Automation can save time, reduce errors, and increase efficiency. If you are seeking methods to automate your tasks and procedures, you have come to the right place. In this post, I will introduce you to some Windows automation software to speed up your workflows, increase productivity, and save you time. They will suit your needs and skill level, whether you are a home user, corporate user, or developer.
Windows Task Scheduler
Windows Task Scheduler is a fantastic built-in tool in Windows that enables you to schedule tasks to run automatically at specific times! It’s perfect for scheduling tasks like running scripts, launching programs, sending emails, and more.
To access Windows Task Scheduler, you can press Windows + R and type the command “taskschd.msc”. Once launched, you’ll be able to easily create a new task, specify all kinds of triggers, and add any additional settings you need.
What’s more, you can use Windows Task Scheduler to run PowerShell scripts automatically. I will show you an example.
Step 1. Create a new task and set the name and trigger.
Step 2. In the Action tab, select “Start a program” as the action, which is the default option. Then click Borwse to select the full path to Powershell.exe, for example:
“C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe”Step 3. In the arguments box, enter the command below and be sure to change the path to your ps1 file.
powershell.exe -NoProfile -NoLogo -NonInteractive -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "path\to\script.ps1"Step 4. Enter the folder path to run the script in the “Start in” box if needed.
After saving the task, you can manually run it to see if it works. As shown in the screenshot, I use a script to convert FLAC to ALAC automatically. Personally, I don’t know how to write any Powershell scripts, but I can use ChatGPT to write them for me.
Power Automate Desktop
Power Automate Desktop is a desktop-based automation tool that allows you to automate various tasks on your Windows computer. It offers a visual workflow designer that allows you to create complex workflows by dragging and dropping actions.
You can download Power Automate Desktop from the Microsoft Power Automate website. Once installed, you can create a new flow, specify the trigger (when to run the flow), and add various actions such as launching programs, sending emails, and more.
Power Automate Desktop also offers advanced features such as conditional statements, loops, and variables, which make it a great tool for automating complex tasks on your Windows computer.
Power Automate Desktop’s ability to work with other Microsoft services, such as Excel and Power BI, is one of its best features. This lets you manage the processing and analysis of data.
RoboTask
RoboTask is a powerful automation tool that lets you use your Windows computer to do almost any job automatically. It has a visual workflow designer that lets you drag and drop steps to make complex processes.
You can download RoboTask from its main website, which also has a free trial. Once you’ve installed it, you can make a new task, tell it when to run, and add steps like starting programs, sending emails, and more.
RoboTask also has advanced features like conditional statements, loops, and variables that make it a great tool for automating difficult jobs on your Windows computer.
Overall, RoboTask is a great programming tool with many options and features. But it’s not free and can be hard for new users to figure out.
AutoHotkey
AutoHotkey is a free and open-source scripting language that allows you to create macros, hotkeys, and custom commands. You can use AutoHotkey to automate keystrokes, mouse clicks, window management, text manipulation, web browsing, and more. AutoHotkey is easy to learn and has a large community of users and developers who provide tutorials, scripts, and support.
AutoIt
AutoIt is another free and open-source scripting language that enables you to automate Windows tasks. It has a simple syntax and a powerful set of functions that can control almost any aspect of the Windows system. You can use AutoIt to automate GUI interactions, registry operations, network communications, error handling, and more.
Conclusion
These are some of the best Windows automation software that you can use to make your life easier and more productive. Whether you want to automate simple or complex tasks, there is one that suits your needs and preferences. Try them out and see what they can do for you.