Microsoft launches Flow beta for Windows Phone

A Windows Phone version of Microsoft Flow is now in beta testing, the company has announced today{.nofollow}. The service, which allows you to set up automated tasks, initially launched for Android and iOS last year.

Flow operates much like IFTTT (If This Then That), letting you set up automated interactions between your apps. Currently, Flow supports more than 100 services (opens in new tab), including some popular options like Slack, Todoist, OneDrive, and more.

Unfortunately, if you want to get in on this beta, you'll have to exercise a little patience. While Microsoft has announced the Beta is now available, you have to apply to participate in the program before you can get started. To do so, you can send a request to flowmobilefeedback@microsoft.com.

Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl

33 Comments
  • I get lil hopes about the OS when I read these news......unless they wanna give it to Samsung.
  • They'll give it to Samsung & Android who just overlook then as the most used OS in the world!
  • This is good to see, hope it comes to PC too as it should allow us to trigger a push notification on windows 10 devices. Being able to do that across device families would be best
  • Dan, is this app for Windows Phone, Windows 10 Mobile or both? Please, for the sake of accuracy, be specific about which OS you are talking about. That will keep people that have Windows phones running Windows Phone from wasting their time, it will also keep readers from being confused as to what you are talking about. Windows Phone is an OS, Windows 10 Mobile is an OS, Windows phone is a phone that runs Windows. I honestly think that you, and maybe George P. are the only writers on Windows Central that don't specify the OS that runs the apps and services that you are talking about OR you may specify incorrectly. Respectfully, Demitrius
  • The MS announcement just says' Windows Phone', maybe you should ask them to clarify too.
  • Thanks for pointing that out. I will ask them to clarify as well. I often see the same thing from some Microsoft sources and that usually is a tell tell sign that the Microsoft employees that made whatever announcement don't primarily work on or are invested in Windows 10 Mobile.  
  • Done. I posted a slightly altered version of my comment on the announcement page. Thanks again for pointing that out and directing me to their page.
  • I don't understand the confusion.
  • I don't understand either. It states Windows Phone
  • Yes, but supporting Windows Phone would be illogical at this point, since Windows Phone (7 to 8.1) was replaced by Windows (10) Mobile. Hence the confusion.
    As Deaconclgi already pointed out, this is a clear indication that even most MS employees don't know much about their mobile OS.
  • Windows 10 Mobile running on a phone is Windows Phone.  It's that way everywhere.  Go the Microsoft store, for example, where you cannot buy anything running "Windows Phone" OS, but you can still buy "Windows Phones."
  • That is actually incorrect and Microsoft is in the progress of updating their pages to show Windows phone/Windows phones. The "p" in phone should be lower case if it is talking about a device type, the same way other device types are lowercase such as desktop, laptop, tablet and more. The "p" in phone should be capitalized if it is talking about a brand name or products such as Windows Phone, referring to the various editions of the Windows Phone OS, (7 - 8.1 Update). The US Microsoft site is updated, when you click Products at the top, then devices, it says "All Windows phones" as phone is the device type and not the OS in this instance. That's factual. When a writer writes Windows Phone, that refers to the OS, even if the writer didn't mean it that way and that is why writers have to care enough to keep their writing factual. An app can be made available for Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile at the same time or either of those and no matter what version of Windows is on your phone, even Windows Mobile 6.5, you would have a Windows phone.  There is a difference and it does matter as a fact. Now....if a writer or reader cares...that is up to them. Microsoft is doing better about updating their sites to reflect the correct capitalization, as Windows phone and even the latest Windows 10 Mobile builds and other portions of the OS correctly refer to to the device as Windows phone. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/view-all?col=phones Microsoft still has a ways to go with getting all of their employees to address the OS with the correct name and they still have old code that needs to be changed that still says Windows Phone as the OS in device related instances. I remember even seeing Microsoft let code and articles get published with the words saying Windows Phone 10!!! This was well after Windows 10 Mobile had been out for months. A writer just has to care enough to stick to the actual names and factual meanings. This doesn't just apply to Dan so I am not singling him out but it is just a matter of the truth concerning writing and it applies to anyone who writes Windows Phone when they are not actually talking about the Windows Phone OS. The only acceptable time that a device type, such as phone, is capitalize is in a heading or title to where all words are capitalized, such as Xbox Consoles, Windows Desktops, Android Phones. As a title or heading, that would fall in the capitalization rules. If it isn't a title or heading, it should be Xbox consoles, Windows desktops, Android phones and so forth because console, desktop, phones are not brands but device types and should be lower case. I hope this clears it up, if not, Jason Ward wrote an excellent article talking about this very thing, that I have been talking about well before he wrote the article, simply because it is true. :)
  • Except that it's not “true,” it's your opinion. MS advertises the Lumia 735 as running “Windows phone 8.1” without the capital “P” you insist should be there. Now, you say “MS are getting better about this” but the fact is, they don't have to get better about it, because anything they do is automatically correct because it's their product. You may want the capitalization and presence of the word “phone” to be a distinction with a difference, and I fully agree with you that it would be nice if it was, but it isn't.  Sorry.  There's a lot of slop there, but that's the only fact. And, while it is imprecise, it is not wrong to say that Flow is now running on Windows Phone, when you mean phones running W10M.
  • I'm not talking about my opinion, I am talking about the facts of proper writing, that existed before anyone of us were born and before Microsoft was formed. "Windows phone 8.1" is factually incorrect as Windows Phone is a proper name, a brand and should following the given branding rules. That should be written as Windows Phone 8.1 as Microsoft made the brand and letter style Windows Phone 8.1. The person who typed it on the page simply typed it that way and until Microsoft changes the official branding, it is currently Windows Phone 8.1 as the official OS name and capitalization. As I said before, Microsoft employees make writing mistakes too. Some of us either have went to school and learned these things, taught this information or deal with this in our careers. These are facts and not opinions yes, the person responsible for incorrect capitalization should correct it. Just because you work at a company does not mean you can just write however you want. With formal names and brands capitalization is a factual differentiator and is the essence of trade marks, restrictions, legalities and more. It does matter and it is a fact.
