Cannot launch Power Automate Desktop (Preview) app

[nikosan]

I have a Win 10 VM working on, and have downloaded/installed Setup.Microsoft.PowerAutomate.UIFlow.

 When trying to create a new flow, either from the web, orr by double-clicking on the shortcut, the app is not launching.

All required extensions are enabled on Chrome and there are no errors in the Event Viewer.

I’ve already tried Uninstalling – running Win Updates – reinstalling w/o luck.

Any suggestions?

[kostasc]

Hello nikosan,

Please perform the following actions:

1. Uninstall PAD
2. Delete the contents of the following folder: %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Power Automate Desktop (Preview)\Cache (To navigate there, open a windows explorer and paste the string above in the address bar)
3. Reinstall PAD

Let us know if you still can't launch PAD after this.

[nikosan]

hi Kostas

I could not find this folder. only related folders:

- PowerAutomate

- PowerAutomate.Desktop

Nikos

[kostasc]

Hi Nikos

Please remove both folders, uninstall and install the PAD client. 

You can find the installation file here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/ui-flows/setup

[nikosan]

Hi Kostas,

Solved it.

Problem was with the Workspace declaration in config.json file under PowerAutomate folder (C:\users\AAAA\AppData\Local\Microsoft\PowerAutomate). it was pointing in shared folder rather than a local one.

{
"_recentWorkspaces": [],
"_workspaceDirectory": "\\aaa\\bb\\cc"
}

Once having changed that, it worked fine.

[imaa_axi]

I have a similar issue. 

I installed Setup.Microsoft.PowerAutomate.UIFlow.exe

And when I start UI flows and PAD (both as administrator) I can see the following processes running in Task Manager:

• UIFlowService
• Power Automate Desktop (32 bit)
• Microsoft.Flow.RPA.LauncherService
• Microsoft UI Flows

However, the UI of PAD simply does not show up.

I already followed the above, and it did not work for me. Some things to mention:

• My cache folder was empty, so I had nothing to remove.
• I have never been able to run PAD. This would be my first time launching the software on this pc. I think this is why my cache folder is empty?
• I did use WinAutomation however since I was investigating the software. I now found out that it is evolving into the Power Automate Platform. Maybe WinAutomation and PAD are interfering with each other?
• I am using the Power Automate Platform in combination with a free Microsoft Tenant Account/Environment obtained from cdx.microsoft.com. Maybe this limits the use of PAD?
• I am logged in to my laptop with a Microsoft account that is different from the Microsoft account obtained from the free Tenant. Is this a problem?
• If WinAutomation is running, Power Automate is able to activate a WinAutomation process via UI Flow ✔️ So that connection does work. 

Any help will be greatly appreciated,

Indy

[nikosan]

As mentioned, in my case problem was with the following file:

Problem was with the Workspace declaration in config.json file under PowerAutomate folder (C:\users\AAAA\AppData\Local\Microsoft\PowerAutomate). it was pointing in shared folder rather than a local one.

{
"_recentWorkspaces": [],
"_workspaceDirectory": "\\aaa\\bb\\cc"
}

Once having changed that, it worked fine.

In your case, since you mentioned (I am logged in to my laptop with a Microsoft account that is different from the Microsoft account obtained from the free Tenant. Is this a problem? ), I would also try using the right credentials - the ones having access to the tenant/PAD license.

HTH

[imaa_axi]

Thanks for your response

The weird thing is I can't find such a folder on my pc. The only folder I can find that looks like it is:

- C:\Users\my_username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Power Automate Desktop (preview).

This folder contains a Cache folder, but that is empty, so I cannot configure anything...

[kitUser]

I had this issue as well. I was able to launch the PAD after uninstalling the app, then first installing only the UI Flows, then modifying the install to include the PAD. It's a strange work around but it did resolve my issue twice now. Hope this helps

[natra]

I am having the same issue here. Installed the chrome extensions and PAD. Also tried the few suggestions here but to no avail. Am using windows 10 64-bit operating system. No error message appear in event viewer. Hope someone can help me.

