Desktop License [upd] - Power Automate
| Term | Definition | |------|-------------| | | Flows triggered by a human user (e.g., button click, hotkey). Runs on the user’s workstation. | | Unattended RPA | Flows run automatically on a schedule or by a cloud trigger, without a logged-in user. | | Process | A desktop flow built in Power Automate Desktop. | | Machine | A physical or virtual Windows device executing desktop flows. | | Hosted machine | A Microsoft-managed virtual machine (Machine Runtime) used for unattended jobs. | 3. Licensing Options at a Glance | Feature | Free with Windows | Power Automate Premium (Per user) | Unattended Add-on (Per machine) | |---------|------------------|-----------------------------------|----------------------------------| | Target user | Individual Windows user | Business user needing attended automation | IT/Operations running scheduled automations | | Attended run | Yes | Yes | Not applicable | | Unattended run | No | No | Yes (per machine or hosted) | | Access to cloud connectors (SQL, SharePoint, etc.) | No | Yes | Yes | | Run on remote/hosted machine | No | No | Yes | | Centralized management (CoE kit, DLP policies) | No | Yes | Yes | | Price | Included in Windows 10/11 Pro/Enterprise | ~$15/user/month (via Power Automate Premium) | ~$150/machine/month (or $500 for 5 unattended add-ons) |
Understanding Power Automate Desktop Licensing: A Guide for Individuals and Organizations power automate desktop license
Clarifying licensing requirements for attended and unattended robotic process automation (RPA) using Microsoft Power Automate Desktop. 1. Executive Summary Power Automate Desktop (PAD) enables users to automate repetitive tasks across legacy and modern applications via a no-code, drag-and-drop interface. However, licensing confusion often arises because PAD is available under multiple models: as a no-cost feature for Windows 10/11 users, as part of broader Power Automate licenses, and as premium unattended capacity. | Term | Definition | |------|-------------| | |
April 14, 2026