Deep linking has completely transformed how our organization uses Power Apps. Before implementing this technique, users had to navigate through multiple screens to reach their destination—often abandoning the app out of frustration. Now, with a single click on an email link or Teams message, they land exactly where they need to be.

Why Deep Linking Matters

I first discovered the power of deep linking when building an equipment inspection app for our field technicians. Instead of forcing them to search through hundreds of items, we created QR codes that opened the app directly to the relevant equipment’s details screen.

Effective deep linking brings several key benefits:

  • Improved User Experience: Users reach their destination with a single click, without tedious manual navigation
  • Higher Adoption Rates: Reduced friction leads to increased app usage and satisfaction
  • Better Integration: Your app becomes part of a cohesive ecosystem, connecting with emails, chats, and other tools
  • Time Savings: Users spend less time clicking around and more time on actual tasks

In our case, we reduced approval process completion time from several minutes to mere seconds by implementing deep links from notification emails directly to the approval screen.

Key Concepts in Deep Linking

  1. App URL: Every Power Apps Canvas app has a unique web URL, which can be extended with query parameters for deep linking.

    https://apps.powerapps.com/play/<AppID>

  2. Query Parameters: Additional parameters appended to the URL to specify which screen or data to show.

    https://apps.powerapps.com/play/<AppID>?Page=Details&ItemID=123

  3. Param() Function: A Power Fx function inside the app to retrieve the values of those query parameters at runtime. For example, Param("ItemID") returns "123" in the above scenario.

Implementing Deep Linking in Power Apps

Setting up deep linking requires configuring your app to respond to URL parameters. Let’s go through the essential steps:

Step 1: Use the App.StartScreen Property

The App.StartScreen property determines the initial screen when the app opens:

App.StartScreen = Switch(
    Param("Page"),
    "Details", DetailsScreen,
    "Settings", SettingsScreen,
    HomeScreen
)

When the app launches, it checks the Page parameter. If Param("Page") equals "Details", the app opens on DetailsScreen. If it’s "Settings", it opens on SettingsScreen. Otherwise, it defaults to HomeScreen.

Using App.StartScreen is significantly more reliable than trying to use Navigate() in App.OnStart. In fact, Microsoft has retired the ability to call Navigate() in App.OnStart, making App.StartScreen the recommended approach.

Step 2: Retrieve Parameters Using Param()

Once the correct screen opens, capture the parameter values for use within that screen:

If(
    !IsBlank(Param("ItemID")),
    Set(itemID, Param("ItemID")),
    Set(itemID, Blank())
)

This creates a global variable itemID and stores the ItemID parameter value from the URL. Always check for blank or missing values to prevent errors – a small defensive step that saves headaches.

Tip: If you expect a numeric ID or GUID, convert it to the proper data type when storing it. For example, use Value(Param("OrderID")) for numeric IDs or GUID(Param("RecordID")) for Dataverse GUIDs.

Step 3: Build Logic Based on Parameters

Use the parameter values to filter data or perform navigation logic inside the app:

If(
    !IsBlank(itemID),
    Filter(ItemsDataSource, ID = itemID),
    ItemsDataSource
)

In this example, if itemID is not blank, we filter the ItemsDataSource to only show the item with that ID. Otherwise, we show all items. This approach could go in a gallery’s Items property to display either a single record or a full list.

With these three steps, your app is now “deep link aware” – it can pick a start screen based on a parameter, grab parameter values, and adjust data accordingly.

Building a deep link is straightforward:

  1. Base URL: Start with your app’s base web link from the Power Apps portal:

    https://apps.powerapps.com/play/<AppID>

  2. Add Parameters: Append query parameters to define the context, beginning the first parameter with ? and any additional parameters with &:

    https://apps.powerapps.com/play/<AppID>?Page=Details&ItemID=456

For consistency and maintainability, avoid scattering hard-coded URLs throughout your systems. Instead, create a helper formula or central place to build your deep links – this makes updates much easier if your app URL changes.

