install the on-premises gateway on each device from which you automate desktop flows.

When you install the gateway, it defaults to the region that Power Automate uses.

Troubleshoot missing gateway

Note

Power Automate for desktop now offers direct connectivity to the cloud without the use of on-premises data gateways. You can find more information in Manage machines.

You might not find the gateway in the list while creating the connection for the following reasons:

  • The gateway may be installed in a different region than your Power Automate region. To resolve this issue, uninstall the gateway from the device, and then reinstall it, selecting the correct Power Automate region.
  • The gateway was deleted by its owner.

Uninstall Power Automate

  1. Open the start menu > Settings > Apps.
  2. Search for Power Automate, and then select it.
  3. Select Uninstall.

Learn more