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Save and publish canvas apps

When you save changes to a canvas app, those changes are saved for you and anyone else who can edit the app. To make your changes available to everyone the app is shared with, publish the app. To learn how to share an app, see Share an app.

Save your app

With your app open for editing in Power Apps, you can save your work in several ways:

  • Select Save to save any unsaved changes to your app. Each time you save, a new version appears in app version history.

  • In the dropdown menu, choose one of the following options:

    • Save with version notes: Save and add notes about your update.
    • Save as: Duplicate the app with a different name.
    • Download a copy: Download a local copy of the app.

Turn AutoSave on or off

Power Apps saves your work automatically every two minutes.

  1. On the command bar, select Settings, and then go to the General tab.

  2. In the Auto save section, set the Auto save toggle to On or Off.

    Screenshot of the AutoSave toggle ___location in Power Apps settings.

Note

  • When you publish a canvas app, your app updates and runs on the latest version of Power Apps. Your app gets all the latest features and performance upgrades added since you last published. If you haven't published an update in several months, you can see an immediate performance benefit when you republish the app.
  • To retrieve app details faster during startup, some data stores locally on user devices in the browser cache. Information stored includes app environment and connection details. This data stays in the browser based on browser storage limits. Users can clear stored data based on these instructions for each browser.

Publish your app

  1. On the command bar, select Publish. If the app isn't saved, you're prompted to save it. After you save it, select Publish again.

  2. Enter your app's description, and then select Publish this version.

Create an app description with Copilot (preview)

If your app is in a managed environment, you can use AI to help create a description for your app.

When you save and publish your app, in the Publishing dialog box, select Create descriptions using AI.

You can also generate an app description by going to Settings > General. Under Description, select Create descriptions using AI.

Admins can disable this feature for managed environments in Power Platform admin. For more information, see Managed Environments panel.

Note

If you don't add a description before publishing the app, Copilot generates one after the app is published. Makers can edit this description if Copilot doesn't generate it correctly.

Important

  • To use this capability, your app must be in a managed environment.
  • Preview features aren't meant for production use and can have restricted functionality. These features are available before an official release so customers get early access and provide feedback.
  • For more information, go to our preview terms.
  • This capability is powered by Azure OpenAI Service.
  • This capability isn't available in all regions yet or can be subject to usage limits or capacity throttling.
  • To learn about capabilities and limitations of AI-powered and Copilot features in Power Apps, see Responsible AI FAQs for Power Apps

Identify the live version

To see all versions of an app:

  1. Go to Power Apps, and in the navigation pane, select Apps.
  2. Select the Commands icon next to the app name.
  3. Select Details > Details.
  4. Go to the Versions tab.

The Live version is published for everyone the app is shared with. Only users with edit permissions can use the most recent version of the app.

Screenshot of where different versions of the app are located and how to publish a specific version.

To publish the most recent version, select the publish icon while editing your app.

Note

  • New published changes to an app can take a few seconds to show when you launch the app. Publish time depends on the app's complexity, and it can take a few more minutes to finish publishing.
  • If you already have an app open when a new version is published, reload the app to get the latest changes.
  • To reduce wait time when using your app, the app preload capability is on. You can turn it off. For more information, see Overview of creating performant apps.

In-app notifications for an updated version of the app

When users wait for an app to update, they see a notification that says A new version of this app is coming. We'll let you know when it's available.

When the published changes are ready, users see a notification that says You're using an old version of this app. Refresh to use the latest version. Users select the Refresh button to get the latest version of the app.

Notification availability

Scenario Availability
Canvas app on web Generally available
Customized SharePoint forms Not available
Canvas app embedded in Teams Not available
Canvas app embedded in Power BI Not available
Power Apps web part Not available
Canvas app embedded in an iframe Generally available

Next steps