WinAutomation: Old-School RPA That Still Runs
General Overview
WinAutomation isn’t new, and it’s not under active development anymore. But for what it was built to do — desktop task automation on Windows — it still works. No cloud. No orchestration. Just a thick client that runs bots locally and quietly.
It came from Softomotive, later absorbed by Microsoft, and then folded into Power Automate Desktop. But plenty of teams never migrated — mostly because the workflows kept doing their job, and nobody wanted to touch them.
Capabilities
| Feature | What It Does |
| Visual Designer | Drag-drop interface; logic blocks, no coding needed |
| UI Interaction | Handles Win32 controls, browsers, dialogs, dropdowns |
| File Automation | Rename, copy, monitor folders, apply filters |
| Office Integration | Built-in Excel, Word, Outlook actions — no scripting required |
| Control Flow | IFs, loops, variables, labels — the basics are all there |
| Event Triggers | Time, file system, user input — bots can react automatically |
Everything’s stored locally. No sync. No cloud backup. If the machine dies, the bots go with it. It’s meant for on-prem work, and that’s where it stayed.
Deployment Notes
– Last stable version: 9.x, released before Microsoft stopped updating it
– Works on Windows 7, 8.1, 10 — uncertain behavior on Windows 11
– No central management — each machine is self-contained
– Admin rights may be needed for UI control (especially with UAC on)
– .waj is the format for saved bots — proprietary, not portable
There’s no installer available officially anymore, but archived builds still float around in internal repos and backup sets.
Usage Scenarios
– Fill out repetitive HR or logistics forms where APIs don’t exist
– Monitor shared folders and move/rename files based on filename rules
– Automate Excel exports without writing VBA
– Handle kiosk or POS automation in air-gapped offices
– Use as a low-overhead RPA runner on unmanaged desktops
In some setups, it’s still used simply because it doesn’t need a server. Just install it, build, and run.
Limitations
– It’s done. No patches, no support.
– Doesn’t integrate with anything modern — no APIs, no webhooks
– Unstable with modern dynamic web pages (React, Angular, etc.)
– Hard to maintain in teams — no versioning or sharing mechanism
– Requires fixed desktop resolution and reliable UI layout
When it breaks, it breaks quietly — until someone notices the task stopped running two days ago.
Comparison Table
| Tool | Model | Notes on WinAutomation |
| Power Automate (PAD) | Microsoft, supported | Replaces it officially, but more complex to run |
| AutoIt | Scripted | Faster, more flexible, but requires real coding |
| UIPath | Centralized, scalable | Better for teams and cloud workflows |
| Old-school scripting | VBScript, batch, etc. | WinAutomation adds GUI and control flow structure |
