Live Publish (05/23/2025 06:00:13 PM)

Author: bishalgoswami

articles/desktop-flows/console.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ author: mattp123
 ms.service: power-automate
 ms.subservice: desktop-flow
 ms.topic: article
-ms.date: 04/11/2025
+ms.date: 05/22/2025
 ms.author: iomavrid
 ms.reviewer: matp
 contributors:
@@ -98,8 +98,15 @@ Additionally, the **Run URL** lets you run the flow through various sources, suc
 
 :::image type="content" source="media/console/desktop-flow-details-properties.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the details of a desktop flow.":::
 
-## Generate flow description using Copilot
+### Change the screen resolution settings of a desktop flow for unattended runs
+
+To set the screen resolution for unattended runs, open the desktop flow’s details and select **Edit**. In the Flow properties panel, turn on the **Display resolution for unattended runs** setting. Choose a resolution from the drop-down list or enter a specific resolution manually.
 
+> [!IMPORTANT]
+> - If the **Display resolution for unattended runs** setting is on and the desktop flow calls other desktop flows, all flows run using the resolution set in the parent flow. Make sure this resolution works for all flows to avoid issues.
+> - If you're using the [Reuse Windows session for unattended runs](run-unattended-desktop-flows.md#reuse-a-windows-session-in-unattended-mode) feature, the selected resolution applies to the reused session too.
+
+## Generate flow description using Copilot
 
 Generate a flow description for flows you own or co-own by pressing a button. Copilot analyzes the flow and generates a description. This feature is also available from the flow details in make.powerautomate.com. More information: [Manage desktop flows](manage.md)
 

articles/desktop-flows/manage.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ author: mattp123
 ms.service: power-automate
 ms.subservice: desktop-flow
 ms.topic: how-to
-ms.date: 02/21/2025
+ms.date: 05/22/2025
 ms.author: appapaio
 ms.reviewer: matp
 contributor: yiannismavridis
@@ -48,6 +48,14 @@ Follow these steps to see the details for a desktop flow:
 
 :::image type="content" source="media/manage-desktop-flows/view-details.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the details of a desktop flow.":::
 
+### Change the screen resolution settings of a desktop flow for unattended runs
+
+To set the screen resolution for unattended runs, open the desktop flow’s details and select **Edit**. In the Flow properties panel, turn on the **Display resolution for unattended runs** setting. Choose a resolution from the drop-down list or enter a specific resolution manually.
+
+> [!IMPORTANT]
+> - If the **Display resolution for unattended runs** setting is on and the desktop flow calls other desktop flows, all flows run using the resolution set in the parent flow. Make sure this resolution works for all flows to avoid issues.
+> - If you're using the [Reuse Windows session for unattended runs](run-unattended-desktop-flows.md#reuse-a-windows-session-in-unattended-mode) feature, the selected resolution applies to the reused session too.
+
 ## Generate flow description using Copilot (preview)
 
 [!INCLUDE [cc-beta-prerelease-disclaimer](../includes/cc-beta-prerelease-disclaimer.md)]
@@ -111,13 +119,13 @@ Follow these steps to share a desktop flow:
    > [!NOTE]
    >
    > You can also enter a Microsoft Dataverse team name instead of the name of the person. If you want to share with a Microsoft Entra group, you first need to create a Microsoft Entra Group team in Dataverse based on the Microsoft Entra Group. More information: [Microsoft Dataverse teams management](/power-platform/admin/manage-teams)
-   
-5. Select the user and then select either **User** or **Co-owner** as the permission for the person with whom you share the flow.
+
+1. Select the user and then select either **User** or **Co-owner** as the permission for the person with whom you share the flow.
 
     - **Co-owner**: This access level gives the co-owner full permissions to the desktop flow. They can edit, share, and delete the desktop flow.
     - **User**: This access level gives permission to only use that desktop flow in a cloud flow and run it locally with Power Automate for desktop. No edit, rename, delete, or share permissions are possible with this access. Alternatively, those users can create a copy of the desktop flow using the **Save as** option, and work independently.
 
-6. Select **Save**.
+1. Select **Save**.
 
    :::image type="content" source="media/manage-desktop-flows/sharing-ux.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Share button.":::
 

articles/desktop-flows/media/recording-flow/image-recording-button.png

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ author: mattp123
 ms.service: power-automate
 ms.subservice: desktop-flow
 ms.topic: how-to
-ms.date: 09/27/2022
+ms.date: 05/23/2025
 ms.author: matp
 ms.reviewer: matp
 contributors:
@@ -51,6 +51,20 @@ To pause the recording process temporarily, select **Pause**. To add a comment t
 
 ![Screenshot of the comment button.](./media/recording-flow/comment-button.png "Screenshot of the comment button.")
 
+### Choosing different capturing modes when recording desktop applications
+
+The recorder now supports capturing both UI Automation (UIA) and Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) selectors. Choose the appropriate selector type based on the application you're automating. Open the Capturing mode menu in the recorder, and select either UIA or MSAA.
+
+![Screenshot of the recorder's capturing mode menu.](./media/recording-flow/recorder_capturing_mode_uia_msaa.png "Screenshot of the recorder's capturing mode menu.")
+
+- **UI Automation (UIA)** is the modern accessibility framework from Microsoft that replaces MSAA. It's the recommended technology for automating most Windows applications, especially those built with newer UI frameworks like WPF, WinForms, and Universal Windows Platform (UWP). UIA gives more detailed element information, improved hierarchy structures, and greater reliability in automation scenarios.
+
+    Use UIA capturing mode whenever possible for better performance, maintainability, and support across modern desktop applications.
+
+- **Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA)** is an older accessibility technology that comes before UIA. It's mainly used for legacy applications that don't expose UIA elements, like older Windows applications built with VB6 or classic Win32. MSAA gives less detail and structure than UIA, but it's essential for automation in environments where UIA isn't available.
+
+    Use MSAA capturing mode when targeting legacy or custom-built applications that don't expose their UI components through UIA.
+
 ### Replicate drag and drop steps
 
 The recorder supports steps related to dragging and dropping the mouse pointer; therefore, the recorder can generate actions like the **Resize window** and **Move window**. Currently, however, the **Drag and drop UI element of a window** action isn't supported.
@@ -73,7 +87,7 @@ The first method is to select the dots icon on the right side of the recorder di
 
 After you've selected the proper browser, the recorder will detect the loaded web page automatically and configure the launching browsing step accordingly.
 