  • Sorry, but no. A company can capitalize its product names however it wants to.  It’s iPhone, not Iphone, because Apple says so.  And they are free to change their mind tomorrow, USPTO permitting. You don’t get to tell MS how and when to capitalize “phone” and if or whether it’s being so distinguishes between a phone running Windows, the name of an operating system, or the name of a line of phones running a particular operating system.  You want it to be a certain way.  I agree that your way makes sense and is the way it “should” be.  But it isn’t that way.
  • That's my point exactly, Microsoft has not changed the brand to Windows phone 8.1. The brand is Windows Phone 8.1, therefore, making marketing of Windows phone 8.1 incorrect as I said, because Microsoft has not changed the punctuation and brand. You stated exactly what I have been saying. Your example of iPhone vs Iphone is the same exact point. iPhone is the brand and until Apple changes it, Iphone is factually incorrect. Windows Phone is a brand for an OS that is separate from another brand, another OS, Windows 10 Mobile. Windows phone is a brand + device type. Capitalize the proper brand/trademark, lowercase device type. Those are the facts, just like an Android phone, a Symbian phone, a Tizen phone. Those are the facts.
  • I understand what you're saying.  I do.  You don't need to keep reiterating the same, obvious point over and over again. But you need to understand that that is your opinion.  "Phone" can be considered part of the brand or not, and MS themselves go back and forth on it.  By your reasoning, if the OS prior to v. 10 was "Windows Phone" OS then, strictly speaking, people with older devices were using Windows Phone phones. Aaaaaaaand....no. The word "phone" is alternatingly used as the name of the OS, the name of the device, and the name of the category of devices running any version of a Windows OS.  As such, it is alternatingly capitalized and not all over the place.  There is no consistent, absolute rule, and pretending there is one is simply not helpful. You wish it were true...I also wish it were true...but it isn't true.  And that's that. You needn't reply to this post, since I don't care anymore, but feel free to prattle on if you want to.
  • Clearly, I am talking about specific usage of the words when written. They were Windows Phone phones, (OS + device type) just like Android phones and iOS phones. The same way it is Android phone and Android tablet. We just never wrote it out like that. Saying the words Windows Phone and Windows phone are the exact same and understood. I am not talking about speaking the words. If there was a tablet that ran Windows Phone 8.1, it would be a Windows Phone 8.1 tablet and not a Windows Phone 8.1 Tablet and especially not a Windows phone 8.1 tablet/Tablet. We are talking about writing, not speaking and when writing, correct punctuation of brands is important. The p should be capital in phone when referencing the Windows Phone OS as it is branded that way. It should be a lowercase p when applying to a generic device type as it is not a brand. I am talking about a brand name, it doesn't get any more simple than that. The name of the OS is Windows Phone. It is a grammatically correct fact that writing "Windows phone" means a phone that runs a Windows OS and does not mean it runs the Windows Phone OS. You say you understand but your words show that you don't understand that this is not my opinion. You don't have to believe me, or Jason or any of the educational institutions or websites or text books. Write whatever you want to write but that doesn't change the commonly known facts. I keep saying facts as you keep saying it's my opinion. I already provided a link to punctuation guidelines that cover the correct punctuation. Microsoft chose this punctuation Windows Phone to be the name/brand of their OS ranging from Windows Phone 7 - Windows Phone 8.1 Update. Any other punctuation or capitalization referring to the OS is incorrect until Microsoft changes the name of the OS so it doesn't matter if a web admin at Microsoft writes Windows phone 8.1 because that is incorrect, according to the current brand name and grammar/punctuation guidelines that are taught in schools around the world. A lowercase p in phone does denote a device type and not a brand or trademark. These are basic grammar, punctuation and capitalization rules and not my opinion and if even factual links and articles can't help you, I sure can't. Surface Book and Surface book are not the same thing, neither are Sam's Club and Sam's club. The formers are brands and must be capitalized as they are trademarked until the brand name changes and the latter is a book titled Surface and a statement that there is a club that belongs to Sam. Windows Phone and Windows phone, according to correct grammar and punctuation and Microsoft's current branding, are not the same thing. Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile are also not the same thing. Since they factually are not the same thing, a writer should write clearly, and state what OS an app is for as Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile are two different brands, two different OSes, whether that writer works at Microsoft or Windows Central or the local newspaper. Grammar and punctuation rules exist for a reason and are part of the basis of brands and trademarks. As before, this isn't my opinion. You don't have to believe anything that I have said or the grammar sites or other articles have said. It's up to you but before you reply again stating it's my option, if you care, please look at the link I posted about correct punctuation or search for your own link about it and you will find the same basic rules for correct punctuation and capitalization. I write a lot but I promise I didn't write the grammar rules on those sites and textbooks around the world. :)
  • Here is the link to Jason's article: http://m.windowscentral.com/tech-terminology-check-windows-phone-windows...
  • If you want to know more about the facts, please see this resource:
    https://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/capital.asp
    Windows Phone is a trademarked brand name and there are rules of punctuation and capitalization that go beyond Microsoft. It does matter.
    Example, iOS is branded that way for a reason and is to be properly marketed that way to be within the trademarks and brand.
    Any other usage, for example IOS, could mean something else. iOS, means one thing.
    Windows Phone means the OS as it is a brand. Windows phone means a phone that runs Windows.
    Even Windows and windows factually mean two different things. Your opinion doesn't override the facts of punctuation, capitalization, grammar, trademarks, branding and everything else that this topic covers.
    Also, you said:
     
