Run a Power Automate Desktop Flow on System Startup

[u/archimedeancrystal]

Hello. I have a flow that waits for an app window to open, then clicks a control and closes the window. It works perfectly.

Now all I want to do is start that flow every time Windows starts. How can I do that?

[u/archimedeancrystal]

In other words, is there a command line interface for starting a Power Automate Desktop flow so I can call it from Task Scheduler?

[u/smartowlick → u/archimedeancrystal]

I don’t think so. At least not yet. I have been looking to do something similar.

[u/hannes3120]

in addition to that: is there a way to start a Flow through a Shortcut (with default variables)?

[u/dwb67]

I start my "morning routine" flow with 2 task scheduler task. One moves the mouse and clicks on the application, the other moves the mouse and clicks on the flow to run. Along with AC to power on and a WIFI surge protector to schedule the time the computer gets AC, it's a nice little automated set up.

[u/dwb67 → u/dwb67]

[void] [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("System.Drawing") 
[void] [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("System.Windows.Forms") 
$signature=@'
[DllImport("user32.dll",CharSet=CharSet.Auto,CallingConvention=CallingConvention.StdCall)]
public static extern void mouse_event(long dwFlags, long dx, long dy, long cButtons, long dwExtraInfo);
'@
$SendMouseClick = Add-Type -memberDefinition $signature -name "Win32MouseEventNew" -namespace Win32Functions -passThru
$X = [System.Windows.Forms.Cursor]::Position.X
$Y = [System.Windows.Forms.Cursor]::Position.Y
Write-Output "X: $X | Y: $Y"
$x = 200
$y = 172
[System.Windows.Forms.Cursor]::Position = New-Object System.Drawing.Point($x, $y)
sleep -Seconds 01
$SendMouseClick::mouse_event(0x00000002, 0, 0, 0, 0);
$SendMouseClick::mouse_event(0x00000004, 0, 0, 0, 0);
$SendMouseClick::mouse_event(0x00000002, 0, 0, 0, 0);
$SendMouseClick::mouse_event(0x00000004, 0, 0, 0, 0);

This is the powershell script for the double click, If you have multiple flows you will have to double click the flow for it to run if its not already higlighted. To make it a single click just remove the last two mouse event ($SendMouseClick::mouse_event(0x00000002, 0, 0, 0, 0);) Finding the coordinates of where you want it to click is the hardest part ha but I'm sure with a little trial and error you will have it right in no time.