-![Screenshot of the Launch new web browser option.](./media/recording-flow/launch-new-web-browser-option.png "Screenshot of the Launch new web browser option.")
+![Screenshot of the Launch new web browser option.](./media/recording-flow/launch-new-web-browser-option1.png "Screenshot of the Launch new web browser option.")
 
 An alternative way to launch a browser is to start recording in an already open web browser. The recorder will automatically detect the loaded page and will create a launching browser action.
 

articles/desktop-flows/media/recording-flow/launch-new-web-browser-option1.png

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ author: mattp123
 ms.service: power-automate
 ms.subservice: desktop-flow
 ms.topic: article
-ms.date: 12/20/2023
+ms.date: 05/23/2025
 ms.author: nimoutzo
 ms.reviewer: matp
 contributors:
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ To add a new UI element to your flow, add a new UI element through an action or
 
 :::image type="content" source="media/ui-elements/capturing-ui-elements.png" alt-text="Screenshot of a highlighted element.":::
 
+> [!NOTE]
+> The UI element picker now supports capturing both UI Automation (UIA) and Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) selectors when working with desktop UI elements. By default, the picker operates in UIA mode. You can change the capturing mode using the menu located in the top-right corner of the UI element picker. Select MSAA to target legacy applications that don't expose UIA selectors. When MSAA mode is enabled, a banner appears in the UI element picker to indicate that you're capturing MSAA selectors. Learn more about the difference between UIA and MSAA selectors in [UI elements types](#ui-elements-types).
+
 Any captured UI elements will be added to the UI elements pane. To access the UI elements pane, select the UI elements tab on the right-hand side of the flow designer.
 
 :::image type="content" source="media/ui-elements/ui-elements-tab.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the UI elements tab.":::
@@ -48,9 +51,23 @@ To find where a specific UI element is being used in the flow, right-click on it
 
 Desktop flows support two types of UI elements based on their source: desktop UI elements and web UI elements.
 
-Desktop UI elements can be captured from any Windows application, including the nonwebpage part of browsers, such as the address bar.
+Desktop UI elements can be captured from any Windows application, including non-webpage components of browsers, such as the address bar. Within desktop UI elements, two types of selectors are now supported:
+
+- **UI Automation (UIA) selectors**
+
+    UIA is the modern accessibility framework introduced by Microsoft to replace MSAA. It's the recommended technology for automating most Windows applications, especially those built with newer UI frameworks such as WPF, WinForms, and Universal Windows Platform (UWP). UIA offers more robust and detailed element information, improved hierarchy structures, and greater reliability in automation scenarios.
+
+    Use UIA selectors whenever possible for better performance, maintainability, and support across modern desktop applications.
+
+- **Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) selectors**
+
+    MSAA is an older accessibility technology that predates UIA. It's primarily used for legacy applications that don't expose UIA elements, such as older Windows applications built with technologies like VB6 or classic Win32. While MSAA provides less detail and structure than UIA, it's essential for enabling automation in environments where UIA isn't available.
+
+    Use MSAA selectors when targeting legacy or custom-built applications that don't expose their UI components through UIA.
+
+The UI element picker in UI automation actions allows you to capture only desktop UI elements. A new capturing mode menu in the top-right corner of the picker lets you select between UIA and MSAA modes. By default, the picker uses UIA, but you can switch to MSAA when automating legacy applications. A visible message in the picker indicates when MSAA mode is active.
 
-You can use these UI elements as input in UI automation actions to indicate the component you want to interact with. The UI element picker of UI automation actions displays and allows you to capture only desktop UI elements.
+Captured elements are displayed in the UI elements pane, with an indicator showing whether they were captured using UIA or MSAA, helping you identify the selector type used for each element in your flow.
 
 > [!IMPORTANT]
 > Users can capture elements from webpages through the UI element picker of UI automation actions. However, their selectors will represent desktop elements, not web elements.
@@ -67,11 +84,11 @@ To capture a UI element from a webpage, you need to install the appropriate brow
 
 ### Distinguish desktop from web UI elements
 
-The UI elements pane displays distinctive visual indications to help users quickly recognize desktop and web UI elements.
+The UI elements pane shows distinctive visual indications to help users quickly recognize between desktop and web UI elements.
 
-:::image type="content" source="media/ui-elements/ui-element-type-visual-indication.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the UI element type visual indications in the UI element pane.":::
+:::image type="content" source="media/ui-elements/ui-element-type-visual-indication1.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the UI element type visual indications in the UI element pane.":::
 
-The same icons are also displayed during capturing, so you can confirm the type of an element before even saving it.
+When you capture a desktop element, the desktop icon appears. When you capture a web element, the web icon appears. This way, you confirm the element type before saving it.
 
 :::image type="content" source="media/ui-elements/ui-element-type-visual-indication-capturing.png" alt-text="Screenshot of a UI element type visual indication during capturing.":::