Real-World Implementation Example

Here’s a practical scenario where deep linking made a significant impact in our organization:

Approval Process Integration

For our expense approval system, we send emails with deep links that take approvers directly to the specific expense report needing their attention:

"Please review this expense report: https://apps.powerapps.com/play/<AppID>?Screen=Approval&ExpenseID=" & ExpenseID

Inside the app, we handle this with a combination of App.StartScreen and parameter logic:

// In App.StartScreen formula
App.StartScreen = If(Param("Screen") = "Approval", ApprovalScreen, HomeScreen);

// In ApprovalScreen's OnVisible property
Set(
    currentExpense,
    LookUp(Expenses, ID = Param("ExpenseID"))
);

First, the app navigates to the ApprovalScreen if the URL’s Screen parameter equals “Approval”. Then, when the ApprovalScreen loads, we use the ExpenseID parameter to look up the specific expense record.

This approach reduced our approval time by about 70% because managers no longer had to search for items – they immediately saw the exact expense that required their attention.

Handling Multiple Parameters

For more complex scenarios, you might need to pass multiple parameters and handle their combinations. Here’s a pattern we use in our task management app:

App.StartScreen = Switch(
    true,
    Param("Action") = "StatusUpdate", StatusUpdateScreen,
    !IsBlank(Param("ProjectID")), ProjectDetailsScreen,
    HomeScreen
);

Using Switch(true, ...) evaluates multiple conditions in order:

  • If the Action parameter is “StatusUpdate”, we start on the StatusUpdateScreen
  • Else if there’s a ProjectID provided, we navigate to the ProjectDetailsScreen for that project
  • Otherwise, we default to HomeScreen

This approach allows your deep links to carry significant context, creating a tailored experience based on multiple parameters.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

When implementing deep linking, you might encounter a few challenges. Here are the most common issues and how to fix them:

Parameters Not Being Received

Issue: The app opens, but isn’t receiving the parameter values.

Solutions:

  • Verify parameter name casing (they’re case-sensitive)
  • Check URL encoding for special characters
  • Ensure the user has access to the app

App Opens on the Wrong Screen

Issue: The app loads but stays on the default screen.

Solution:

  • Double-check your App.StartScreen formula logic
  • Add a temporary debug label that shows Param("YourParamName") to verify the value
  • Ensure screen names in your formulas exactly match your actual screens

Works on Web but Not on Mobile

Issue: The link works on desktop but not on mobile devices.

Solution:

  • Ensure the user fully closes the app before testing a new link
  • Check if offline mode is enabled, which might affect parameter handling
  • Verify the mobile app is updated to the latest version

Best Practices

  1. Use App.StartScreen for Navigation Control: Always use this property for initial navigation instead of Navigate() in App.OnStart.

  2. Always Have a Fallback: Plan for scenarios where no parameters are provided by defaulting to a logical screen.

  3. Validate Parameters: Never assume the URL parameters are perfect. Validate data types and check for missing values:

    If(
    !IsBlank(Param("ItemID")) && !IsNumeric(Param("ItemID")),
    Notify("Invalid item ID provided", NotificationType.Error);
    Set(itemID, Blank())
)

  4. Test Across Platforms: Verify your deep links work consistently on web, mobile apps, and within Teams.

  5. Avoid Sensitive Data in URLs: Never embed passwords, personal information, or sensitive data as parameters.

Security Considerations

Even with the convenience of deep links, security remains paramount:

  1. Authentication Still Required: Deep links don’t bypass authentication. Users must sign in and have appropriate permissions to access the app.

  2. Validate Parameters: Treat URL parameters as untrusted input and validate them before use.

  3. Enforce Data Security: Just because a user has a deep link with an ID doesn’t mean they should see that data. Always enforce your app’s security model.

Conclusion

Mastering deep linking in Power Apps can dramatically improve the user experience with relatively little effort. The techniques we’ve covered have helped me create more integrated, user-friendly, and efficient apps for my organization.

Remember these key takeaways:

  • Use App.StartScreen to control navigation based on URL parameters
  • Validate all incoming parameters to handle errors gracefully
  • Create consistent helper formulas to build your deep links
  • Test across platforms to ensure a consistent experience

What’s your next step? I recommend identifying one high-friction scenario in one of your apps – perhaps a screen users frequently need to access or data they often search for – and create a deep link to streamline that workflow. Even implementing a single deep link can dramatically improve user satisfaction and adoption.