    "Now, you say “MS are getting better about this” but the fact is, they don't have to get better about it, because anything they do is automatically correct because it's their product."
    That's not true. An employee of the company is supposed to follow the formal branding and punctuation rules and not just write however they want so no, anything "they" do isn't correct.
    "They" is comprised of individuals and people don't always follow the rules and people make mistakes.
    This isn't my opinion.
    It didn't matter that I worked in the Command Center at E*TRADE Finacial., I had to make sure that all written communication was factually correct.
    Writing E*Trade Bank was wrong E*trade Bank was wrong, E*TRADE bank was wrong but E*TRADE Bank was right.
    Windows Phone is an OS, Windows 10 Mobile is an OS, Windows phone is a phone that runs a Windows OS and Windows phone 8.1 (lowercase P) is factually incorrect branding, punctuation and capitalization if talking about an OS brand just like IOS, IoS, ios are all wrong when the brand is iOS.
    This is not my opinion and this is taught in careers and in schools with curriculum that is geared toward correct punctuation and capitalization and especially in college if the field is in marketing, technology or legal.
  • > Windows phone 8.1 (lowercase P) is factually incorrect branding, Except, here it is, plain as day. https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/Verizon--Microsoft-... MS clearly doesn't agree with you.  And because it's their product and they get to decide how they want to brand it, they are automatically right.  So, give it a rest, already.
  • iOS and Android users can download this one from store for a while now... While we need to sign up for testing the Beta app. :|
  • Sure, but look at it on the bright side, they are actually releasing something new for Win10M. Who would have thought that at this point?:-)
  • Sent 😊
  • Flow, teams, etc, all require O365 for business or education right?
  • Flow is available for personal O365 users, although with a limited number of free runs. Teams does require an enterprise/business license
  • Yay?
  • A nice step. Thanks.
  • Last...as usual.
  • great to still see continue support for Windows mobile fans.
  • what is flow and should i even care. it wasn't first to wp why would i want to use it now?
  • Will this replace Gadgets?
  • Windows Phone 8.1 (and lower) almost over and done, not supported anymore... I think cell phones running Windows 10 are "Windows Mobile 10" right?