- The three free versions of Power Automate
- What Windows 11 includes
- What the free work or school licence includes
- Where free Power Automate stops
- The free trials Microsoft offers
- A licence change to know about
- How to start with Power Automate for free
- Power Automate or something else?
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
Yes, there are free ways to use Power Automate, but each has limits. Windows 11 users can build attended desktop flows for personal productivity at no cost, and work or school accounts get a free Power Automate licence for cloud flows with standard connectors. Sharing flows, premium connectors and unattended automation need a paid licence such as Power Automate Premium or a Process licence.
Power Automate is Microsoft's tool for automating repetitive work, from moving email attachments into a folder to clicking through an old desktop app on a schedule. Plenty of small businesses already own part of it without knowing. The trick is understanding which free version you've got, because Microsoft splits it three ways.
The three free versions of Power Automate
| Free option | Who gets it | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Power Automate in Windows 11 | Windows 11 users | Attended desktop flows for personal productivity, default environment only |
| Power Automate for desktop on Windows 10 | Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 users | Desktop flows, downloaded from the Microsoft download center |
| Power Automate Free licence | Work or school accounts in a Microsoft Entra tenant | Cloud flows with standard connectors, no sharing, plus local attended desktop flows |
Microsoft's licensing pages are explicit that each of these is limited. None of them is a free version of the full product.
What Windows 11 includes
Microsoft's FAQ says Windows 11 users can try desktop flows in attended RPA for personal productivity in the default environment. RPA means robotic process automation, a flow that mimics your keyboard and mouse to drive an app or website. Attended means it runs while you're logged in and at the machine.
The limits are clear. Microsoft says Windows users can't share desktop flows, can't build them in any environment other than the default one, and don't get access to cloud flows at all. To find the app, search for Power Automate in the Windows search bar. Microsoft says it downloads automatically and launches the first time you select it.
What the free work or school licence includes
If your business uses Microsoft 365 with work accounts, Microsoft says basic Power Automate is included at no cost for work or school accounts in a Microsoft Entra tenant. The Free licence lets you create and run cloud flows without sharing them, and author and run desktop flows locally in attended mode. Connector use is limited to standard connectors only.
Microsoft's FAQ adds that users on the free plan or one of the Microsoft 365 plans can only access standard connectors, while most other licence plans and trials include premium connectors. If a flow needs a premium connector, the free route stops there.
Where free Power Automate stops
- Sharing: neither the Windows version nor the Free licence lets you share flows with colleagues.
- Premium and custom connectors: not included on the free options.
- Unattended desktop flows: Microsoft says these need a Process licence, which turns a machine into an unattended bot.
- Process mining and AI Builder credits: Microsoft lists these with Power Automate Premium.
For a sole trader automating their own inbox, those limits might never bite. For a small team that wants one person to build a flow and everyone else to use it, sharing is the first wall you'll hit.
The free trials Microsoft offers
Microsoft says users can be given a Power Automate trial licence to try premium capabilities. Its licence page says the self-assisted trial gives the same capabilities as Power Automate Premium, except for AI Builder credits and storage capacity, and it also includes running desktop flows unattended.
There's a second trial for admins. Microsoft's FAQ says a global admin can start a free trial of the Process licence from the Microsoft 365 admin center, under Billing and Purchase services. That trial runs for 30 days and can be extended once.
A licence change to know about
If you've read older guides, they may mention the per-flow plan or the unattended RPA add-on. Microsoft's FAQ says both were removed from the price list on February 1, 2024. Existing per-flow licences keep working, but you can't buy more, and the Process licence replaces both.
Desktop flows run on Windows, so see who gets the free Windows upgrade if you are not on the latest version.
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How to start with Power Automate for free
- On Windows 11, type Power Automate into the Windows search bar and open the app.
- Sign in with your Microsoft account or your work account.
- Use the desktop recorder to capture a repetitive task, such as renaming files or copying data between apps.
- If you have a work account, go to Power Automate in your browser and build a cloud flow from a template that uses standard connectors.
- Test the flow on a copy of your data before you rely on it.
If you're new to automation, my guide to AI automation for small business shows the kind of jobs worth automating first.
Power Automate or something else?
If your tools aren't Microsoft-based, Power Automate's free options may not connect to what you use. That's where a no-code tool with a free plan can be easier. My page on whether Zapier is free covers that alternative's free plan.
My verdict
Power Automate is free in a narrow but useful way. If you're on Windows 11 or your business has Microsoft 365 work accounts, start with the free options and automate your own repetitive tasks. Pay for Power Automate Premium when you need to share flows or use premium connectors, and look at a Process licence only when you need automation to run unattended.
Frequently asked questions
Is Power Automate free with Windows 11?
Partly. Microsoft says Windows 11 users can build attended desktop flows for personal productivity in the default environment, but can't share them or use cloud flows.
Is Power Automate free with Microsoft 365?
Microsoft says basic Power Automate is included at no cost for work or school accounts, with cloud flows limited to standard connectors and no sharing.
Can I use Power Automate for desktop on Windows 10?
Yes. Microsoft says Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 users have usage rights, but need to download it from the download center.
Do I need a paid licence for unattended flows?
Yes. Microsoft says unattended desktop flows need a Process licence, though trials can include unattended runs.
Can I share a flow on the free licence?
No. Microsoft says the Free licence creates and runs cloud flows without sharing, and Windows users can't share desktop flows either.
Is there a Power Automate free trial?
Yes. Microsoft offers a trial licence with Premium capabilities, and admins can start a Process licence trial that runs for 30 days and can be extended once.