[ugi]

It's the same in my case and I can't launch PDA

_________________________________________

The weird thing is I can't find such a folder on my pc. The only folder I can find that looks like it is:

- C:\Users\my_username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Power Automate Desktop (preview).

This folder contains a Cache folder, but that is empty, so I cannot configure anything...

_____________________________________________

Isn't there any solution for it?

[Preetpatel51]

Hello, I'm having the same problem.

Below folder has Cache folder in it but it's empty.

- C:\Users\my_username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Power Automate Desktop (preview).

and when I launch, it doesn't open as app but it shows running in task manager.

Please advise.

[testasdfasfsafa]

1. Are you trying to run the free trial?  It won't work, you need a full license assigned to you.

2. Are you running Windows Home Edition? It only works on Windows Pro or Windows Server.

[imaa_axi]

Thank you for your reply, 

I have a Per user plan with attended RPA trial plan. When another person downloads PAD they get the possibility to log in using a Microsoft account. When they use my account they can log in and use PAD perfectly fine. When they create a flow using PAD, it also shows up in the Power Automate web interface. Therefore I don't think this is subscription related. 

If I try to start PAD I don't even get such a screen. Also, I am using Windows 10 Pro on my machine.

Is there anything else I can check?

Thanks in advance.

[rschneider12345]

I am having a Power Automate Desktop launch issue.  I have updated .NET to 4.8 and reinstalled Power Automate Desktop / UiFlows several times, using all the techniques referenced above.

UiFlow Version:

2.1.43.20312

OS Version:

1803 (OS Build 17134. 1845)

.NET 4.8 version 

Event Viewer Error:

Message = Element not found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070490)
Error = System.Exception
Full text = System.Exception: Element not found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070490)
at Windows.UI.ViewManagement.UISettings.add_TextScaleFactorChanged(TypedEventHandler`2 handler)
at System.Runtime.InteropServices.WindowsRuntime.WindowsRuntimeMarshal.NativeOrStaticEventRegistrationImpl.AddEventHandler[T](Func`2 addMethod, Action`1 removeMethod, T handler)
at System.Runtime.InteropServices.WindowsRuntime.WindowsRuntimeMarshal.AddEventHandler[T](Func`2 addMethod, Action`1 removeMethod, T handler)
at WinAutomation.UI.Common.FontSizeManager.Register(ResourceDictionary dictionary) in D:\a\1\s\src\WinAutomation.Desktop\WinAutomation.UI.Common\FontSizeManager.cs:line 35
at WinAutomation.Console.Host.App.<>c__DisplayClass5_0.<OnStartup>g__OnStartupInternal|0() in D:\a\1\s\src\WinAutomation.Desktop\WinAutomation.Console\WinAutomation.Console.Host\App.xaml.cs:line 94
at WinAutomation.Logging.LoggerTraceOperationExtensions.TraceOperation[T](ILogger`1 logger, String methodName, Action logEventAction, Action func, Func`1 getSuccessMessage, Func`2 getFailureMessage, LogData[] data) in D:\a\1\s\src\WinAutomation.Desktop\WinAutomation.Logging\LoggerTraceOperationExtensions.cs:line 80
at WinAutomation.Console.Host.App.OnStartup(StartupEventArgs e) in D:\a\1\s\src\WinAutomation.Desktop\WinAutomation.Console\WinAutomation.Console.Host\App.xaml.cs:line 61
at System.Windows.Application.<.ctor>b__1_0(Object unused)
at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.InternalRealCall(Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs)
at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.TryCatchWhen(Object source, Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs, Delegate catchHandler)

[imaa_axi]

I managed to fix this issue by installing the Power Automate Desktop standalone installation that is available through flow.microsoft.com. Earlier this installation was combined with UI Flows.

I think Microsoft updated the installing experience, and that fixed my issues.

[ChangLiu]

I thought I had encountered the same problem, and each time I had to uninstall then install the app to launch. But after I asked our IT and found out that the app icon is minimized to the system tray (right side of the task bar where the speaker, network, clock icons are). All I needed to do is double clicking on icon in the system tray to launch it!😂