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Can't create, edit, save, or view desktop flows

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This article provides a resolution to an issue where you receive an error message when trying to create, edit, or view a desktop flow in Microsoft Power Automate for desktop.

Applies to:   Power Automate
Original KB number:   5004096

Symptoms

In Microsoft Power Automate for desktop, you experience the following issues:

  • When you create a new desktop flow, you receive the following error message:

    You aren't permitted to view or create flows in this environment. Contact your administrator or switch to the default environment, or an environment where you have sufficient permissions.

  • When you edit a desktop flow, you receive the following error message:

    Flow initialization failed. Please make sure there is an active internet connection and contact your administrator.

  • When you save a desktop flow, you receive the following error message:

    An error occurred while saving the flow. Try again and if the issue persists contact your administrator.

  • You can't view any desktop flows in the My flows list of the Console.

Verifying issue

Try to do the same operation in the Power Automate Portal when applicable. If it works as expected, then the issue should be related to the local network configuration of the machine that hosts Power Automate for desktop.

Cause

The machine that hosts Power Automate for desktop can't connect to the required domains. This issue could happen either because the domains are blocked on the network, or because you're using a proxy server that requires authentication.

For the latter, Power Automate for desktop can't authenticate with the proxy server, thus the communication fails. Note that the proxy server should be using automatic authentication with the user's Active Directory account.

Resolution for the blocked domains issue

Approve the Required services to which Power Automate connects. Ensure none of these services are blocked on your network.

Approve the Desktop flows services required for runtime to enable the connection from the local machine for the desktop flows runs.

Resolution and workaround for the proxy authentication issue

To solve this issue, follow the steps described in Proxy server related errors in Power Automate for desktop.